Garden fence, should I? ?

If the fence is yours, then it’s really up to you to sort it. When we moved in to our present home, the fence between us and elderly widow next door was very rickety, it was hers, but she didn’t own the property, it was step daughter’s, she was just allowed to live there for her lifetime.
She said she wasn’t doing anything about the fence, but we could replace it if we wanted, which we did.
Yes, it benefits both sides to have a decent fence, but if he doesn’t want to contribute, up to him.
You can always ask though, he might share the cost.

If the fence is part of the OPs property then it is her and her husband's obligation to repair or rebuild the structure so as to make it secure and not obstruct any part of the neighbour's garden.

If the neighbours are aware of the highly disparaging way they have been spoken of in this thread then it is probably very unlikely they would wish to contribute anything towards the repair or rebuild anyway

Surely the best strategy in such situations is to approach the neighbour in a quiet manner and discuss it with them. That would be far better than slagging off them and his previous working efforts on the fence openly on an open forum such as this. ??

My thoughts are, the fence is your responsibility, up to you to repair/replace. Surely Mr Neighbour has his own fence/s to upkeep?
There is no harm in asking though “brass” and “neck” spring to mind.

4.5 fence panels with concrete at base £2000 2 years ago. Kent.
Yes I do think we were robbed.

We had new concrete posts installed when our fence was damaged by high winds ..it has done the job well & cheaper than total replacement ..but really depends on extent of damage to the restof the fence. You could raise the issue by asking for neighbourly advice: e.g. ' We had a quote to replace fence but v expensive. Do you think replacing just posts would work as we might afford that, it must be annoying for you to have it leaning'

Blimey Grandad someone got out of bed the wrong side this morning!!

Perhaps it’s his fence?

We've deleted this post because we don't feel it is very kind towards another poster and not in keeping with the spirit of Gransnet.

I agree grandad to the extent that too many people do seem to enjoy a good old ‘slag off’ but the OP did try to inject a touch of understanding/humour that not all men are DIY experts with her little aside about spirit levels, so she cannot be held to blame for the unkindness of others.

Connifers are cheap and grow fast.
That would be my option and it helps the planet too.

Furret

I agree grandad to the extent that too many people do seem to enjoy a good old ‘slag off’ but the OP did try to inject a touch of understanding/humour that not all men are DIY experts with her little aside about spirit levels, so she cannot be held to blame for the unkindness of others.

The OP should have demonstrated thanks and respect for her neighbour's previous repairs to the fence whether she felt they were good or bad workmanship, for he had freely made that effort when the fence was not in any way his responsibility.

In the OPs situation, the best policy would have been to not have begun a thread on this matter but to have quietly and diplomatically discussed the issue with their neighbour.

Anyway, Furret, as much as I would wish to go on discussing this thread with you and other forum members I am now off to the office where many other subjects need to be discussed and acted upon.

Oh do not plant conifers! Grim & ongoing maintenance is costly. Also they have hungry roots so little else will grow nearby for years! a living hedge of flowering or friuting plants would be much better.

grandad1943 I did not read the OP as being disrespectful..maybe just honest that the neighbour kindly offered to help..but actually mending fences was maybe not his particular skill set.
I realise you won't have time to read this as you are off to do busy and important things in an office. Many of us are busy doing our own busy & important things too..we just don't feel the need to say!

trustgone4sure

Connifers are cheap and grow fast.
That would be my option and it helps the planet too.

The most anti-social thing anybody can do to a neighbour is plant fast growing conifers as a hedge!

They don't help the planet as they will deplete the soil of nutrients and moisture.

An attractive, level and solid fence is good for both sets of neighbours, no matter who the responsibility lies with.
If I thought my neighbour would leave leaning fences forever then I would offer to go halves with them, rather than put up with the look of it.That could be repairing them or buying new ones.It’s only a legal requirement to ‘mark’ your boundaries, you could put a bit of wire across only if you wanted to, you don’t have to put up fences.

We're not responsible for fences either side but we always either go halves or Mr Lefthand neighbour buys the panels and DH puts up the fence as he's good at DIY. It's not very long, though.

We all maintain them.

trustgone4sure

Connifers are cheap and grow fast.
That would be my option and it helps the planet too.

No! Anti-social things and kills other plants around the area.
They should be banned from gardens.

merlotgran

If the wood is in good condition but just not level and leaning over it can be salvaged and re-positioned.

That too.

It may just need better fencing posts, or even just metal supports for each post. Perhaps just the bottom of the post has rotted if they are in the ground without a metal support?

You may find that the fencing panels could be salvaged and repainted with a preservative.

Grandad you're rather grumpy this morning.
Not like you!

If its leaning their way. Use some posts your side to support it. I assume we are mostly older on here. Age UK in Portsmouth does gardening etc for all, any age, they could reinforce it until the time a new fence is erected. Last I heard they charge about 25 pds an hour. At least they may solve the problem

I would chat to them and see what can be salvaged.

It would be a good idea to make it safer now before any possible winter gales.

Grandad you're rather grumpy this morning.

He does have a point though.

If MrP is good at DIY, would it be doable to take out the existing fence panels and posts and 're erect them, using some post crete around each post, before putting the pabels back in situ? Any damaged panels could be replaced, which wouldn't cost as much as a whole new fence.

Grandad, I don't know how you extrapolated that OP was disrespectful; like most other people here, I read it as being a little humorous. No need for such waspishness surely?

If the posts are sitting in metal bases but have rotted at the bottom, it's not always easy to get them out - we've just done this.
But it can be done and is worth it if the posts are otherwise sound but just have rotten bottoms.

When I ought my house 20 odd years ago the fence between me and my elderly neighbour had several panels missing and other replaced with old garage doors. The neighbour wasn't bothered, it was her fence and so before moving in I got a fencer to erect a new fence for half the length of the garden that being all he could access. That cost me £700 20+ years ago. She had the cheek to complain it was very unneighbourly to erect a fence she couldn't see through, oh well. Once I had demolished the very odd garden shed also made of old garage doors and removed the brambles taking over the end of the garden I got the fencer back to complete that side of the fence, another £700 so £1400 in total for a fence that wasn't even my responsibility but I had a dog I needed to contain for my own peace of mind. Once I was moved in I then had the other side fenced so that I had a matching attractive fence. Having concrete posts it's easy enough to replace panels when they start to fall apart. Over the past few years my son and I have refence the entire garden, I think it's worth the cost for the peace of mind. The elderly neighbour died a few years ago and developers took over the site which now has 4 properties on it and the neighbour the other side has just sold so will be going soon. Whatever happens in the future my garden is safely enclosed and if their fences collapse they have no call on me, they'll have to take responsibility for their own property.
The way I see it, is ask yourself honestly if your neighbour asked you to pay for half their fence would you happily contribute, because I wouldn't.

I wonder if my neighbour would? Southern Railways!!!