‘My neighbour messed me around so I got clever fence revenge’

Neighbourly spats can be a real headache, even when you’re convinced you’ve got the moral high ground. Maintaining a friendly rapport with those next door can be a real benefit, as it means there’s always someone to lend a hand or share local gossip across the garden fence.

However, it’s these very fences which can often be the root of neighbourly tension. In a tale of suburban revenge, one person felt their neighbours had treated them unfairly over a fence dispute and decided to retaliate in the most petty manner imaginable.

The drama unfolded on social media, where @jamezilla007 posted a video captioned: “Neighbour did us dirty, so we did his side of the fence ‘dirty’.”

The exact nature of the initial grievance wasn’t disclosed, but the outcome for the fence was unmistakable.

Fence rails are the horizontal elements that provide structure to a fence by supporting the vertical slats or panels. The “nice” side of a fence typically presents a smooth, rail-free appearance, while the “rail side” exposes the framework.

In a bold move, the aggrieved party built the fence so that the less aesthetically pleasing rail side faced towards the neighbour’s property instead of their own.

This action is often seen as discourteous or ill-mannered, as it breaks from the convention of showing respect by orienting the more attractive side of the fence towards your neighbour’s view.

However, the neighbour had initiated this; they were merely responding in kind with their fence.

In the comments section, some individuals argued that if they were “paying” for the fence upgrade, then they deserved the “getting the pretty side”.

One person was puzzled about the issue, writing: “We’ve had to split costs of things with the neighbour before, like the fence, but that’s literally because it’s two halves of a duplex, so we share a roof, water lines, main drain pipes, etc.

“However, if you aren’t in the same building, then I don’t see a reason why a neighbour would want to split costs with you? If you want a fence, you pay for the fence”.

“Why not try to get along and be nice to each other?” one individual questioned, suggesting that open communication might be a simpler solution.

“Our neighbour did it while we weren’t there and then left bricks and all their stuff in our garden,” sympathised someone who had experienced similar neighbourly issues.

“You sure showed that neighbour,” another person vented.

Another shared advice from their father, stating: “My dad always wants the rails on his side. He says otherwise it makes it really easy for anyone to climb over into your yard.”