As storm season sweeps across the UK, homeowners are being warned to check who is responsible for fence repairs in the event of damage.
Storm Austen and Storm Boelo, the first two named storms of the 2026/27 season, are due to hit the UK.
With strong winds forecast, property damage - including to garden fences - could occur.
Whose responsibility is it to repair a fence after a storm?
Fence disputes often arise after storms, and many people are unclear about which boundaries they are responsible for maintaining.
Typically, responsibility for repairing a storm-damaged garden fence in the UK belongs to the owner of the fence.
Solicitors at BP Collins explained that a “common misconception” is that “everyone owns the boundary to the left of the property".
Regarding which fence people are responsible for in the UK, the firm added: "In fact, there is no general rule to dictate which boundary is owned by a property owner.
"The legal position is that you are only obligated to maintain a boundary structure where the deeds to the property show a repair or maintenance covenant to that effect."
Revealing how homeowners can tell if a fence is theirs during a dispute, the solicitors said: "When looking at the title plan to the property, if it has a ‘T’ mark on your side of the boundary, you will be responsible for its maintenance.
"If the case is that two ‘T’ marks are connected, forming an ‘H’ mark, there will be a joint maintenance responsibility between you and the neighbour."
Where deeds do not specify ownership, homeowners are advised to reach a mutual agreement with their neighbours.
BP Collins recommends that any agreement be formalised through a solicitor and registered with the Land Registry or Registers of Scotland.
How to find title deeds of UK properties
You can find and download your property title register, title plan, and available deeds online through the Gov.uk website.
In England and Wales, use the Gov.uk guide to search by address and download the title register or title plan for £7 each.
If you need certified paper copies for legal proceedings, fill out form OC1 or OC2 and post it to HM Land Registry (each document costs £11).
If your home is already registered with HM Land Registry, physical paper deeds are no longer legally required to prove ownership.
If your property is unregistered, you will need to search through your solicitor, conveyancer, or mortgage lender, who stored the original paper documents.
In Scotland, you can search and download title sheets and maps online through the Registers of Scotland website.
It is £3.60 per document in Scotland.
For older unregistered properties, search the historical Sasine Register through Registers of Scotland.
Have you ever had to sort a dispute over fence ownership? Let us know in the comments.
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