YOUR  NEIGHBOUR'S  FENCE

    When your neighbour replaces his fence: I have been telephoned on more than one occasion to be told that someone's next-door neighbour is erecting a new fence such that the smooth, tidy side of the fence is facing into the neighbour's property, leaving the messy structural supports facing into the caller's garden. I am then asked whether the neighbour can be made to turn the fence around, showing the smooth side to the caller.
Whilst it is normal practice for a fence on a road frontage to show its tidy face to the outside world, I know of no rule that says that the tidy side of the fence must be facing its owner's neighbour. After all, it is the neighbour's fence, paid for with the neighbour's money, erected on the neighbour's land (even if it is hard up against the boundary) - so why shouldn't the fence's owner enjoy a view of its smarter side?
If you don't like this state of affairs and want to do something about it then you may either plant shrubs your side of the fence to conceal it from your view, or you may erect your own fence on your own land and as close as you like to your neighbour's fence.

Painting your neighbour's fence: TV gardening programmes may inspire you to stain or paint the fences around your garden in some colour other than creosote brown. The chances are that some of these fences belong to your neighbour and not to you. Strictly speaking, you must ask your neighbour's permission to paint or stain your side of his fence - it is after all his property and on his land. What if he says "No"?
If he says "No!" then you must leave his fence alone. If you go ahead and stain it anyway then you are doing criminal damage to his property. If you really must have a blue fence, then erect your own fence alongside his, and paint your own fence blue.

This page was updated on 03 June 2001

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The information given on this web site is of necessity of a very general nature and cannot be relied upon to meet your specific requirements. Jon Maynard FRICS cannot be held responsible for any action that may or may not be taken by anyone who accesses this site and acts upon any information found within. Whilst I hope that you may gain benefit from the information in this site, my liability can only extend to specific advice given by me after completion of a formal engagement letter.