Garden fence between neighbours

Discussion in 'Landscaping and Outdoors' started by diymostthings, Mar 10, 2020.

  1. diymostthings

    diymostthings Well-Known Member

    Hi. Several of our perimeter fence panels and posts blew down in the recent storms.We get on very well with our neighbour and the fence is between us. I have now repaired it with new posts and panels but had a couple of queries about what to do on the neighbours side:

    (i) They had plant support wires stretching across the old fence, and the wires and plants were damaged when the fence blew down - should I replace wires and plants?

    (ii) The new panels are the ususal bright orange colour and stick out clearly from the rest of the fence which is painted in "Dark Oak" on both sides. Should I offer to paint my neighbours side?

    Thanks for any comments/advice.

    diymostthings
     
  2. Astramax

    Astramax Super Member

    Very good chance the plants will recover so wouldn't replace them. The storm is an act of God so not intentional on your part. Colouring the fence to a dark oak would help to blend in the new panels but would require at least 2 coats. The support wires are up to you if you want to replace them but as it's your fence yo have no requirement to do so.
     
  3. diymostthings

    diymostthings Well-Known Member

    Thanks for that Astramax - well I thought that would be the position, I just wanted to be as neighbourly as possible without going overboard. Perhaps a compromise would be for them to buy the paint and me to paint it. I also replaced bark chippings where I trod them into the mud fixing the posts.
    diymostthings
     
  4. Astramax

    Astramax Super Member

    You are sounding to be a decent neighbour they are lucky.
     
    KEEPGREEN, Squashrobinson and Hans_25 like this.
  5. FlyByNight

    FlyByNight Screwfix Select

    Astramax is right about how far to go - repair the fence, that is all you need to do. Colouring/paining and attachments are NOT down to you as you did not damage them.
     
    KEEPGREEN and Astramax like this.
  6. Hans_25

    Hans_25 Screwfix Select

    If the fence is your responsibility, then stop at replacing the panels. Not only are fixtures on your neighbour's side not your problem, it could be classed as criminal damage and you could sue them for the damage!!

    If they don't like your fence, they are entitled to put another fence up on their side to block out your nice new fence.
     
    KEEPGREEN likes this.
  7. diymostthings

    diymostthings Well-Known Member

    Well I can never see any reason to have an argument over trivial things - Live and let live is my motto. I have been amazed how feuds between neighbours have lasted for years over a petty trivial incident...
     
    BW70 and KEEPGREEN like this.
  8. diymostthings

    diymostthings Well-Known Member

    Thanks Mike - Yes I did think that but its interesting to see how much further people would go to keep good relations...
     
  9. diymostthings

    diymostthings Well-Known Member

    Thanks Hans - yes it is our fence but i would never consider suing over a simple thing. I think we have to think things through to the future relationship. I might need their help one day...
     
  10. jackelliott07

    jackelliott07 Active Member

    It sounds like you have been very reasonable and if you were my neighbour i would be more than happy with how you've dealt with it - you've replaced fences that got damaged. Anything they chose to hang/grow/stick to your fences is their issue and theirs to replace. It is you being nice in letting them do so (i'm personally of a similar opinion to you, them hanging things from your fence realistically is never going to cause an issue, but it definitely shouldn't be down to you to repair/maintain.)

    They should buy their own paint and paint it themselves, with your permission of course. Depending on type, the colour could drip through to your side (in the case of waneylap or similar)
     
    KEEPGREEN and Hans_25 like this.
  11. diymostthings

    diymostthings Well-Known Member

    Thanks for that jackelliot and supportive comments. I'm sure our neighbour appriciates what I've done but for me it's a question of "the extra mile" ---or not! As for pint dripping through - yes we do have wany lap but the way the overlap runs, means that no paint comes through from our side, but it would from there's. Luckily we both have the same colour paint on the old sound panels.
     
  12. jackelliott07

    jackelliott07 Active Member

    Personally i think you've done enough - anything extra is going above and beyond. It would be a different story if something you or somebody you live with had destroyed the fences and thus their plants etc, but as it was a storm, it's nobodies fault.

    You sound like a great neighbour to have and they should hopefully already know/appreciate that.
     
    KEEPGREEN likes this.
  13. KEEPGREEN

    KEEPGREEN Member

    diymostthings - You seem like a great human being .In todays world - I think others take someone's good nature / gesture for granted .

    You are a star . All the best .
     
  14. diymostthings

    diymostthings Well-Known Member

    KEEPGREEN - Thank you. We do try...!
     

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