Advice

There is no general rule as to who owns which fence. It all comes down to the way the land and boundary lines were split by the vendor when the properties were originally built. Each boundary should be shown in the deeds of the property. To find out which fences you are responsible for, check your deeds and see how they are allocated. If the fence line is marked with a ‘T’ on your side of the fence line, then this means it is your responsibility.

Sometimes the responsibility for boundary lines is not shown. In this case you would need to refer to the Seller’s Property Information Form, where the information should have been given when you purchased the property. Or contact the Land Registry Office for clarification.

Fencing height comes down to the local planning policy. To find out the height that is allowed in your area, contact your local authority.

As a general rule, fences in rear gardens are allowed to be up to 2m high, and 1m high where they meet the footpath, however they can differ according to area.

Remember the responsibility for the fence height and fence line remains with you as the property owner.

If you are responsible for the fence, then you can choose which way round the fence is installed. There is no law that states that the ‘good side’ must face your neighbour.

If your fence faces onto the street or a public footpath, you may choose to have the rails (or the back) of the fencing facing into your property as a security measure to prevent anyone climbing over the fence, but it is entirely your choice.

Timber is a natural product, and it is normal for it to be subject to warping, twisting and shrinkage, particularly in the summer months when the weather conditions are dry and warm. It will normally swell again in the cooler seasons when it gets wetter.

Splitting can also occur due to the natural position of a knot in the wood, and this can happen at any time.

The best way to try to minimise the impact of nature on your fence is to keep it protected and treated with good quality wood preserver, treatment or paint.

There are many excellent products available on the market. Although we do not stock these ourselves, you can source them from any reputable paint shop or garden centre.

Again, the same principles apply with the care of your gates as with the fencing, as it is common for them to warp or twist as the weather changes.

All our gates come dipped or treated, however we would recommend that you apply a good quality wood preserver as soon as possible after installation.

We would also advise that the bolts are always kept closed on the top and bottom sections of the gate to decrease movement and drop bolts into the ground on double gates should always be maintained in position.