Is my friend up for any cost to move a fence?

A friend has found the fence built by the neighbours who built the pool is 20cm short of where it should be. My friend has no interest in the 20cm (neither block can be subdivided).

This was discovered when my friend had the block surveyed as part of drawing up plans for a renovation/addition.

The fence is in very good condition, encloses one side of the neighbour's pool, built to boundary (well... 20cm inside the actual boundary), built by the previous owners when they put in their pool.

My friend has BCC approval to build the extension, and part of that is a pergola outside the bedrooms being added (ground level) for security and privacy from next door's pool and outdoor living area.

I've suggested he build this pergola just inside the survey line, so that if the neighbour wishes to move the fence in the future it will not foul with the pergola.

Question... If the neighbour with the pool wants to move the fence to its correct alignment, does my friend have to pay for any of it? It is a perfectly sound fence, in great condition.

 

Apologies... I got the wording wrong.

I've changed the first post to rectify.

The fence gives my friend 20cm extra and the question is whether her neighbours (bought the house with the pool and fence where it currently sits), may want to get back their 20cm.

If so, does my friend have any obligation to pay half the cost to move the fence into the correct alignment?

And thanks @Terry_w for the tip. I'll pass that on.

 

I've changed the original post as I mucked it up.

The fence is sitting 20cm into the neighbour's land on top of the swimming pool coping (built up about 1 metre above ground level). My friend doesn't want to claim adverse possession.

He just doesn't really want to pay for half a fence when the one that is there is in great condition. Without the surveyor required for their renovation, neither party was aware the fence was not sitting on the boundary.

@Terry_w are you saying that if the neighbour with the pool wants to reposition the fence and take back his 20cm now, and that means ripping out a perfectly good fence, my friend has to contribute towards that new fence?

Neither party had anything to do with the building of the fence, as neither owned the properties when the fence was built.

 

I'm thinking the whole street may well be out of alignment. I live in the street, know all parties involved, (including the previous owners of both properties) and yes... our fence might be out of alignment as well.

 

I didn’t look further. It seems to

I didn't realise I'd not updated this thread. My friend paid for a survey, and whilst the plans showed the fence to be around 20cm out, when they surveyed the block prior to starting the build, the fence is actually in the correct place.

I don't know why the plans were drawn up showing a 20cm discrepancy. She lost a lot of sleep over this and the neighbours were being very difficult.

Once she sent the survey to them, they went quiet. She was building partly on the boundary, so it was necessary to get the full survey before starting.

But I do believe many of these older suburbs have mis-aligned fences, and unless one owner points it out, nobody probably notices (unless they need to build to boundary, and have a survey done).

I recall a case where this happened, and all the fences down the street were out. I don't recall what happened.