Cats and idiots on my property

Straight question Ripple - do sellers have a legal duty of responsibility to mention possible boundary disputes during the process?

Good move. :023::023:

Absolutely YES.

What Do You Have To Disclose When Selling A House?.

There are potential legal and financial repercussions for being less than honest with a potential buyer.

Thanks for that TAT, and a special thanks to Cinders for that link.

You’re welcome. TBH I did not know myself.

I can understand you not wanting to get involved with solicitors, though you can ask for nothing.

On the other hand, if that fence is on your land, or even bordering your land, you have every right to water your adjacent plants and sod the rotting fence.

If I were you, I’d water them heavily every day and watch the fence rot.

Before he replaces it, though, make sure you put up some trellis or, better still, a shed backing right up to it. You don’t want him to nick any more of your land!

When you’re selling up there’s quite a few questions that deal with boundaries, never mind disputes with neighbours.

For instance, do you know who is liable for or owns each and all of your boundaries … though there’s a handy ‘don’t know’ in the list of answers.
If I remember rightly they also ask if the boundaries have ever changed or altered too.
The questions they ask now are pretty exhaustive.

Most fence panels and gates have one side that’s more attractive than the other – one side is usually smoother, displaying the best features of the design; the other is where the supporting posts and rails can be seen (not quite so pretty!).

You’ve probably always assumed that the nicer side of the fence should face into your own garden, and why wouldn’t you if that boundary is your responsibility and you’ve paid for it?

So you might be surprised to learn that it’s not unknown for neighbours to voice some strong opinions on the matter, and even to insist that the “good” side should face their own garden.

So are there any rules about which side of the fence should face you and which should face your neighbour?

Usually, the answer is “no”, though there may be exceptions, which we’ve outlined below. If the boundary between you and your neighbour’s garden is your responsibility (check your property deeds) and you are paying for the fence, it can face any direction you like.

Cinders post is correct about which side faces your neighbour. Also the posts (where applicable) have to face your side too.

So in other words, we get the rough side of the fence and the posts too!

Muddy, for what it’s worth and as others have said, I doubt very much whether your watering has got anything to do with the fence rotting at all.

Doesn’t he Ronseal the wood anyway?

Also, how old is this fence we’re talking about?
If it’s been there 50 years I’d expect it to be falling apart! :slight_smile:

Could be where the saying ‘take the rough with the smooth’
originated.

It’s only been there coming up five years ( there was nothing wrong wit( the fence that was there that we had put up ) but it’s a cheapo fence nothing fancy wiltshire a boggy old place the soil is clay .
I am afraid he is simply an unpleasant underhand individual .

I understand.
I have a neighbour the same.
Wonder if they are related? :lol:

I THINK that the side with the support poles on is no longer a reliable and legal indication of fence ownership.

If the boundaries form part of a dispute a dispute where letters have been exchanged you would have to.
Other than that you need to ask a solicitor .

Agreed. It’ll be written down somewhere in some arcane document.

If one were building a single brick width wall (circa 200mm thick), then the centre line of that should match the centre line of any party wall. A similar view should be taken using the boundary as the theoretical centre line of any party wall where there isn’t one (eg in the space between semi detached houses).

Above all, if at all possible, actually speaking with ones neighbours before putting up a fence so that an agreement is in place seems an eminently sensible thing to do.

In my garden, I replaced fences along both boundaries at my own cost. Speaking to the relevant neighbour who should have done one side was beneficial, and we agreed a line to follow.

Having read the messages here I would suggest that plant based defences are your best and safest bet.

My garden has similar defences introduced initially to make my kids enter by the front gate rather than jumping over the fence

https://www.over50sforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=16299&d=1626389135

This one produces nice flowers but as you can see is covered in flesh tearing spikes

https://www.over50sforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=16300&d=1626389146

This one is more extreme and deadly

https://www.over50sforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=16301&d=1626389158

https://www.over50sforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=16302&d=1626389171

Finally one for ground cover to extend the range of your protection.

https://www.over50sforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=16303&d=1626389181

These plants grow like there is no tomorrow and reproduce and spread without assistance however you can speed the process up by breaking off a shoot and sticking it in the ground (my kind of gardening).

If you look at the base of the tall spikey one you can see all the pups which can be replanted. I had a bloke call round and ask if he could take some, I think he took a couple of dozen to protect his property but he hardly made any impression on the number of pups.

No animal or human can get through or over these plants without severe lacerations.

Note to self: Must trim the bits near the letterbox don’t want to impale the postie.

That’s the route I would go down Bruce if I had Swims problem. I’ve got a large Holly Bush against the front wall, woe betide anyone who dares to enter my garden over the wall…:018: Even Maddie the cat gives it a wide birth especially the sharp spikey leaves that have fallen on to the ground at the base…

Yes me too there’s some vicious varieties of Rosa Rugosa ,it’s a fast grower doesn’t get the dreaded blackspot no need to dead head as has wonderful flowers rose hips and Dense Thorns :mini:

I called my solicitor today but they don’t do boundary disputes .
So need to find one who does . Meanwhile I shall continue to water my plants I hope the darn fence does rot .