ANYONE who's come to blows over their garden fence will know the frustration of a shared boundary.
Fence rows are a common cause of neighbour spats – but they don't always need to boil over.
To help, property expert Jonathan Rolande from House Buy Fast and Greg Richardson from Toolstation have shared a simple guide to help you figure out where your fence responsibilities lie.
One of the easiest ways to tell is by checking your property'stitle plan or Land Registry documents, The Mirror reports.
These can be downloaded online for £3 from gov.uk in England and Walesor scotlid.ros.gov.uk in Scotland.
Users will then need to look for an essential ‘T' mark on the inside of a boundary line – as this indicates who owns and maintains that section of fence or wall.
A ‘T’ on your side of the boundary means it’s your responsibility to maintain the fence.
Two ‘T’s forming an ‘H’ symbol indicate shared responsibility between both neighbours.
No clear markings or agreements? Start with a friendly conversation with your neighbour.
Once you both agree on who maintains the fence, you can create a boundary agreement.
It’s also a good idea to get this recorded officially with the Land Registry to avoid any disputes later, especially if someone moves house.
Once ownership is confirmed, it’s important to understand what that actually means in practice, especially when it comes to making changes.
Even if a fence borders your garden, you can’t make changes to it without your neighbour’s permission if it’s not legally yours.
That means you’re not allowed to raise its height, replace any panels, fix gaps, or paint or stain it, even on your side.
You also should not hang things on it, including lights, planters, or decorations.
Any structural or visual changes must be agreed upon in advance, otherwise you could find yourself in a dispute over damage or boundary rights.
What you can’t do to a fence that’s not yours:
- Raise the height
- Replace panels
- Fix any gaps
- Paint or stain it
- Hang things like lights or planters
But, your neighbour isn't legally required to maintain or replace a fence at all.
There's no law saying a boundary needs one, it's just common practice.
If they refuse to repair it, the best option is to install your own fence just inside your boundary line, next to theirs.
If you're a tenant, your landlordis usually responsible for repairing fences damaged by storms,high winds, or other natural events.
