Garden Fences

[smallblueplanet]

Last autumn our neighbours put up a 6ft post & panel fence along our 'joint' boundary - its not the worst thing in the world, but I intend to get climbers going up it. To this end I've carefully pre-drilled and screwed some trellis-work onto our side of it.

Is this okay/legal (like a 'party wall'?), or should I have asked the neighbours permission? (They're okay but can be a bit 'odd' so I didn't want to give them opportunity to say no! )

[madmax]

Good point Manda. Is there also an understanding of the left or right fence belonging to the neighbour? Or is there always an agreement between the two neighbours. We are going to put up a fence as well this summer.

[Two_Sheds]

So long as you don't damage the fence (eg by drilling all the way thru like I've done) I can't see a problem. Use it!

[Nicos]

Difficult one!
I would be tempted just to get on with it.
Did you pay half for the fence?
Are they expecting you to treat the panels on your side in future?
These may be things to take into consideration.

We have 3 neighbours gardens backing onto one side of our garden which has 22 panels, and none of the neighbours would contribute to the new fence (although in our deeds it states that we are liable for the upkeep of the fence).
I can understand that, althouh even £50 would have helped!!!

Might be worth checking your deeds to see whose responsibility the fence is, cos if they do get funny, they might find out you are responisble and ask for some money off you!!!
Don't know if they could do that, but ...can of worms......

Maybe a friendly chat would be in order? You could always put up a simple trellis 6" away from the fence and grow up that if they asked you not to use the fence as a support!
Let us know how you get on- you may be worrying without need!

[smallblueplanet]

We also have had previous problems with fences & neighbours, so I'm a little wary...The fence is theirs and that boundary is their responsibilty. They wanted to put up a fence for 'security' - they're 'townies', so I imagine its really for privacy. ;D

We're in a small hamlet with neighbours on each side and so our bottom fence is a newly growing native hedge and a blue plastic rope strung between two wooden fence posts. Our other joint boundary (our responsibility) is a 2-3ft post & wire 'sheep' fence, our elderly neighbours are happy (prefer it) and so are we.

Anyway I wondered if there was a 'legal' take on this?

ps. Nicos we also had to fence the bottom of our last house's garden when we were selling, even though it wasn't our responsibility. But sorry if you'd have asked me for a contribution to pay for your fence I'd still have said no.

[Tyto Alba]

The fence on the right as you stand with your back to the house, is your responsibility.

I think you can do what you like to your side of any fence though, providing it doesn't affect the other side. I paint mine green and put trellis on them.

[TPeers]

Tito Alba I'm sorry I have to take you up on this one! Generally you may be correct but you MUST check your deeds - we are in the incredible position of have no fence responsiblity as when the plots were first set in the '30s this house owned the land to the right, which was not sold off until the '60s and set the new plot with dual fence 'rights'.

We had hedging down both sides of the garden, planted on our side of the fence line, so clearly our responsibility. When our neigbours to the right wanted to put in a fence (they don't like cutting the hedge) we declined to contribute formally (didn't want to set a precident for the future) but did agree to the removal of our hedge to facilitate a straight, agreed, border. In the name of continued friendship we paid for the hedge to be removed by their workmen.

Since 'right' in this context means West this has worked in our favour and I can now grow a much wider range of plants, but it really is important to check your deeds, not just for rights but restrictions on height and type of permitted boundery!

(Also their fence cost something like £2000 - £2500, I like them - but that much!)

[smallblueplanet]

Agree TP - we've not been here long, so I know what our boundaries are according to the deeds. Also according to the deeds they should be 6ft high and cattle-proof! These are ex-council and they often have 'odd' covenants in the deeds.

So TP will you be putting up trellises?

[rustylady]

These things are always best settled by friendly negotiation (or creeping). Generally, as long as you don't damage their fence you can grow what you like up it. This thread could lead into the other question of what do you do about trees and shrubs which are growing in your neighbour's garden but are overhanging yours and causing possible damage to your side!

[Lesley Jay]

The law says that you can cut off any tree branches overhanging your garden as long as you give them back to your neighbour.

[Tyto Alba]

Yeah, I am no lawyer. But it's generally a convention that the right fence is yours. Of course the deeds and any legal arguments would take precedence over this.

At the end of the day you have to get on with your neighbours. Most people are reasonable....erm....aren't they?

I've just replaced next doors fence because they're a one parent family without much money and they don't know how to do the job. I was doing my own side anyway after the January winds. Good fences make good neighbours don't they? Or is it good neighbours that make good fences?

Life it too short to get into arguments about this sort of stuff imo.

[madmax]

TA, you hit the nail on the head mate. But the neighbour to our left is difficult. And negotiation does not always work... Unfortunately.

[TPeers]

Agree TP - we've not been here long, so I know what our boundaries are according to the deeds. Also according to the deeds they should be 6ft high and cattle-proof! These are ex-council and they often have 'odd' covenants in the deeds.

So TP will you be putting up trellises?

So far three pear trees (espallied -however you spell that) spread sideways !

An Amalancher, a climbing loneranger, a witch hazel.....
... and a thing from the Mil that grows super fast and vines everywhere, supposed to have redish orange datura like trumpet flowers - Mil had to dig it out of her garden (what am I saying... I had to dig it out! ) as it was making an escape bid up the drainpipe over the flat roof, up past the bathroom and heading for the roofline! The plant is two years old - bit on the vigourous side me thinks!

It seems to have taken the move, some nice little red buds are showing on the remnant stems, had to hack it back to about 4' before leavering it out!

Should cover a couple of panels nicely and give the birds somewhere to nest!