Neighbor Hit My Fence (Here’s What You Should Do ASAP)

It can be a challenging situation when your neighbor hits your fence. Of course, when your neighbor has done damage to your property, you want to be compensated. But, unfortunately, your neighbor probably doesn’t feel the same way. So, what do you do when your neighbor hits your fence?

If your neighbor hit your fence, first assess the amount of damage done.  Then, try talking to your neighbor about fixing or paying for the damages.  If your neighbor is unresponsive, you may have to take more drastic legal measures.

In this article, we’ll delve into the best ways to approach your neighbor regarding the broken fence and the best ways to solve the issue without having to escalate further than necessary. 

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Good Fences Make Good Neighbors

So, your neighbor wasn’t paying attention and hit your fence.  We’ve all been there, and we know how frustrating it can be! So, we’ve gathered several ways to deal with inconsiderate neighbors below. 

What Can I Do if My Neighbor Damages My Fence?

Deciding how to handle your neighbor damaging your fence can set the tone for your entire relationship moving forward. First, try approaching your neighbor with your issues.  Talking it out is the easiest way forward. 

If your neighbor doesn’t respond to your attempt to fix the issue, you may have to explore other options.  You can try getting a third-party mediator to settle the dispute.  If that doesn’t work, you may have to consider suing them, but we hope it never comes to that! 

What to Do if a Vehicle Damages My Fence?

If you see a vehicle damaging your fence, get the vehicle’s make, model, and plate number.  This can help you prove what vehicle did the damage if the situation escalates to the courts. 

If you know the driver, or if the driver stops and speaks to you, you may be able to settle the matter immediately. If you know the value of the fence or what you’re willing to take to fix it, the driver can pay then and there, and the situation can be over. 

If you believe this may happen again (which we hope it won’t!) you can consider installing some reinforcements to your fence to prevent any further damages.

My Neighbor Keeps Hitting My Fence

If your neighbor is repeatedly hitting your fence, there is probably a reason. Try speaking to your neighbor and find out if something can be done. Remind them that they are liable for any damages to your fence.

If your neighbor hitting your fence is an ongoing problem, consider installing a motion sensor. This can notify your neighbor that they are getting too close to your fence and may solve the problem. 

Criminal Damage to My Fence by My Neighbor

If your neighbor has done significant damage to your fence and is unwilling to admit guilt, you may have grounds for criminal charges. They most likely would be charged with destroying private property, but the charges may vary by state. 

For example, in Minnesota, your neighbor may also be charged with a ‘private nuisance’ charge.

A private nuisance charge can be applied when an activity affects an individual’s right to enjoy property or activity but does not affect the community at large. 

Should I Call the Police if My Neighbor Damaged My Fence?

Calling the police should always be a last resort.  Before going that far, consider having a calm conversation with your neighbor.  Explain that the fence has been damaged and you would like it fixed or reparations made for the damages.

Odds are, your neighbor will understand your frustration and meet you halfway. However, if your neighbor doesn’t think they caused the damage, it may be messy. 

You may need to employ a third-party mediator to help smooth things over. 

If all the above options do not work, or you can prove that your neighbor maliciously caused damage to your property, you may want to consider getting the authorities involved.

However, this is typically considered a civil matter, so there may not be much for the police to do. 

You might also enjoy our post on If Your Neighbor Can Damage Your Fence

How Do I Tell My Neighbor That He Damaged My Fence?

If the damage isn’t evident, your neighbor may not realize it’s a problem. So first, try and speak to them in person about the damages.  If they are not responsive to verbal communication, send them a complaint letter. 

Should you talk to them in person or through the post, be sure to have proof of your allegations.  If you have any cameras on the fence, show them stills of the footage.  

Otherwise, keep track of when and how you attempted to communicate with your neighbors. This can be valuable if you have to take the matter to court.

Should I Write a Complaint Letter to My Neighbor?

Writing a complaint letter to your neighbor about a damaged fence is a valid option. However, make sure to make a copy of the letter before sending it, and make sure it’s dated. This is good evidence if your case ends up in court. 

Hopefully, the complaint letter is enough to get your neighbor to understand there is a problem. At that point, ideally, the neighbor will reimburse you for the damages, and everyone can move on. 

What Should I Do if My Neighbor Lies About Damaging My Fence?

If you confront your neighbor about the damages to your fence and they lie and deny involvement, be sure you can prove it was them.  This may happen through witnesses, video footage, or even paint scrapes that match the color of their car. 

