Who Owns the Fence Between Two Lubbock Houses?

Ah, yes...

The fence.

The wooden structure that separates you from your neighbor, their dogs, their old junk, and ideally, their opinions.

But look! Oh no! It appears to be falling apart.

Who's paying for the repairs?

In Texas, "both of you" isn't actually the default answer.

Who Owns The Fence Between Two Lubbock Houses?

a frisbee golf goal in the back yard of a house

According to the City of Lubbock Code Ordinance, if the fence sits directly on the property line, and both neighbors paid for it together, then it can be jointly owned. However, if your neighbor built the fence entirely with their own money, it might actually technically belong to them, even if it keeps your dog from running away and joining the circus.

If the fence is sitting on one person's property rather than right directly on the boundary between them, it generally belongs to the person whose property it falls on.

Read More: What Lubbock, Texas Looked Like In The 1990s

open grey chain-link grace

So...

Before you tell your neighbor they owe you $1,300 for "their half" of the fence repairs, you might want to take a look at where your property line actually is. A survey may be much cheaper than starting a feud with your neighbor that lasts as long as your mortgage.

Also, there doesn't appear to be a general law in Texas that automatically requires you to split the cost of building or maintaining your fence, so if you come to an agreement with your neighbor, get it in writing.

Don't start pointing fingers until you have the facts! Be a good neighbor!