Fence etiquette - front or back facing you.

Wayside

Might have heard wrong, but I was told when young that you put the 'good' side of panels towards the neighbours.

Have I got that right?

Is that the general etiquette?

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wild edges

I've found it to be situation specific but generally if it's your fence and you are obliged to maintain it then the structure is on your property and the face of the panels then marks the boundary to the neighbour. I like having the posts and rails on my side as it gives places to attach things like planters/trellis etc.

DampGardenMan

If you have the room, then you could place the fence a few feet away from the boundary (and mark the boundary with a simple chicken wire fence or similar) so that you have access to both sides for maintenance. That's what my neighbour did.

Fire

Sensible, DGM.

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wild edges

DampGardenMan said:

If you have the room, then you could place the fence a few feet away from the boundary (and mark the boundary with a simple chicken wire fence or similar) so that you have access to both sides for maintenance. That's what my neighbour did.

There's really no need unless there's a specific reason for that. You have a legal right to gain access to your neighbours' property to maintain the fence.

It has caused problems locally here as people have set a new fence inside the old one to sell the house quickly rather than replace the old fence. The old fence is now falling down onto the neighbours property but the new owners are insisting it stays to mark their boundary. They can't and won't access the area to the rear of the new fence so with 2 fences there it becomes full of brambles.

hypercharleyfarley

It used to be the case that people put the "good" side of the fence facing outwards and it was an easy way of identifying boundary "ownership", and it's relatively unusual for any property owner to be the "owner"(and therefore) responsible for all the boundaries.  In recent years people have said "why should the neighbours have the best view of it?" so have changed the way they do things.  There is a type of fencing which looks the same on both sides, so that might be an alternative. 

Property deeds usually show the ownership - there is a symbol shaped like a capital letter "T" and if this is on your garden area it means that you are the owner of the boundary.  Like this:-

_______________T____________

The owner of the land above the line owns/is responsible for the boundary.

Fire

"In recent years people have said "why should the neighbours have the best view of it?"

Courtesy?

Blue Onion

If I was shelling out that sort of money, I'd have the nice side facing my garden.   In the US, it's common for neighbors to share the cost of the fence, with both responsible for maintenance.  Typically it's a white vinyl fence, which requires very little ongoing maintenance, so it's not much of an effort.  

Fire

Each to their own. 🌱