With storms blowing in on a regular basis and frost and ice biting, winter is the time of year when garden fences feel the strain.
If you find the fence around your house is starting to creak under the strain – or in the worst case scenario blows over completely – it could be time to look at having it replaced.
At the very least it will need to be repaired, but before you invest in a replacement make sure you are indeed the owner of the fence.
On many modern housing estates gardens can be bordered by four other properties with a fence in common.
There are many theories floating around about the fence on the right side of the property being the homeowner’s responsibility, or if the good side faces your house.
Know where you stand
While these may well be true in many cases there is no hard and fast rule about garden boundary ownership.
Instead the only place to find an answer that is 100 per cent accurate is in the deeds of your house, which should flag up the boundary that falls under your ownership.
If the deeds are hard to find your best bet is to ask the neighbours which side of the property their fence is on – if you ask a few the pattern should emerge.
Obviously if you are on good terms with your neighbours everything is a lot easier in relation to garden renovation.
Respecting boundaries
But still there are a few fence rules that are worth knowing to keep that friendly neighbourly relationship in good working order:
- Fences should not as a general rule be higher than 2 metres;
- Your neighbour owns the fence on their border entirely and could, if they wish object to painting, trellises and any other fixtures;
- Should your neighbour refuse to repair a fence you have every right to put up an additional fence running alongside it on your property.
There is a lot to be said for good neighbours, particularly when it comes to fence maintenance!
For more information on fencing contact Garden Busters.