If the damage is significant, inform your neighbors that they will need to file a claim with their insurance company.

In addition, you should make sure you have plenty of before and after pictures that showcase the damage to the fence. 

Paying For Damages

Once the damage has occurred to your fence, it’ll need to be fixed.  Figuring out who is liable for fixing those damages shouldn’t affect your relationship with your neighbors. 

Let us help you by exploring the best solutions for a broken fence! 

Who Pays for a Fence Damaged by a Neighbor?

If the fence in question is yours and your neighbor damaged it, the neighbor will be liable for the damages. If the fence is a boundary fence and you’re responsible for it, they are likely still liable, but the answer is a little more complicated. 

Your neighbor’s homeowner insurance should cover any claims made to a boundary fence. Be sure to have before and after pictures of the fence to turn in to the insurance company. 

This will make completing your claim a much quicker and easier process. 

Who Pays When a Car Hits My Fence?

If a car hits and damages your fence, the person driving the car is responsible for the fence repair. Therefore, they should be able to turn the claim into their insurance company. Be sure to have photographs of the damages for the claim. 

Unfortunately, sometimes the person driving the car will not stop. However, if you do not know who caused the damage to your fence, there is some good news. 

In most cases, if you do not know who damaged the fence, your homeowner’s insurance will cover the cost of damages. 

Who Is Responsible for Fixing a Fence?

If your neighbor hits your fence and doesn’t want to take responsibility for fixing it, you can ask them to pay a professional to do the fix instead.  This also ensures that the fixing of the fence will be quality work. 

If your neighbor has turned the claim into their insurance company, they may choose to pay for repairs rather than just paying you directly for damages.  

Either way, if you’re claiming the accident for insurance, be sure you’re aware of the amount it’ll cost to fix the fence and what it was worth before damages.  

You might also enjoy our post on If Your Neighbor Can Legally Remove Your Boundary Fence

What if My Neighbor Doesn’t Want to Pay to Fix My Fence?

If your neighbor doesn’t feel they are at fault for the damages to your fence, they may not want to pay to fix it.  If this is the case, you may have to prove in court that they are responsible for the damages. 

When you build a new fence, make sure you’ve taken pictures of the fence in its new condition, and save any receipts for how much the new fencing cost.

Then, if there are ever damages to the fence, you have a record of how much the fence cost and its condition before the damages. 

What Should I Do if My Neighbor Doesn’t Want to Pay For Damages?

If your neighbor doesn’t want to pay for damages to your fence, ask them to turn a claim into their insurance company.  This will result in the insurance company paying out for the claim instead of the neighbor. 

If necessary, the issue may be escalated to a court hearing.  If this is the case, an attorney can advise you of your rights regarding damages to private property. 

Make sure to take photos of the damage so you have proof of your claim.

Should I Contact My Neighbor’s Insurance Provider if They Won’t Fix My Fence?

If your neighbor doesn’t have insurance or if they won’t fix your fence, the next step is to contact your insurance provider.  They will contact you and your neighbors and assist you in sorting out the problem.

If the neighbor can’t or won’t pay for the fixes to your fence, odds are your home insurance will cover it instead.  While this may be frustrating, it beats going to court over as small a matter as a broken fence!

Neighbor Doesn’t Have Insurance and Won’t Pay For My Damaged Fence

You have two options if your neighbor doesn’t have insurance and is unwilling to pay for your damaged fence. You can either take them to court or you can submit the claim to your homeowner’s insurance. 

Choosing to submit your damaged fence to your insurance company may be the easier of the two solutions.  Your adjuster will contact you about the damages, and they may even contact your neighbor and work out a deal for payment.

Will My Home Insurance Pay For My Damaged Fence?

Your insurance will likely pay for damages if your fence was damaged by outside forces, such as a car or a natural disaster.  Be sure to take pictures of the condition of the fence when you moved in or had it installed. 

Having before and after photos and knowing how much the fence is worth can significantly expedite submitting a claim to your insurance company.

In addition, they may have someone come to your home to assess the damage in person. 

Fencing Disputes

If you and your neighbor aren’t seeing eye to eye about a fence, it may not take long for tensions to rise about other disagreements. Thankfully, we’ve got answers to common neighbor feuds so that you can keep the peace in your neighborhood! 

How Do You Handle a Fence Dispute?

