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Original poster

Neighbour ruined our fence...

209 replies

Scottishgirl85 · 27/05/2022 20:44

Our neighbour has painted their side of our fence, and it has seeped through to our side... As you can see, it looks ridiculous! This affects about 50foot, but we have about 150foot more of the same fence around other parts of our garden. It's a very open garden so I think we'll need to paint the whole lot. I could cry, we're busy working parents with young children so could really do without this. Do you think neighbour should offer to compensate us? Will be speaking to them tomorrow...

OP posts:
Original poster
Scottishgirl85 · 27/05/2022 20:45

Pic

Neighbour ruined our fence...
OP posts:
Flaunch · 27/05/2022 20:46

i can’t see your picture but you’ll probably be able to get the paint off with a treasure washer although it’ll be a pain in the arse to do.

Morechocmorechoc · 27/05/2022 20:48

I'd ask them to come and get it off.

GordonBennetttt · 27/05/2022 20:48

Oh my god thats awful and I'd be so upset with that! Yes I think they should offer to compensate you, they've completely ruined your side of the fence.

clippety clop · 27/05/2022 20:48

Is it theirs or yours? Also they've probably not realised this has happened.

TheSpottedZebra · 27/05/2022 20:49

Blimey, that is shit! It is your fence, as in you paid for it and installed it?
Did they ask permission to paint it?

clarrylove · 27/05/2022 20:50

That's dreadful. They had no right to do that. They need to sort it or replace it.

Original poster
Scottishgirl85 · 27/05/2022 20:50

Hope you can see pic now? It's black paint... It looks like it's seeped through the wood, as it's come through at strange places with no gaps. It's not drips that have come through. So I'm thinking it won't come off...

OP posts:
Alphabet1spaghetti2 · 27/05/2022 20:50

Personally I would be wanting them to replace the fence panels that have been affected! I could cry for you.

Afaik - If it’s your fence, they aren’t legally allowed to do anything to the fence without your permission- it’s your property. By that I mean you own that boundary not just your paid for the fence.
But maybe a compromise could be arranged - they pay and paint your side of your fence for you. Because that is not going to just sand /bleach out.
hopefully someone will provide a better answer.

dudsville · 27/05/2022 20:50

How did that happen? It really does look awful. I'm usually keen to remain fastidiously independent of my neighbours, happy to help and have a chat but avoid any shared issues as much as possible. However, I'd be tempted to go around with pics because I'd want to know what the hell they did. Some things you can't just paint over.

lassof · 27/05/2022 20:51

Oh no! I hope they will be mortified. At the very least, tell them. Maybe they can paint it for you!! They might have used a spray.
I assume it is actually your fence that you bought? Pretty out of order of them not to even ask.

FrazzleDazz · 27/05/2022 20:51

If you have a good enough relationship with them, just invite them into the back garden and show them, I doubt they even know that's happened & will be mortified! I'd insist they sort it out though.

Original poster
Scottishgirl85 · 27/05/2022 20:52

Yes it's our fence. And we have soooo much fencing that we'd want to match. Over 200 feet. The ruined portion is 50 feet.

OP posts:
CottonSock · 27/05/2022 20:54

That is totally shit op. You are totally within rights to be fuming

Afterfire · 27/05/2022 20:55

That is really awful. I thought it was going to be a tiny bit round the edges! Get them round and show them and ask them to paint your side as well.

Timide · 27/05/2022 20:56

What horrid stuff did they use?
Now even if they agree to pay for painting your whole fence once, you will be left with the burden of maintenance forever

PragmaticWench · 27/05/2022 20:58

The thing is, even if they paid for that part and the rest to be painted, a) you didn't want a black fence, and b) it would then bleed through black to your other neighbours on the rest of it and their sides would look like this. So it needs to be replaced, not painted.

Original poster
Scottishgirl85 · 27/05/2022 21:00

Thanks all, we only put the fence in 2 years ago and it's very good quality. The kind that weathers naturally and never needs painting/staining!! I can see it's done the same to the neighbour's fence. They won't have realised, but I'm not convinced they'll offer to pay. And should they just pay for the 50 feet, despite fact we'll need to paint all our fencing to match? It would look very odd not to paint the other sides that butt up to it... and then we have a lifetime of repainting the fence. 1st world problem, but so annoying!

OP posts:
User65412 · 27/05/2022 21:00

Oh my that is awful. Weird as well how it's come through. You'll have to just wait and see tomorrow - they might be absolutely mortified and sort it out! See what they say and go from there.

Astralis · 27/05/2022 21:00

That is horrendous.
If you own the fence then you should remind them that it's your fence and they shouldn't do anything to it without permission.
Tell them that they must return the fence to the original condition (which will mean replacing that section.)

rodham · 27/05/2022 21:00

As it's your fence they had no legal right to do that! They need to sort it out, whether it's cleaning it, painting your side if you were happy with that or actually replacing the fence.

Astralis · 27/05/2022 21:01

If they want a black fence they need to erect their own fence and not paint yours.

Afterfire · 27/05/2022 21:02

Astralis · 27/05/2022 21:01

If they want a black fence they need to erect their own fence and not paint yours.

Well, no, they’re perfectly entitled to paint their side of the fence. But to have it go through to the other side like that is dreadful.

clippety clop · 27/05/2022 21:05

I think I'd put more of the trellis stuff up to cover it.

RockAndOrRoll · 27/05/2022 21:06

Well, no, they’re perfectly entitled to paint their side of the fence.

Only if it is truly their side. But OP says the fence is theirs - which means the OP owns both sides of the fence. So it cannot be painted without permission.