If the worst comes to the worst, put up your own fenceThe arrival of Ophelia last week, and Brian this weekend, is a reminder that it’s worth checking how secure your garden fence posts and panels are. “It’s unlikely that your home insurance covers storm damage to your garden fence, classed as a ‘semi-permanent structure,’” says Malcolm Tarling, of the Association of British Insurers. As any damage to fences from high winds won’t have been either your or your neighbour’s fault, who should pay to repair it is a legal and ethical minefield. “There isn’t actually a duty to put up a fence on your boundary, although there might be something in your property documents requiring you to,” says Ben Barrison, partner in property litigation at the law firm Forsters. To avoid falling out over a…

Source: The Times October 21, 2017 23:03 UTC