Boundary Disputes with Neighbours and How to Avoid Them

There were days when neighbours loved idling over the fence, casually chatting about the neighbourhood gossip of past weeks and months.

Those days are long gone.

Today, neighbours don’t even know the names of the people living next door—and frankly, they don’t care either.

Not until disputes over boundaries arise…

That is when a full-blown war erupts.

Just ask actress Anna Friel, and she’ll tell you from her own experience.

In her case, the dispute was over a mere THREE INCHES of land. Yet, she had to compromise, or she would have faced the prospect of her £100,000 extension getting bulldozed.

Boundary disputes are quite common in the UK. The figures provided by Land Registration Division of the Property Chamber of the First-Tier Tribunal reveal 1200 referrals are received per annum.

These are the disputes that are referred; there are many more which never get referred to the tribunal.

So how can you avoid boundary disputes with your neighbours – and avoid facing costly litigation – when performing renovation or putting up a fence in your garden?

Of course, it all starts with understanding the ‘legal limits’ of your physical boundaries. Most people refer to their Land Registry title plan before starting a landscaping or renovation project. Your title plan only gives a general outline of your property; it doesn’t communicate the full extent of your property’s boundaries. This makes boundary disputes an inevitable occurrence. To better understand the legal limits of your physical boundaries, it’s important that you study the property deed as well, in conjunction with your registry plan.

Understanding of the Party Wall Act and acting on its provisions before starting a renovation work also helps.

According to the Party Wall Act, homeowners are obligated by law to take their neighbours into confidence prior to commencement of a construction or landscaping project that may potentially infringe with their rights of land ownership. This way, the homeowner and the neighbours can work on an agreement on how the project should be executed so that both parties don’t have to face any inconvenience.

Homeowners can also erect fences around their property with some room to spare, even if that small area falls under their ownership. There’s no harm in giving up a tiny portion of your land, if that means you can avoid potential disputes with your neighbour.

And if still, you somehow end up in a boundary dispute with your neighbour, you can always consult a solicitor for help to amicably resolve the issue. Court should be your last option.

Involved in a boundary dispute with your neighbour?

We can help you. Our expert solicitors are experienced in handling boundary disputes and can help you resolve boundary disputes with your neighbours. Contact us for an initial consultation.