Garden fence etiquette

[SnowBodyforrrrm]

We are hoping to get some work done to our garden including new fences. We are an end of terrace with a shared side access to the side of our house. So we own the fence along that side and to the rear as the access follows along the back. Apparantly we own the fence between our neighbour on the right and us. I always assumed we didn't as the batons are facing into our garden. We had a man round to look at it today but he said that generally as a good will gesture, you let your neighbour have the naice side of the fence and batons face your garden.

Does anyone know if this is true?

A small thing I know but if we are having to pay to replace the fence (they're doing work to their garden as we speak and want to change the fence as its too low anyway) I would prefer we have the nice side due to us footing the cost.

To clarify, they haven't asked us to replace the fence at this point, they mentioned a while ago they'd like it to be taller (it's waist high at the moment.)

Surely the owner has the batons for ease of access if maintenance is required

I'd put the fence panels round the way you want them if you are paying for it. I wouldn't even mention which way round they might go. But before you commit to anything, check your title register and see what, if anything it states about the boundaries and the fences.

Your man is correct but I still take the view if I'm paying I get the nice side

I've always understood it to be the case that if you own the fence you have the batons/posts on your side.

I have never heard of this!
However, we recently replaced the fence all around our garden, and all the batons are facing into our garden, so I presume the fencer followed that convention!

I don't think it's out of politeness. It's so that the fence can go on the actual boundary. If you wanted the posts on their side the fence would have to be more into your garden so that posts would still be on your land. So your garden would be smaller.

Thanks all! I never thought of that savoy I will indeed dig out our deeds and see for a start if we do own the fence then go ahead and change them with the pretty side facing us

Our fence (corner site) round the back & side has the posts in the garden, but it would look really weird if it were the other way round!

Also, you can climb over or stand on arris rails, if you want to look over a fence or get over it. So the sheer side facing out keeps people, and some animals, out.

I think that's the convention but it's your fence, your choice.

We have the batons on our side to prevent local kids on the common land using it as a climbing frame. You could argue that it's more secure too.

Savoy is right, its so that the fence is on the true boundary.

It's supposedly the convention to have thd batons on your side if you own the fence, but it's not mandatory. Our neighbours own the fence between us and them, they replaced it a couple of years ago and had the nice side facing them. The batons are really ugly, with big metal casings, which i hate. We're growing big bushes to hide it now.

Your deeds will show you who is responsible for the fence.

Deeds of older properties don't indicate whose fence is whose. Most people I know have the nice side facing their garden if they paid for the fence.

You can get double sided panels so both sides are naice.

They are called European fence panels. Have a google and see if there is anything you like.

That is the convention, yes.

Ours is an older property, 1920's and states which fences we are responsible for.

You can download your neighbours from the land registry and see if theirs states which fences are their responsibility.

The title plan should show the fence ownership (indicated by a T shape)

Alternatively, you can buy fence posts with slots vertically down each side, and the fence panels slide into the slots, so everybody gets the 'nice' side, and the posts can be situated right on the boundary. I did this in my last house as I didn't want the batons in my view, and it looked very smart, but might have been a tad more expensive than the standard B&Q type fences. Think it came from a company called Jacksons, but I could easily be mistaken, it was rather a long time ago.

The land registry has an excellent guide to fences.

Conventions are just that. All bollocks basically! The guide will give you the definitive answer.