Fence and a New Neighbor

You already have plenty of feedback, just wanted to add that I agree with all of them. It's highly inappropriate and they would think you are crazy if you ask.

No, it is your fence, they did not ask you to put it in. Is the fence right on the property line? If it is and they join up to it than you will maintain your side and them theirs. If at any point that section needs replaced for other than cosmetic reasons, than it would be ok for both parties to pay half.

I think things must be different in the Midwest, because here in California, every house has a fence in between the neighbors to begin with. The fences are shared. We maintain "our" side of the fence and they maintain "their" side of the fence. When it's time to replace the fence, both parties split it half and half. The only time I have heard where one party did not split the cost was when one neighbor wanted to upgrade the fence for aesthetic reasons (not because it was falling down) - and in that case the party who wanted the new fence paid for it. I guess I don't really understand how they are going to "hook onto" your fence? Do you mean they are going to continue the fence along another side of their property, using your fence post as the starting point? If that's the case, I wouldn't get bent out of shape about that. It's the only practical way to build a fence. If they are going to be building "their" fence right along the entire length of your fence, I don't understand why they would do that at all unless you have chain link and they want a solid fence? In any case, you should not ask them for money for this, as they should not ask you for money, unless and until the fence separating your properties needs replacement.

I think you take that risk when you put in a fence. It was your choice to put it in and I don't think you can ask them for any compensation. Yes, they do sort of get the good end of the stick by only having to pay for 3 sides, but still, you are still getting the benefit for which you paid. Would you ask them to pitch in money if they weren't putting up a fence for themselves? If not, and I don't understand why you would, you really can't now. It kinda sucks but that's the way it is!

No, you put your fence on your property, right? And why should they have to pay you for something that's on your side of the property line? As long as their fence will be on their property, who cares. If they're going to physically attach it to your fence instead of just building theirs right up to yours to close the gap, then they should ask first of course, but charging them for it would be weird and would not be the best way to get aquainted with new neighbors.

Nope--you already have your "nice" side to maintain and they will maintain the other (wrong) side of the fence. That's pretty much standard fence operating procedure.

I don't see why you would.

Just as an example, we've "hooked" onto about 10' of one of our neighbor's fences that runs down the property line (we have an odd property line, hers ends and ours continues for about 40 more feet). If she ever decides to tear it down, we have to build 10' of fence. But it's HER fence to do with as she pleases. Same token, she could paint it Zebra Stripes if she wanted. If we didn't like it tough. HER fence. If she decided to charge us for her section of the fence, my eyebrow would have climbed into my hair. Really??? And we would have just built 10' of fence.

Same token, if my other neighbors decided to build a fence and asked us for money for it, I would decline. I don't want shared property between neighbors. It creates FAR too many problems.

This is a great question. I'm in the process of buying a house in TX and will have to do some fence work after we move in so our dog doesnt get out. If the neighbors just put up a fence before we moved it and asked for money I would be mad, buying a house isn't cheap and asking them to come up with the added expensive isn't a very nice thing to do. At least you have a nice fence for you to look at and it will benefit the new neighbors, like a house warming gift. LOL

no way. that would create nothing but hard feelings.

I don't think compensation makes any sense at all. But I do believe that if they are going to hook into your fence, you have a right to approve of the contractor doing the work, get the background info, insurance info, and references so that you know it will be done right.

I've seen a great many fences in my time that stood right next to each other and did not hook in. But then there needs to be enough space for someone to weed eat between them.

I do not think it is appropriate at all. It is your fence and if you move (new neighbor wants to remove it) or you decide to tear it down they would need to pay to replace their portion of the fence.

I would be offended if a new neighbor approached me with this. I think it would start your relationship off on the wrong foot.

I can see your thought process but disagree strongly. Good luck!

Though if you really didn't want them connecting you could always plant some big climbing roses on the outside of that side of the fence, or some kind of thin shrubs since you're set back form your property line some.

