Who Owns The Fence Between You and Your Neighbor in Texas?

When I was a kid, we built a new fence between our home and our neighbor's. My parents and my friend's parents agreed to split the cost. I didn't know it at the time, but legally that is required if you want to maintain any ownership in it.

Who Owns The Fence Between Two Houses in Texas?

It's far simpler than you may have imagined. The answer: Fence ownership is determined by where the fence lays on the property line. Whose property is it on? That's who owns it.

According to Texas Fence, "One of the most frequently asked questions is, “Which side of the fence do I own?” Understandably, those who are about to invest in a new fence are concerned about how to get their fence fixed while honoring their relationships with their neighbors."

So how do you know if the fence belongs to you or your neighbor? First, you need to understand where your property line is. You can do that yourself, or it may be better to hire a surveyor. And provided you have a good relationship with them, talk to your neighbors. Perhaps they know something you don't.

Back to my childhood fence building, since we went in on the fence together with our neighbors, we did something called a “good neighbor fence." That's where you "alternate the picket and rail side of the fence every 7 feet so that each neighbor gets an equal share of the pretty and ugly sides."