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Fence round my lickle house needs replacing. So the plans recovered from the govt online service just show the border and not the responsibilities. The deeds I have, last I looked, are very unclear - I seem to remember there was a faint "?" against the border in question.
So, my house is the end terrace house marked 12. The pink section and the red end section are going to be replaced. I've already replaced the blue section.
Seems to be one single section of fencing (8ft wide panels) along the horizontal red line. I'm just going to bite the bullet and get the pink bit done cos it looks so shabby, but is it mine?
Is it possible to know without clear plans? I can't find any rule of thumb regarding end terrace, just "get an agreement with your neighbour". The houses marked 26, 28 and 30 are all rented (and in a different road from mine), so it would be a pain in the butt to try and get info from the landlords. The right hand side of "30" is up for sale, so would it be a good time to ask them if they have anything on their deeds (though, I'm not planning to replace the section that actually forms the end of their garden!)?
A landlord is unlikely to complain/care. The other 'owner' neighbours may want a choice in the fence. We've one 'shared' fence and I just paid for it (new house, no fence) although my neighbour wanted the 'better' side and a gate putting in, which she didn't get either (she was a mid terrace). We've since replaced it like for like some years (over 20) later - new neighbour wasn't bothered as they got the same fence but brand new (although the house is rented now).
Is it possible the faint question mark could be a T? If so, the side that extends to is responsible for the fence.
Nope, the T's were along the blue side.
I don't care if they don't want a new fence, they are getting one! I just wondered if the landlords should help with the bill!
I thought the general rule of thumb was that the side with the posts visible was responsible? (Although our own house breaks this rule).
Most of the fences here break that rule but most fences are double board/hit and miss, so not sided? I paid for it so the gravel boards face me.
Unfortunately, our end location means we own all 3 sides.
Not that it proves anything legally (but may give you an indication) - which side faces you the 'good' side or the 'messy' side.
If the messy side faces you there's a good chance it's your fence.
IMHO if just crack on and put the fence up, and pay for it yourself if possible. Stuff like this is what disputes can arise from. We've just put up a festive to replace a bit of ours where it neighbour accidentally pulled out down - it was in need of replacement anyways tbh. So we did the work and paid for it. Neighbour offered to pay, but for harmonious relations we just did it ourselves and checked they were happy
I thought the general rule of thumb was that the side with the posts visible was responsible? (Although our own house breaks this rule).
I suspect that's just from what's seen as the generally 'right' thing to do -when you erect a fence it's seen as common courtesy to a lot of people to put the 'good' side facing your neighbour.
I am not a lawyer, but I have looked at this.
Is it possible the faint question mark could be a T? If so, the side that extends to is responsible for the fence
This isn't true. This only applies if there is a stipulation on the deeds relating to the boundary like maybe if it were a retaining wall. Otherwise, there is no legal requirement for a fence, of course, so no-one can be made to pay for it. We bought our house from the developers of the housing estate - they put in low chain link fences unless you paid for a 6ft featherboard one. Having paid for it, it's just a physical item owned by the person who paid for it like anything else. If it falls down, it's up to the owner of the fence i.e. who paid for it to decide if they want to replace it or not.
I suspect that's just from what's seen as the generally 'right' thing to do -when you erect a fence it's seen as common courtesy to a lot of people to put the 'good' side facing your neighbour.
Yeah possibly – ours back onto a hedge one one side (so wanted the nice finish on our side) and a disused footpath on the other so, historically, the good side was on our side. However, as the footpath is disused, the houses on the other side have all claimed their 'bit' – but I wasn't going to swap the good side around to please them (tbf, nobody complained).
The good (Well, it was!) side shows on my side of the long border fence. But that could just be how the builders put it in when the 2 roads were first divided up. (Which also makes "who paid for it originally" impossible to know (houses are 1985-1990 builds).
put the fence up, and pay for it yourself if possible
Yeah, I've got the funds, for the first time in the 10 years I've lived here, so may as well, just get it done. Thanks old superannuation pension. But I need carpets too! There's no questioning who will pay for those 😀
Having paid for it, it's just a physical item owned by the person who paid for it like anything else. If it falls down, it's up to the owner of the fence i.e. who paid for it to decide if they want to replace it or not.
What if the house has changed hands since the fence was built?
We're currently in the process of pointer-proofing our garden - they can go over 6-foot fences/walls if they want to - neither we or our ****less, Westie-owning neighbours know who is responsible for the party gate/fence, but as it's our issue with the dog, we're happy to sort out the gate, though they kindly offered to put something towards it.
I suspect the bottom line, unless you want to be really picky, is that if you want the job done and it's mostly for your own benefit, you probably end up footling the bill yourself. In our case it feels morally right too as it was out call to pick a Houdini-like, escapologist dog breed... 🤣
We're currently in the process of pointer-proofing our garden
I've found that Dalmatian proof fencing is 3' high, none of mine have attempted to leap it in 30 odd years. The current one likes to watch the next door guinea pigs and cats over it but never been seen trying to go across it. These are all rescues and the welfare people always say the fence needs to be higher when they visit. (The stairs at work used to have a 2' barrier in the old place, all stood behind it and waited until it was moved before going down to get a treat from the postie).
Set boundaries and expect your lad to keep to them.
We had a pointer. Escaping from the garden was never an issue. Disappearing off on the hunt while out for a walk was though. Get a tracker!
We had a pointer. Escaping from the garden was never an issue. Disappearing off on the hunt while out for a walk was though. Get a tracker!
Thanks, he won't be off lead until his recall is absolutely bombproof, until then it'll be a long line / normal lead. I accept that we're maybe being slightly paranoid about the garden, but the idea of him wandering around on a sometimes busy road is scary and we'd rather be safe than sorry. He's bold and curious and young so we're being proper careful.
Set boundaries and expect your lad to keep to them
Absolutely, he's 13 weeks now, does sit / stay /break for every meal, thresholds etc and his impulse control is improving all the time, but we also know that he will at some point have the body of a near full-grown pointer and the brain of an over-excited puppy.
Once he's adult he'll be out running / with the bike / hill-walking every day - Peak District local, big hills in back yard - so there's every chance he'll be a happy, fulfilled camper, but we don't want to find out we were wrong the hard way. If we're wrong, well, we'll have higher fences and a better gate. But thanks, appreciated 🙂
A new gate is also a golden opportunity to see less of our borderline insane neighbours, so it's a double win 😜
Sorry for slightly derailing / diverting your thread btw.