Rules & permissions
Who Owns the Fence? Boundary Responsibility Explained
Your title plan and its T-marks decide responsibility — not the common myth about the left-hand boundary.
We are asked this on site most weeks. The short answer: there is no automatic rule, and the widely repeated 'you own the left-hand fence' belief has no legal basis in England and Wales.
Start with the title plan
Download your title register and plan from HM Land Registry for a small fee. A T-mark on a boundary indicates responsibility for maintaining it; an H-mark (two Ts joined) indicates a shared boundary. Not all plans carry marks, in which case the transfer deed's covenants are the next place to look.
If nothing is recorded
Plenty of Victorian and Edwardian terraces have nothing definitive on record, and old plot lines are rarely square. In that case responsibility is a matter of agreement, historic practice and common sense — who has replaced it before, and where do the posts sit.
Sharing the cost sensibly
Where a boundary is genuinely shared, a 50/50 split on one good fence is nearly always cheaper for both parties than two separate fences a hundred millimetres apart. We are happy to issue two separate invoices for a single job so neighbours can each pay their share directly.
Keeping it civil
Give notice in writing before work starts, agree the height and finish, and take photographs of the existing line before removal. If access to the neighbour's side is needed and refused, a fence can usually still be built entirely from your side — we do it regularly, it simply takes longer.
Frequently asked
Do I own the left-hand fence?
No — that is a myth. Only your title plan, deed or a written agreement determines responsibility.
Can I attach anything to my neighbour's fence?
Not without their permission. Fixing trellis or plant supports to someone else's fence is a common source of disputes.
My neighbour's fence is falling into my garden — what can I do?
You cannot force them to repair it in most cases, but you can erect your own fence just inside your boundary. We quote that scenario often.
Can you work from my side only?
Yes. Building single-sided is slower but entirely workable, and we plan for it where a neighbour won't grant access.
Want this priced properly for your garden?
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