When we moved into our house 3 years ago one of our neighbors already had a fence up. Since our HOA requires that any fences be privacy fences and we didn't want there to be a barely walkable gap between fences we asked our neighbor if we could connect to their fence on the side of the yard we shared and how much it would cost. We also had a new neigbor at our old house ask us if they could connect to the back portion of our fence and offered to pay since it was a new fence for us.

If you have a new fence and it is in your property line, you don't have to allow them to connect, but if they ask to, I don't see a problem with saying yes, but it would be nice if you paid us a portion for that side. The neighbor we asked gave us an amount for the portion of fence that we would share by connecting and we weren't offended because it was less to pay a portion then fence an entire length ourselves.

Just fyi, most CC&R's will not allow double fencing, so they probably don't have an option to put their own up right next to yours. They are not obligated to pay you anything for the fence, even if they use it. Now, if they damage it, that's one thing, but just to hook up to it, there's nothing you can do. ANd, I agree with others, in the interest of having a good relationship with them, I would not even try.

I am sure you already know this, but it is a best practice to install fences at a "set back" from your property line, even if your neighbor says they don't mind if you encroach on the property line. For example, though your back yard might be 80 feet wide, you would leave a set back of 1 foot along the sides bordering other people's yards thereby creating a fence that is 78 feet wide.

If this is how your new fence was installed, the soon-to-move in neighbors CANNOT tie their new fence into your fence in any way and they also cannot paint or stain or in any way maintain or alter your fence as to do so would necessitate them trespassing on your property. Given all this, you certainly cannot charge them anything.

However, make sure the neighbors know you do not want their fence tied into yours. And I would also ask them what they plan to do regarding a set-back. Most towns have guidelines for exactly how close a significant structure (a fence usually qualifies) can be built to a property line, sidewalk, street, etc. The only way to get around the set-back requirement is to apply for a variance from the town/city.

I don't think asking some questions about their plans or telling them not to tie into your fence is rude. Say they do a crappy install job with inferior products and after a few years, storms, wind, etc. their fence starts leaning and dragging your fence post down with it.

No ! Unless you want to start off on the wrong foot with your new neighbors ! It is just the neighborly thing to do to allow them to hook up to yours. My goodness, you were putting up the fence anyway. That had nothing to do with them.

I completely agree that it's inappropriate.

We've put 2 fences into 2 different houses. We've had both surveyed both times and intentionally brought the fence in 18" on the current one so a drainage swail didn't rot the boards.

We built the fence with one neighbor sharing a long wall and got a substantial discount from the builder for 2 yards at one time. If our neighbor behind us wants to build onto ours, though, it's OK with us. We'll let them know we brought it in 18" and have to legally have access to that part of the yard/fence.

It's not worth rubbing a new neighbor the wrong way over a few hundred dollars that you would have spent anyhow.

If i were putting up an fence in a new house- I wouldn't consider hooking onto my neighbors' fence unless they offered. After all, it's your fence, on your property. Maybe they feel the same as I do. I would just build my own fence on my own property.
But remember when they do put up your fence, you really won't be able to see that side of the fence and as time goes by, you will wish that you could re-stain that fence and cut down the weeds that will grow between. If you are right up to your property line,then they probably will be too.

Wow M. talk about starting off on the wrong foot with a new neighbor!!!! I think it would be very petty of you guys to ask for compensation. I mean really, don't most fences hook together when you are neighbors???? The only thing I would do, is maybe hang around while whoever is building their fence, to make sure it hooks to yours in the proper way. Other than that I think you would really sour what may be a good relationship you can have with a new neighbor.

Our next door neighbors didn't even ask when they hooked their electric fence on to ours. I don't really care, although I'm not sure how they did it because our fence is on our property (over the line by at least 6 inches). I figure that's my fence, and if I wanted to, I could tear it down (since it's on my property and I have the papers to prove it). Asking them to pay for it really would have just created bad blood.