Does anyone know if there are actual laws regarding residential fencing? Someone is buying the house next door to ours and is having a privacy fence built. The builders have come right up to our fence, using it as one of their sides. No one ever contacted us or asked our permission and I was just wondering if there are actual guidelines or laws regarding someone using one side of your fence as a side for their fence, instead of building their own side. It's not that we mind them doing it, but I thought there had to be some kind of written agreement when doing something like that. (This is in South Carolina.)
Update:I know that is the way most fencing is done, and like I said, it's not that we mind them doing it. But, if we share that part of the fence and we paid for that section of the fence...don't we need some type of agreement as to who is responsible for any damages that occur, etc. We paid a lot of money for our fence, and I don't want any type of legal problems in the future should anything happen to that part of the fence and there is any kind of dispute.
Answers & Comments
Verified answer
The way you describe the fence is actually the most common way fencing is done.
They don't need your permission.
There are laws, but they are by city/county. Generally they pertain to height, there is almost always a limit. I have property that has a 8' limit, and some with only 6'. Some allow walls, others do not.
How far off the line must residential fencing be put in Alexander County North Carolina?
contact your local county and speak to someone in code enforcement or land use. they will have the laws.
the prev poster is right. if you are butt up against your property line with yours then they can do what they want to the other side. but should have asked your permission to phys attach their fence since tech your fence is your property and they tech damaged your prop
Fencing requirement change based on the town or county.
Basically fences are built on the property line and are shared between the neighbors. I don't see any problems by the way you described it.
It all depends on where the property lines fall. If you fence is 3 feet within your property line then they shouldn't be using your fence as the back of their fence because they are building on your property. If the line is where the fence is then it is fine because technically they are on their side of the property line.
My neighbour has just put in a new fence however he has reduced the height and now I have no privacy is there any rules that state the first panel has be a certain height?