California neighbor blames homeowner's plastic table for a rotting shared fence and demands full payment, only for his own contractor to contradict him: 'It was caused by rot'

Author image for Cata Holmes
Cata Holmes • Writer
Jul 22, 2026 12:00 PM EDT

When a shared fence turns into another neighborhood battle.

Living next to a difficult neighbor is exhausting, especially when every disagreement seems to become a legal threat. After being blamed for damage to a shared fence, this California homeowner discovered that the neighbor's own contractor attributed the problem to years of rot, not a lightweight plastic table. Despite offering to split the cost and work toward a lasting solution, the homeowner fears the neighbor will move forward alone and sue anyway.

Things are going to get messy for these two families here. One of them believes the fence they shared was damaged by a plastic table, while the other has evidence that it just rotted because it's old. It's one word versus the other. And of course, one of the families is afraid they will tear the fence down and take them to court to make them pay for it. 

I don't understand why this situation has to escalate like this. For instance, if they share the fence, splitting the cost of getting it fixed is a good middle ground. This was proposed by the homeowner, but rejected by the neighbors, who are blaming him for the destruction. By this point, and understanding that the second family is not willing to agree on something, it's going to get complicated.

Having the professional opinion of the contractor was a good strategy, since he's the one who understands these things better than anyone, and confirmed that the fence needs to be replaced because it's old, and there was nothing to do when it was going bad, rather than time and humidity.

I hope they can settle on something so they don't stress about something that's not that complicated, and they both agreed that they need to build a new one. They all want the same thing: to live in peace and to have a good fence separating both properties. So why not sit and have this situation sorted out by talking rather than in court?

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  • Small dog stands beside a backyard fence.
    via Unsplash+ (via Giorgio Trovato)

    Small dog stands beside a backyard fence.

    Image is for illustrative purposes only.

  • I've had a fraught relationship with my neighbor since moving in, as he finds new things to complain about every few months and is just an all around weird dude.
    via anastus
  • He put a surveillance device / sonic deterrent up on his side of our shared fence pointing down into my yard because he insisted that my dog barks constantly. (As confirmed with other neighbors, my dog is super quiet even when I am not home, and one of our altercations about barking came after the dog and I had been away for two weeks, during which he insisted that my dog barked constantly.)
    via anastus
  • I was advised by the HOA and police that I should just put something up to block it, so I leaned a lightweight plastic table up against the fence where the deterrent was.
    via anastus
  • The fence has been in bad condition since I moved in. He recently removed the deterrent and I thought things had calmed between us until I got a letter telling me that he planned to repair the fence, and that his contractor had confirmed that the damage to it was caused by the weight of the table, so he expected me to pay for the entire fix.
    via anastus
  • He sent this letter several times: over certified mail with a signature required, taped to my door, and then again through regular mail.
    via anastus
  • The letter says that, if I fail to respond, he is going to pay for the repair and then take me to small claims court after a deadline (July 27th.)
    via anastus
  • I called the contractor, who told me he had made it clear to the neighbor that the damage was caused by rot at the base of the posts, and that the weight of a table could not have caused the damage.
    via anastus
  • The contractor also feels like the proposed fix will not last long and that the fence probably needs to be replaced.
    via anastus
  • Neighbors sit down for a tense discussion about a shared fence, property responsibilities, and ongoing homeowner disagreements.
    via Unsplash+ (via Frederick Shaw)

    Neighbors sit down for a tense discussion about a shared fence, property responsibilities, and ongoing homeowner disagreements.

    The individuals pictured are models used for illustration.

  • I sent him back a letter with confirmed delivery indicating my desire to repair our neighbor relationship, offering to split the cost due to his own contractor's findings, and suggesting that we consider doing a longer-last repair.
    via anastus
  • I've heard nothing back since then. I am worried that he is going to try to have someone take the fence down and then take me to court over the cost, but also that my dog could get out if he decides to do this during the day when I am at work.
    via anastus
  • Based on California's Good Neighbor fence law, is he clear to go ahead with repairs unilaterally even though I am trying to respond to his concerns in good faith? I feel I should let the contractor know that I am not in support of this project until we have worked out cost sharing and a plan. Would appreciate advice!
    via anastus

  • Most of the readers were surprised when they realized that HOA could help the homeowner set a boundary and find a solution to this dispute with the neighbor. They found that to be ironic and funny, but hey… if it's going to get the problem fixed, let's call them!

  • RollRemote5948 Not a lawyer but I'm in an HOA in CA. You should check/inform the HOA of your neighbor's intentions to remove or replace the shared fence. In my HOA, the owner must get approval from the HOA including telling them where and what kind of materials will be used.
    via anastus
  • Contractor repairs a wooden fence during a residential property maintenance project involving shared fence repairs.
    via Unsplash+ (via Getty Images)

    Contractor repairs a wooden fence during a residential property maintenance project involving shared fence repairs.

    Image is a representation of the people and events described.

  • Wonderful_Sock_6651 Do you know where your property line is? If it's not on the property line, whoever's property line solely holds responsibility. However, assuming it is a legitimate boundary fence. Yes, CA can have neighbors pay equally for fence maintenance. There are exceptions like it must be reasonable.
    via anastus
  • BrickHuge3023 Whose property is the fence on? That needs to be established immediately if it is a shared fence or on one side of the line or other. If on your side he could replace it but would lose in court I'd wager.
    via anastus
  • Peridwen NAL - but you keep talking about your dog getting loose if the repairs are done while you are gone. As a responsible pet owner, it is your job to maintain a safe area for your pet. The base of the fence is rotting. This is no longer safe to rely on as an enclosure. Make different arrangements for your pet.
    via anastus
  • ZombiePoultry This is what happens when you live in an HOA. Good luck.
    via anastus
  • Dirty DirtySoil Wow and HOA actually coming in handy for a homeowner! What a concept!
    via anastus

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