Rules on which way a fence should be?

[Silver940]

Neighbour has just replaced the fence panels at the bottom of the garden. He has put the good side facing him as with the old one. New panels have an extra vertical bar though. The Mrs is now mad that we have the bad side. Can't see the problem myself but she is adamant to be in a mood about it and probably go and upset the nighbours about it - good relationship so far. As far as I can tell he can put it up whichever way he likes as long as it dosn't border a road or public land.

Anyone know for sure?

Looks much tidier than the old fence..

[MitchT]

Sounds like you need to be dealing with the wife rather than the neighbour. I know from experience that when your OH gets the hump with a neighbour, somehow you end up being the one that incurs the neighbour's wrath.

[ol' dirty]

If you own the fence- the slats come in towards you.

if you don't own it- the slats go away from you.


Thats how I understand it anyway...

[tenohfive]

Aye, above comments sound about right.

Ask the missus if she's happy to fork out for the cost of a fence you can erect yourselves, good side towards you if it bothers her that much.

Glad to see you've got a bit of common sense at least - whatever happens, don't let the missus talk to the neighbours.

[kambites]

It's their fence - they can put it whichever way around they want.

As someone said above, if it bothers her that much, put your own fence up just your side of it with the pretty side facing you. If you ask the neighbour nicely, they'll probably even let you nail the pannels to their posts.

[ol' dirty]

kambites said:

It's their fence - they can put it whichever way around they want.

As someone said above, if it bothers her that much, put your own fence up just your side of it with the pretty side facing you. If you ask the neighbour nicely, they'll probably even let you nail the pannels to their posts.

That's what the previous owners have done in our garden

[kambites]

I just put in pannel fences because I couldn't see the point in the extra cost of closed board. They look the same from both sides anyway.

[rabw]

ol' dirty said:

kambites said:

It's their fence - they can put it whichever way around they want.

As someone said above, if it bothers her that much, put your own fence up just your side of it with the pretty side facing you. If you ask the neighbour nicely, they'll probably even let you nail the pannels to their posts.

That's what the previous owners have done in our garden

that's pathetic

[Simond001]

I think wifey needs to chill.

I had an ex who had little strops like this. Just makes life more difficult that it needs to be.

As previously stated. there is no legal entitlement to have the good or bad side. I have the bad side at the side of my house, which was agreed with my neighbours as they offered to pay half of the fence costs as they benefit as well.

The neighbour next door replaced the fence himself although it was my responsibility as I cant see it and he can.

In all I had 35metres of close board fencing for £450. bargain.

[Tony*T3]

He who pays decides.

Although I'd say they did it wrong, its still their decsion.


As long as its in the right place its irrelevant.

[scotal]

The decent thing to do is let the neighbour, in this case you, have the nice side.

There is however no rule that states this is the case.

Our neighbours have the decent side of their fence. And tbh they paid for it,so I can see their point. We have a vine that grows along it to hide the nasty side of the fence.
I susprect it will eventually knacker their fence.

[hot metal]

ol' dirty said:

If you own the fence- the slats come in towards you.

if you don't own it- the slats go away from you.


Thats how I understand it anyway...

Not how I do it ,I have the nice side

[FQ110]

Print this page off and take it to the neighbour. after all a PH majority verdict is final.

[JVaughan]

We own all boundaries, and thus are responsible for all of them too.

Its only courtesy to put the nice side facing the neighbours.

No set fast rules

[JVaughan]

Were replacing them in the next 5 weeks, and as im paying almost £1000 to have them replaced, im buggered if the neighbours are getting the good side.

[TheEnd]

hot metal said:

ol' dirty said:

If you own the fence- the slats come in towards you.

if you don't own it- the slats go away from you.


Thats how I understand it anyway...

Not how I do it ,I have the nice side

Towards you is the nice way, ie, top is covered but the board above, the bottom is clearly visable.

If you, Mr metal, prefer it the other way, then you'll have happy neighbours where ever you live!

[LMC]

Well, if they'd put it up fixing the panels to the sides of the posts both sides would be the same. That's what I done.

All was well until the little st next door poked all the knots out and the fence is now full of holes grrrr !

[Balmoral Green]

Put a new fence up all around our little patch last year, concrete posts and the fence panels slot in, so it looks the same from both sides. As for who owns it, I do, I paid for it. I think all this stuff about you own the fence on the right or you own it if the posts are on your side is utter rubbish.

[s.m.h.]

Check your deeds. Its not always the case that one property automatically owns a fence.
We have 3 houses that share the fence around our back garden.
They are equally shared - which way did you say it was to go?

[Qcarchoo]

A close relative of mine has been a fencing contractor for 40 years plus. In the old days the best side of the fence was always facing the neighbours side but since the eighties (greed is good) things have changed.
Fencing at the front of a property usually has the best side facing outwards for aesthetic reasons but I have seen it done otherwise.
The idea of having a closeboarded fence with the rails on the inside was to make it more difficult for people to climb over so having the best side for yourself defeats the object IMO.