It is an undeniable fact that neighbor disputes happen over fences, and with etiquette rules, you can somewhat avoid neighbor disputes over fence installations. If you find yourself in a situation where you have to share a fence with your neighbor, it should be noted that the “nice” side of the fence should face your neighbors. It might be that you end up sharing more of the nice fence side with your neighbor. Nevertheless, no matter how many fences you share with your neighbor, what you need to know are the etiquettes of it.
You’ll want to be respectful at all times, and make the fence installation process positive for all the parties that are involved.
This article will be covering the major key points that you need to keep in mind whilst sharing a fence. Thus, let’s get into it.
Identify Fence Ownership: Yours or Your Neighbor’s?
If you want to adhere to proper fence etiquette, then you must know what you’re talking about. Firstly, you should be aware of the property lines and who the fence really belongs to. If you are confident that the fence belongs to you, you do replacement if you want. However, if there is any doubt as to whether the fence was placed before you bought the property, then you must consult with your neighbor before making any changes to the fence. If it happens to be your neighbor’s fence, you’ll need to open a dialogue with them if it is causing any problems on your end; open, happy conversations can often make finding a solution where both parties are happy very easy.
Mark Your Property Lines
Although this pointer may seem like it’s obvious, taking a moment to cross check your property lines is bound to save you from countless problems. For the sake of knowledge, you can only install a fence on your own property, but if you end up doing so on your neighbor’s, then they have the right to take it down anytime they want. Henceforth, it’s important that your property lines are defined, so that you don’t end up dealing with an unexpected issue.
Financial Obligations of Shared Fences
One of the most common queries that surround the fencing etiquette is, “Who pays?” which often becomes a point of contention between neighbors. In most cases, costs are split equally for installation, maintenance, and shared boundary fence repairs. However, if you seem to be having an issue deciding that, opt for open, clear communication and agreement as they are vital to avoid misunderstandings.
Sharing fences with your neighbor becomes easy by simply abiding by these basic principles and communicating openly about any modifications you intend to implement!
