All Forum Posts by: John Mary

@Scott Mac actually it came out in the thread he only has a $300 repair he wants the neighbor to split after the fact.  So $150 today.   He is faulting the PM for not asking for shared cost with the neighbor upfront.    This is supposed to save him money.  I confused the issue by pointing out that this California fence law might not save him money in the long run should one of his neighbors want replacement. 

@Ned J. wants to replace and looks like he is taking on the cost if people won't share.

@Colleen F. The most important is to let the neighbor knows the fence is not 100% owned by me. I have no expectation the neighbor is going to split the cost. Thanks for your advise.

@John Mary This isn't a google maps issue because google maps isn't real time so you won't see a damaged fence etc. You just have to ask the PM on what side the fence went down. The assessors database is usually online so no need to fly. Don't they send repair pictures, can you tell from them where it is?  Fence went down on the back, right or left, Pm can tell you. Look up the taxpayer for that location online. I can pull a list of the whole street if I need to. If you just want to let people know fences are shared you can Cite your California fence law. You will find it if you search fence in that link. 

Consider that your neighbor down the road may ask you to split a $5000 fence because it is shared and they think it needs to be replaced so this law isn't always going to save you money. 

Your plan to send a registered letter is a solid move. It shows you're approaching the issue responsibly, even if you don't expect immediate results. Remember, these things can get sensitive, so keeping the tone respectful in your letter is key. Also, consider looping in your property manager about your intentions; their insights could be valuable. Just a heads up, property boundary issues can sometimes get legally complex, so legal advice might be worth considering.

Quote from @John Mary:

Quote from @Dan H.:

Quote from @John Mary:

Quote from @Theresa Harris:

You may want to point out to your PM the fence law.  If it won't help you now, perhaps it will help others down the road.  I would have expected a PM to be up to date on things like that.

 PM did not even show me their address...I guess I do not need to point out the fence law which they should know as experienced PM. For the PM, i told them regarding any issue about the fence, you need to notice me first before any action. This put me in safe.

 I am surprised no one has said this yet...

You need a new PM.  One that is responsive and one who is a good caretaker of your investment.

The PM 1) should have informed you prior to fixing the fence 2) should have had the neighbor pay for some of the fence repair.  Ideally 50%, but if neighbor offered 40% with no hassle I would jump at it 3) should have known the fence law (but admit that I was unaware of this law) 4) should have provided you the neighbors address when requested.  They work for you and should be responsive to your inquiries.

One issue is poor, but 4 issues is 4 too many. I know it is a hassle changing PMs. A year ago I changed STR PMs and gave up thousands of positive STR reviews due to me firing the PM. It took quite a while to get our occupancy rate back to what it was (we have far less than 100 positive reviews at this time between all platforms).

Good luck

 Thanks for your reply. The fence was repaired under $300 actually paid like $280. So PM has the right not to inform me before repair. I have already asked PM 2 things: the address and ask the neighbor pay 50% of the fence repair. PM said OK but no response. I have been using the PM since 2017 and so far so good until this issue. Now, will keep on ask them for the address so that I can send a register mail to that neighbor.

 Can you get the address off google earth?  My PM is normally good, but the last 6 months I've had a few problems.  The staff in the office make all the difference (good and bad).  The owner is very responsive.

Quote from @Colleen F.:

Have to wonder in California what happens if you don't consider a fence a benefit or your neighbor wants a really nice fence and you don't. 

I wish I remembered more from when I had a fence dispute 10+ years ago, but from what I recall, there has to be a reasonableness to the cost of the fence. Basically, your fence has to be in the typical cost for that area. You can't put up 8' high granite walls in the ghetto and expect the neighbor to pay half, but you may be able to get away with that in Holmby Hills.

There is also a procedure for when you're not able to afford it and what happens if you don't agree that it needs to be repaired/replaced/installed. I'm pretty sure there is also a definition of benefitting from a fence. I want to say it had something to do with connecting to an existing fence or enclosing your land. 

Have to wonder in California what happens if you don't consider a fence a benefit or your neighbor wants a really nice fence and you don't. 

@John Mary since you have this law in California the PM should have known about it. In some states you can ask but the abutter has no obligation to pay.    I am confused how can you not know the address of the plot that adjoins yours. It should be on the assessors tax map. You can go on the town site and see this. In one town I was in you could even get a list of abutters generated. In others it was a bit harder. Not sure if the PM should have asked on your behalf or if you should have asked but I suppose I still would even though it is unlikely to get you anything.

I'm here to side with Dan. Your PM should be the expert on issues like this. They should know that a fence law exists and they should act accordingly to protect your interests. 

A professional PM would know the law and act on your behalf to protect your interests. They wouldn't leave you with questions that force you to ask advice from a bunch of strangers on the interwebs.

Quote from @John Mary:

Quote from @Theresa Harris:

You may want to point out to your PM the fence law.  If it won't help you now, perhaps it will help others down the road.  I would have expected a PM to be up to date on things like that.

 PM did not even show me their address...I guess I do not need to point out the fence law which they should know as experienced PM. For the PM, i told them regarding any issue about the fence, you need to notice me first before any action. This put me in safe.

 I am surprised no one has said this yet...

You need a new PM.  One that is responsive and one who is a good caretaker of your investment.

The PM 1) should have informed you prior to fixing the fence 2) should have had the neighbor pay for some of the fence repair.  Ideally 50%, but if neighbor offered 40% with no hassle I would jump at it 3) should have known the fence law (but admit that I was unaware of this law) 4) should have provided you the neighbors address when requested.  They work for you and should be responsive to your inquiries.

One issue is poor, but 4 issues is 4 too many. I know it is a hassle changing PMs. A year ago I changed STR PMs and gave up thousands of positive STR reviews due to me firing the PM. It took quite a while to get our occupancy rate back to what it was (we have far less than 100 positive reviews at this time between all platforms).

Good luck

Quote from @John Mary:

Quote from @Theresa Harris:

You may want to point out to your PM the fence law.  If it won't help you now, perhaps it will help others down the road.  I would have expected a PM to be up to date on things like that.

 PM did not even show me their address...I guess I do not need to point out the fence law which they should know as experienced PM. For the PM, i told them regarding any issue about the fence, you need to notice me first before any action. This put me in safe.

 Read your contract with them. If the price for the new fence was high, they should require your approval before fixing it (unless it is an emergency and a fence wouldn't qualify as one).  Google street view should give you the neighbour's address or the city's page.  They often have property maps for all of the areas.

You may want to point out to your PM the fence law.  If it won't help you now, perhaps it will help others down the road.  I would have expected a PM to be up to date on things like that.