Love thy neighbour: negotiating fencing

Dilemma: You want a new dividing fence, but your neighbour is happy with the old one – what do you do?

First things first, you need to determine whether or not a new fence is really needed. Has the existing fence started to sway from side to side and adopted a permanent “lean”, or are you just after a pretty new fence to match your refurbished home?

If your fencing has seen better days and has ceased doing its job properly (i.e. your dog wanders into your neighbour’s yard every second day), then you certainly have grounds for a new one, and if it’s on the property line, your neighbour will have to split the cost with you 50/50.

It’s best to approach your neighbour in a friendly manner and gauge their feelings on the subject; a casual chat over the back fence is probably the best tact. Rather than “telling” them how you’ll be proceeding, it’s better to frame your conversation as a discussion and get their thoughts. It’s a good idea to point out the long-term benefits they set to gain by installing new fencing, such as better security and increasing the value of their property.

You might also do a better job of convincing your neighbour that a new fence is needed if you can give them an idea of how much it will cost. Detailing the highest, lowest and average price per hour for fence installation, ServiceSeeking.com.au’s pricing guide will definitely help with this. According to the Guide, fencing costs an average of $48.32 per hour, but you could be lucky enough to find someone who will do it for just $25 per hour!

If this still doesn’t sway them, you might have to turn to a higher power. Consider getting a property surveyor in to double-check that the fence actually does sit on the boundary line, and if it does, seek the help of local authorities.

The other option is to take a more aggressive tact and tear down the fence without their blessing. There aren’t many neighbours who would be happy to live without a boundary fence, so it would probably force them to chip in. If you choose to go down this road, however, you’ll have to weigh up if it’s worth living with a hostile neighbour… and then there’s the discussion about who gets the “good” side!

Good luck!