Shutterstock

Imagine coming back from vacation to discover that your next door neighbor replaced the fence between your properties. The fence was broken and needed to be replaced, so that’s not a problem, but what is a problem is that there was no discussion with the neighbor about replacing the fence before you went on vacation.

Would you be willing to pay for half the cost of replacing the fence?

In this story, one homeowner is in this exact situation, and he isn’t sure that he should be expected to pay anything.

Keep reading for the whole story.

Back again with the shared fence replacement saga

A few weeks ago my neighbor started work on replacing the broken cedar fence between my yard & their patio without contacting me while I was on vacation.

My neighbor filed the insurance claim.

Well my neighbor just texted me (first contact I’ve had with them since I went on vacation in July) with that they’re expecting me to contribute financially for half the cost of the fence.

But OP isn’t sure he should have to split the bill.

The fence construction is completed.

I wasn’t given any opportunity to input on design, timeline, or selection of the contractor.

I have no idea whose property it actually is sitting on nor who originally paid to have the initial fence built.

Am I obligated to pay?

I wouldn’t want to have to pay for half of a fence I had no input on before it was installed. What if it’s an ugly fence? What if there was a less expensive and equally nice option?

Let’s see what Reddit suggests.

Here’s a suggestion about how to respond.

But this person has a question.

Never Miss a Story

Sign up to get our BEST stories of the week straight to your inbox.

Is the neighbor trying to profit off of this fence?

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a disabled woman who confronts her neighbors about using her spot, only to have them tell her they can park where they want.

One person thinks ignoring the request is the way to go.

You don’t pay for something and then tell someone else you expect them to split the cost. You need to talk about it before you pay for it. Otherwise, don’t expect the other person to agree to it.

The neighbors aren’t going to see a dime.

Add TwistedSifter to your Google News Add us as a preferred source on Google

Author

Jayne Elliott

Jayne Elliott | Contributing Writer, Life & Drama

Jayne Elliott is a contributing writer and editor for TwistedSifter specializing in human interest stories, internet culture, and family dynamics. With over 12 years of editorial experience in digital publishing, Jayne excels at analyzing complex online communities and transforming viral social debates into thoughtful, highly engaging narratives.

Rather than simply aggregating internet drama, Jayne brings a sharp, empathetic editorial eye to everyday dilemmas. She has a unique talent for unpacking the nuances of pop culture and online conflicts, providing readers with relatable, well-researched commentary.

Based in California, Jayne spends her free time outside the newsroom exploring theme parks with her family or beach-combing along the coast.

Follow Jayne's adventures and connect with her on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.