If you and your neighbor are not agreeing about a fence, try to discuss the fence with them. They may have a problem with the fence marring the neighborhood’s aesthetics, or maybe they think you’re trying to build on their property. 

If you and your neighbor can come to a decision together about how best to handle a fencing dispute, you may want to consider putting the answer in writing. 

This is especially true if you both decide to share a boundary fence.  Having it in writing prevents hassle in the future.  

You might also enjoy our post on What to Do If Your Neighbor Tries to Fight You

How Do I Deal With a Neighbor Dispute?

The first step to dealing with a neighbor dispute is to try to calmly engage your neighbor in a conversation about the issues at hand.  Finding common ground can often smooth the situation over without having any escalation. 

If you and your neighbor cannot meet one-on-one, consider asking a neutral third party to mediate a conversation between you two.  This way, no one feels outnumbered, and hopefully, you’ll work out a solution without further issues.

Can I Take My Neighbor to Court for Damaging My Fence?

Taking your neighbor to court for damaging your fence should always be the last and final resort. However, consider having a neutral third-party mediator reside over a conversation between you both before going to extremes. 

Going to court is a lengthy and headache-inducing proposition. In most cases, it’s just not going to be worth it. But, unfortunately, sometimes it may become necessary.  

If you believe you must go to court, be sure you have documentation that you tried to resolve the conflict before resorting to court. 

Do I Need a Lawyer if My Neighbor Damages My Fence?

You may want to consult your lawyer in regards to claiming damages.  Your lawyer will know how much to claim on your insurance.  Consider using a real estate lawyer if you find it necessary to hire a lawyer. 

In most cases, having the neighbor file a claim with their homeowner’s insurance is probably enough. It won’t be necessary to add lawyers on top of the insurance claim. 

However, if you are having problems with insurance, it may become necessary to add a lawyer into the mix.

Can I Sue My Neighbor for Hitting My Fence?

If you have tried to settle a complaint with your neighbor and they are not cooperating, you may have grounds to sue your neighbor for hitting your fence.  Be sure you have evidence proving your neighbor is the one who committed the crime.

They may be charged with the destruction of public property. If found guilty, they will need to make restitution. Usually, they will be fined in the amount it will cost you to fix or replace the fence with one of equal value. 

Can I Sue My Neighbor for Damaging My Property?

If your neighbor maliciously damaged your property, you may have grounds to sue them.  Consider consulting a lawyer for a complete understanding of your rights.  However, there are other options to consider as well.

Depending on the amount of damage done, you may end up in small claims court. However, if possible, consider asking your neighbor to turn in a claim to their insurance instead of going to court over a fence. 

This will save both of you time and money.

You might also enjoy our post on How to Shut Down Your Neighbor’s Party

Related Questions

What Do I Do if I Hit My Neighbor’s Fence?

If you accidentally hit and damage your neighbor’s fence, do the right thing and admit it to them.  Often, you can settle the issue as neighbors by paying a fair price for the fence’s repair and replacement. 

Another option is to submit a claim to your insurance company to cover the cost of fixing your neighbor’s fence. This process may be a little lengthier and can cause your premiums to go up. But, no matter how you go about it, your neighbor won’t forget you did the right thing.

Do I Have to Pay For Damaging My Neighbor’s Fence?

Even if it was an accident, you should offer to pay for the damages if you have damaged your neighbor’s fence. Of course, you would expect the same from your neighbor if the situation was reversed. 

If the fence was already in rough shape and needed to be replaced anyway, consider offering to pay for half, just to be neighborly.  Remember, you’ll probably be living next door for a long time, and it’s better to be on good terms! 

My Neighbor Is Suing Me for Damaging His Fence

If your neighbor is suing you for damaging their fence, find out what proof they have that your actions caused the damage.  If you did damage the fence, consider trying to settle out of court. 

One option is to turn in a claim to your insurance company to cover the cost of their fence.  This gesture can go a long way towards calming an angry neighbor and keeping you both out of court!

Final Thoughts

Having a broken fence is no picnic for anyone involved. Hopefully, you’ll be able to have a conversation with your neighbor and get the fence fixed with minimal issues.  

If your neighbor is being difficult, remember you can always turn the damage into an insurance company. 

Hopefully, no matter what solution is used, your fence will be fixed quickly and to everyone’s satisfaction. 

But, no matter the outcome, remember, your neighbor will probably be living next door for a long time. So make sure the solution is one you can all live with!