Neighbours potentially stealing land

[lurkerbutijusthadtoshare]

First time poster here 🙋🏻‍♀️
Context: we’re a corner plot on a new build with a garden that goes from the back of our house and round the side. Between us and the older estate to the side/behind us is a strip of ‘ransom land’ (according to the deeds), it’s about 1m wide with bushes and trees etc. So it goes our fence, strip of land, neighbours fence.

When we moved in there was a hedge in the strip of land which was great as it was about 8ft tall and kept the privacy, as well as adding some nice green to the garden. We always kept it trimmed on our side and tried to manage the height so it didn’t get ridiculous. Today the neighbours have removed their fence panels and posts and removed the hedge. I’m a bit sad about the hedge as it was lovely and really helped with some privacy as their house and garden sit a little higher than ours. Would they be allowed to remove a hedge on land owned by neither of us? It also looks like they are extending their garden into that land which I don’t think is allowed?

[lurkerbutijusthadtoshare]

Meant to say, AIBU to be upset about the hedge and AIBU to think about speaking to the council about it?

[IndecentFeminist]

If the land doesn't belong to them, they can't remove the hedge I wouldn't have thought. Who owns/manages it?

[cabinfever2]

I feel like you could be writing this about me except I havnt done this yet.

We bought a house on an end and it backs onto an old part of the estate , our house has been here 30 years but there's is about 60. Exactly like your situation there is land between us about 1m that is full of bushes that are just out of control. They keep them there for privacy but they're damaging our fence and making it unsafe. I am going to approach them post lockdown and let them know we will be replacing the fence but they need to really trim back the bushes or I'll just remove the fence and then it will leave their garden exposed.

I don't really know what you can do if it's no mans land except plant something or put a higher fence up?

[lurkerbutijusthadtoshare]

@IndecentFeminist I don’t know who owns it, I am going to try and find out but I’m not sure who to ask about it. I might ask the developers as they only finished building a couple of months ago.

@cabinfever2 of course if it was damaging their fence then I understand why they’d removed it but I thought it would have been possible to thin it out to half the strip rather than remove it completely. Maybe if they’d asked or let us know what they were doing I’d have been fine with it, or at least said that we were happy to maintain it.

[Pinkyyy]

I'd go round and ask them what those plans arw

[Cherrysoup]

£3 for land registry plans, tho this may not tell you who owns it. Get onto the council, maybe?

[LIZS]

It might be a wildlife corridor, ironic considering felling a hedge would be contrary to its promotion. Can you check the planning application for ypur development. Chances are the builder still owns it.

[SummerDayWinterEvenings]

I'd ask them if their deeds say different to yours. If not -ask them to put the hedge back that's criminal damage.

[WhatWouldChristineCagneyDo]

Birds are still nesting. I'd be interested to know what measures were taken to ensure no nests were disturbed as this would be a criminal matter.

[longtimecomin]

As pp said, get land reg plans for £3 plus £3 for title. If it's a ransom strip your neighbour has no right to remove that hedge. They probably think that by removing their fence and maintain that strip for 12 years they can apply for possessory title and the land will legally belong to them. You should write to the person on the title deeds, include photos. Most people who own a ransom fiercely defend it.

[lurkerbutijusthadtoshare]

Thank you everyone! I will see if I can get the land reg plans and find out who owns it. Hopefully I can get the neighbours to reinstall the hedge!