Neighbours have ruined my fence

[ElsLouise]

Very long story short, but my new neighbour has ruined our fence (in our deeds) by staining their side without our permission. They lied and told me it was a treatment, when I asked them when it would dry clear (which they also assured me it would do!) As it's a stain, it cannot be jet washed or sanded off. It's affected about 30/40ft of around 120ft of our boundary. We hate the colour so will not be staining ours, plus it would only damage our other fences when it seeps through. I just want to know where I stand. I've reached out, they offered to go halves on the stain (jokers!!... Not happening) in my eyes the only way to rectify this is by replacing the whole thing. I've read that this is criminal damage?

I've reached out and they were semi playing ball, then she deleted Facebook so I posted her a note and have not heard back so will be knocking on her door this week but wanted some further info first. They also have stopped painting the rest of their fences which to me proves guilt!

Excuse the dead winter grass these images were taken last year lol. It's died down a little but the darkness is still there.

[Dumpruntime]

It’s not ruined goodness. Just stain it. Yea it’s annoying but hardly fence replacing level of situation

[GreenFingersWouldBeHandy]

It's not 'ruined'. Just a different colour. What a drama...

[Littlegoth]

Why should she stain it? She wasn’t asked for permission and she didn’t want it doing. I would want it made good. If that means replacing it then that’s what needs to happen.

[ScroogeMcFuck]

If you’ve got Legal Protection through your home insurance there may be an advice line to call. They’ll be able to tell you where you stand.

It would irritate me too OP. Nothing they do on their side of the fence should affect anything on your side.

[EarringsandLipstick]

It is annoying.

However, your fence was already in need of painting / staining. It looks pretty neglected.

Your neighbour is behaving badly by not engaging with you but I'm not sure what the right thing to do is with regard to this.

I suppose decide what you want to do with your fence & go from there.

I do agree that ultimately they should not have caused this but how you can compel them to replace the fences without much antagonism, I'm not too sure.

[Tuesdayvibes]

Tbh, the fence looks like it needs some treatment, it looks very dry and dull. I would probably use this as an opportunity to treat my side and take up their offer to pay for half.

[MrsBunnyEars]

I think you’re technically right, but being a pain in the arse.

Stain your fence and get over it!

[RausageSoul]

It's a shame you couldn't revive that grass, that paving looks very cold 🥶

[alrightnowthen]

I can understand your upset and frustration. Your neighbour shouldn't have done that without your permission. However, as others have said it can be fixed by staining your side. I'd see if the neighbour would do it for you as it was caused by them.

[bussteward]

I’d be furious too, they’ve chosen a horrible colour Vs your naturally weathered wood. Not sure what you can do beyond flinging every snail you ever find over the fence into their garden. Otherwise I’d just grow things over the fence and hate my neighbours forever.

[BeatrixFranklin]

I bet you’re a joy to live beside OP! We had a neighbour years ago who’d put up a fence before we moved in and they refused to let us stain our side, the fence was an eyesore. We put our own panels up inches from theirs, a foot higher and stained them dark grey 😇 We did let them know the panels could be removed with prior notice to allow them access to treat the side facing our boundary - they never did treat it and it eventually rotted. Pick your battles, there’s some you just won’t win.

[Paesano]

It's annoying but not worth a new fence. Grow something up the fence.

[drpet49]

@bussteward

I’d be furious too, they’ve chosen a horrible colour Vs your naturally weathered wood. Not sure what you can do beyond flinging every snail you ever find over the fence into their garden. Otherwise I’d just grow things over the fence and hate my neighbours forever.

This.

[HyacinthineMacaw]

Mumsnet is the only place I know where people are utterly proprietorial over the colour of fences - out in the real world I’ve never encountered anyone who didn’t think it was okay for next door to paint their side, no matter whose fence it is.

They say good fences make good neighbours. Not sweating this sort of stuff contributes massively.

[ReluctantFishLady]

I can see why you are annoyed, I would be too, but after all this time I think you need to calm down about it. Talk of criminal damage and replacing the fence is way over the top. Do you really want to enter into a legal dispute with your next door neighbours and do irreparable damage to relations with them? They probably just didn't forsee this would happen and had no malicious intent agains you and your fence.

As annoying as it is, it is easily fixed by picking a stain or paint that you like and doing your side. Id ask them to pay for that, but not a whole new fence, that's just ridiculous.

[ThatsNiceVeryNice]

What weird replies! I'd be mad too. Your fence is a nice natural colour and the stain looks awful.
I think you could ask for the fence to be replaced but I'm not sure it would be worth the hassle and massive fall out that would probably happen.
How about asking for the neighbour to pay for some paint stripper and then use that. Maybe try a pressure washer too.

It might not get rid of it but it would soften the colour of the wood a lot.

I'd imagine that the stain will dramatically fade fairly quickly anyhow. It would obviously still be visible but wouldn't be quite so bad.

Unfortunately it's quite a commonly held belief that you can do what you like to your side of a neighbors fence even when you don't own it.

[DogInATent]

If it's your fence, why have you got the face-side?

[LIZS]

So it has been going on a while? They should have asked, assuming it is your fence. However it looks like it could do with some treatment and you could plant in front of it to disguise. What does it look like now?

[ThatsNiceVeryNice]

@DogInATent

If it's your fence, why have you got the face-side?

It's what's in the deed's that matter.

[ThatsNiceVeryNice]

Some posters don't understand stand what normal weathered fences should look like. There is nothing obviously wrong with the OPs fence other than the ugly stains that have seeped through from the neighbours.

[SoupDragon]

@DogInATent

If it's your fence, why have you got the face-side?

you can have whatever side you want. There is nothing to say you have to give your neighbours the "good" side.

[LIZS]

@ThatsNiceVeryNice not exactly. It could be their boundary on deeds but not their fence. It looks like a new build so boundaries may not have originally been marked by full height fencing.

[2bazookas]

Stain it; a colour of your choosing . Not necesarily the same as theirs .

[MeMyCatsAndMyBooks]

My neighbours done the exact same thing but with black stain, it looks awful. Trouble is I can't stain it either as I have 4 other neighbours all with different colours and they'd go mad if it seeps through.

No idea what to do.

[m00rfarm]

I would suggest the people saying that it is not that bad should look at the WHOLE photo and not just the bit that shows on the post. My initial reaction was what were you fussing about, until I saw the whole garden. It looks awful - have you invited them over to see it?