Can neighbours use the fence between our properties as a clothes line?

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#2282652 24-Jul-2019 10:02

Technically they are half owners of the fence so as such have equal rights. I would have a friendly chat with them and suggest they sing out to you to let you know so you don't inadvertently do something that may be harmful to the rug. A political way to broach the subject that is non confrontational

xpd

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#2282661 24-Jul-2019 10:16

The fruit trees scenario is an interesting one.... so in theory I should be throwing back the rotten lemons, feijoas etc. :)

But we like our neighbors and generally scrounge the good fruit soon as it falls to use :)

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eracode

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#2282662 24-Jul-2019 10:17

kiwiharry:

Lets entertain the law aspect of this. For the record IANAL.

I'm assuming that law would be similar to overhanging trees? In that any branches that overhang into your property, you are allowed to cut down but the actual branches (or fruit, if it was a fruit tree) still belongs to your neighbour so you are obligated to return them to the neighbour.

So that means if I trim the part of a neighbour’s tree that is overhanging our fence, I can dump the cuttings back over the fence for them to dispose of - if I was grumpy enough to do that.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

networkn

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#2282663 24-Jul-2019 10:20

I guess this still comes down to the difference between what you CAN do, and what you SHOULD do.

tdgeek

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#2282667 24-Jul-2019 10:24

eracode:

kiwiharry:

Lets entertain the law aspect of this. For the record IANAL.

I'm assuming that law would be similar to overhanging trees? In that any branches that overhang into your property, you are allowed to cut down but the actual branches (or fruit, if it was a fruit tree) still belongs to your neighbour so you are obligated to return them to the neighbour.

So that means if I trim the part of a neighbour’s tree that is overhanging our fence, I can dump the cuttings back over the fence for them to dispose of - if I was grumpy enough to do that.

Yes, that's the law. Most people manage it the normal way with their neighbours

qwertee

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#2282669 24-Jul-2019 10:30

MikeB4:

Technically they are half owners of the fence so as such have equal rights. I would have a friendly chat with them and suggest they sing out to you to let you know so you don't inadvertently do something that may be harmful to the rug. A political way to broach the subject that is non confrontational

A good reason to have a friendly chat if you have lawn sprinklers.

Bung

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#2282722 24-Jul-2019 10:54

MikeB4:
Technically they are half owners of the fence so as such have equal rights. I would have a friendly chat with them and suggest they sing out to you to let you know so you don't inadvertently do something that may be harmful to the rug. A political way to broach the subject that is non confrontational

That's assuming that is a boundary fence. I have 2 neighbours on one boundary with their own fences on their own properties.
This was done years ago before our house was built. If I wanted any "ownership" I'd have to go through a pointless exercise of putting up another parallel fence on the true surveyed boundary. Only one hangs things over the fence but it's normally bags of surplus veg from their garden.

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FineWine

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#2282766 24-Jul-2019 12:17

Is it a "good neighbour fence" where the fences clean side alternates every other section between upright posts. This type of fence is usually a shared cost fence and sits dead bang on the boundary.

If so is your neighbour hanging their rug on their clean side ?

Either way I believe you are making a rod for your own back.

Whilst the difficult we can do immediately, the impossible takes a bit longer. However, miracles you will have to wait for.

dafman

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#2282792 24-Jul-2019 13:02

If the OP can't decide what to do next, are they sitting on the fence?

xpd

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#2282815 24-Jul-2019 13:44

dafman: If the OP can't decide what to do next, are they sitting on the fence?

If they are, hopefully on the mat, would be more comfortable than bare wood.

Gavin / xpd / FastRaccoon / Geek of Coastguard New Zealand

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networkn

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#2282817 24-Jul-2019 13:46

If he IS sitting on the fence, is his neighbour posting in a forum asking what his legal recourse is :) ?(Sorry OP just having a little fun).

sqishy

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#2282820 24-Jul-2019 13:51

Start hanging you old underwear over the fence, see what happens.

xpd

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#2283161 25-Jul-2019 07:41

sqishy:

Start hanging you old underwear over the fence, see what happens.

Please don't, that may start a bio-hazard issue

Gavin / xpd / FastRaccoon / Geek of Coastguard New Zealand

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Journeyman

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#2283532 25-Jul-2019 15:24

It's been a whole day since the first post. I have to know... is the rug still there? Also, is it an ugly rug?

Dratsab

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#2283593 25-Jul-2019 16:29

My neighbour's an interesting case study but I get along with him OK. He occasionally hangs rugs over the boundary fence. I take the pragmatic view that they've got to get cleaned/dried somehow so don't particularly care. That said they don't appear in my view unless I specifically try and look at that section of fence from a particular window. I've found it amusing in the past when he's done this and gone off to work (shift worker) then it starts to rain...

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