Ownership of Wooden Fence?

W

waom

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I live in a modern semi detached housing estate of the type built in the last 10-15 years.

Each house is separated from the adjoining houses by wooden panel fences. I have the good side (i.e the front) of the fence on one side of the garden (South facing) and the bad side (ie. the back) on the other side of the garden.

The fences on both sides now need replacing. Which fence am I responsible for?

As one of adjoining houses is not maintained by its owner, talking to neighbours is not an option.
 
in most cases the boundary wall / fence is owned by both parties. No significant work can be done (ie replacement) without the permission of both parties.
 
The replacement will be exactly the same as the original, which is rotten.

It looks like I will be able to share cost with one of my neighbours but will have to take full cost for replacing the other fence.
 
I know in England there's a rule/law/accepted way (whatever) saying that the person with the 'ugly' side is the owner or maintainer. Not sure what the rule is here.
 
would you consider building a wall???

you will be replacing an unmaintained panel fence in another 10 years.....
 
wishbone said:
I know in England there's a rule/law/accepted way (whatever) saying that the person with the 'ugly' side is the owner or maintainer. Not sure what the rule is here.
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I had vaguely heard of this rule before. Before I get the cheque book out, does anyone know if the same rule applies in Ireland?
 
My understanding is that here, ownership is shared. Also, as Syd pointed out, I'd be wary of doing anything to the existing partition without the consent of the other party.
Leo
 
The rule is there is no rule.

In my particular little bolthole (100% turnout for committee meetings) each is to look after the fence/boundary on their right. That suits us all fine.
 
Wishbone is correct in stating that the "ugly" side of the fence denotes ownership here in England. The other way to check, assuming it works the same on your side of the water, is to have a look at the deeds to the property; over here the Land Registry provides a service in which you can look at what it says on the register (for a modest fee of course) if you don't have the deeds to hand.
 
I'm with davidoco on this one, I think that in Itreland each person must look after the boundry on the right side of their site. Open for Correction on this..
 
mocky-Dower said:
I'm with davidoco on this one, I think that in Itreland each person must look after the boundry on the right side of their site. Open for Correction on this..
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BillK said:
Wishbone is correct in stating that the "ugly" side of the fence denotes ownership here in England. The other way to check, assuming it works the same on your side of the water, is to have a look at the deeds to the property; over here the Land Registry provides a service in which you can look at what it says on the register (for a modest fee of course) if you don't have the deeds to hand.
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Unfortunately, the fence on my right side is not the ugly side.

Davidoco, is your right side the ugly side? If so, maybe that is how the right side rule came to be applied in your estate.
 
waom said:
Unfortunately, the fence on my right side is not the ugly side.

Davidoco, is your right side the ugly side? If so, maybe that is how the right side rule came to be applied in your estate.
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As far as how it started, I think the first person to move in would have set the standard by putting up the appropriate panel on his right and we all followed that.

In my estate we all have different fences on either side due to changes in levels, some of the cheap skates just put up panels on the 4 ft post and rail, others improved the post and rail and fitted concrete barges and larger closed panels. Of course being the hero I made the effort to make my right hand neighbours side look half decent. :D cause he has all the tools that I'm never prepared to buy.

I'm biting the bullet on some of it and putting up a proper railing as I've 30 years here (hopefully) and wood panels do need replacing within 10 years. PS I have 30 metres to fence.

Good fences make good neighbours
 
davidoco said:
As far as how it started, I think the first person to move in would have set the standard by putting up the appropriate panel on his right and we all followed that.
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Davidoco, for the fence that you own (i.e. on your right) do you have the ugly side or the good side?
 
waom said:
Davidoco, for the fence that you own (i.e. on your right) do you have the ugly side or the good side?
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The good side, but as I said above I did make an attempt to have both sides looking good using a good stain. The ones I purchased from Wicklow Garden ????? (sold in DIY stores in SE) look fairly good on both sides and by buying a 2" treated slip I was able to finish both sides save for the fact that the feather edge boards look upside down on the "ugly" side.

If I was living in a town semi d with only say less than 10 m to do I would

a. build a block wall or
b. fit 4" wooden posts and fit a feather edge panel on both sides. Then in future you only have to replace your own and your neighbours side can rot away if they let it. Of course the 4" post could rot away too.
 
You could of course use concrete posts and bolt the wooden posts to them, fixing them clear of the soil, so there is no rotting of the posts.
That's the system we have in my garden and, although I have had to replace the arris rails following a storm which broke them, We have had no problem with the posts.
 
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