Neighbor Problems: Dirty Fences
Q: My next door neighbor put up a white vinyl fence between our homes. Not a problem for me, originally. But the fence is now turning green and black from dirt and mold.
I don’t care what his side of the fence looks like, but I do care about my side. It’s unsightly and I don’t want to see it every time I go out in my garden. So, here’s my question: Is he responsible for cleaning the side of his fence which faces my house? Thank you in advance.
A: Neighbor issues can be some of the most divisive. You start off friendly and then someone does something (or in this case, doesn’t do something) that the other neighbor perceives as a slight. Hurt feelings ensue, and the bad blood sometimes runs through the entire neighborhood.
When we get neighbor questions, it’s usually about fences that are about to fall over. It appears that your situation involves a fence that is in good shape but just needs a little care. Instead of wondering who is legally responsible for maintaining the fence, have you considered trying communication instead?
Assuming you know your neighbor well, you might ask them if they’ve noticed their side of the fence turning colors? If they say, “Why, yes,” you can follow up and ask them if they’ve cleaned the side of the fence facing them and if so, how?
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If you’re friendly with this neighbor, this could turn into a nice conversation where they offer to show you what they’ve used to clean the fence, or may even offer to clean your side the next time they do that work.
Of course, what you seem to be looking for is a definitive answer on who might be legally responsible for keeping a fence clean. We think that most laws and court cases in this area would likely deal with fences that need repair, are in danger of falling over, have fallen over or are in such a state of disrepair that someone might get seriously hurt. We think that most state law would say that the owner of a fence that is in disrepair has a duty to keep it from becoming a hazardous condition.
The other fence issues we’ve seen involve fences being used as a billboard for political statements or for harassment. You’ve likely seen news stories where one neighbor purposefully paints a fence in a manner to annoy a neighbor or puts up an advertisement or political content. In these situations, you might have local ordinances that prohibit a homeowner from displaying advertisements on fences or containing offensive or political speech.
But you’re not in that situation. Your fence is in good shape, but it’s dirty. It needs to be washed down or perhaps scrubbed up. Have you considered cleaning it yourself? There are some non-toxic products out there that can be sprayed on vinyl fences that will clean up mold, mildew and other growth materials without having to put in much time and effort. You can find these products at your local home improvement store.
We think you should start with a conversation. If you don’t have a friendly relationship with your neighbor, and you don’t want to have a face-to-face conversation, then go down to the local hardware or home improvement store and ask for a recommendation. You’re looking for a product that will clean your fence without harming your landscaping.
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In additional to the adjacent owner’s question on dirty fence, maintaining the grass/weeds on the adjacent owner’s side is a bigger issue. That is, the adjacent owner might damage the fence while mowing or while using a trimmer to cut the grass/weeds that is along the fence. Concur that good communication with a neighbor is good, but the adjacent owner would likely be responsible for replacement of the fence if he damages it while maintaining the grass/weeds that are along the fence (and on the fence owner’s property – see below).
Fence installers usually locate the property lines and then layout the fence so that it is installed 3-6 inches inside that line. This allows the post holes to be dug within the fence owner’s property line. The fence is inside the fence owner’s property line.
Hi,
Please in your ideas for outdoor lighting include the benefits of keeping light from illuminating up. Benefits include seeing stars, keeping birds, etc. on their daily or migratory paths, not creating dark zones, and, large in maintaining friendly relationships, limiting irritating lights shining into neighbors’ windows, doors, yards, and eyes.
I’ve found that International Dark Sky Association is a great resource, explaining more benefits and pictures of safety lighting.
Many thanks,
Vail Anderson
Catonsville, MD
Your article “Owner left in dark seeks help with outdoor lights” was in The Baltimore Sun, April 7, 2024
Vail,
What a great thought. It is a great idea to keep light shining down – which is where people need it most. Appreciate your comment.