Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Boundary issue

85 replies

WayneCampbellsSidekick · 13/06/2023 10:06

Not long after moving into our house last year our neighbours asked me if she could access the garden for something she couldn’t reach from her side. I had a tantrumming toddler in the pushchair at the time so was quite distracted and said yes fine. A few weeks later got home and she was sat on the front drive weeding “her” strip of land. Did what anyone would do, got the deeds out and the boundary is shown as being in line with the brickwork of the garage ie not where they claimed it was. Politely showed neighbours the deeds, asked if theirs said something different (they said no but continued to argue the line was where they claimed it was). Fast forward another few weeks, got home and weed matting had been put down while we were out. Had the same conversation about the boundaries & got the same response. Nothing more said until today noticed they’ve been in the bloody garden again to put stones on top of the weed matting while I was out! I knocked and said look I’ve noticed you’ve been in my garden again & got the response “yeah to access our bit of garden”, said it’s not on to keep coming into the garden unannounced and putting things down without permission, said if the deeds state the boundary being in line with the garage then where has this alternative narrative come from and suggested we get together with both our deeds etc to compare notes. She nodded but made passive aggressive comments about living here 20yrs/if somethings been maintained by someone for a certain amount of time then it’s theirs by law/admitted they’d argued with the previous owners about the same issue.
I have so much going on in my life right now I don’t have the energy for nonsense from the neighbours.
please can someone give me some advice on how to deal with this! Do I need to pay out for a surveyor? 🙈

OP posts:
Whenwillitallmakesense · 13/06/2023 10:27

WayneCampbellsSidekick · 13/06/2023 10:11

Saying what exactly?

Erm, you explain the problem. They look at your deeds, agree that you're right and then they'll suggest a course of action, usually starting with a letter to your neighbours.
We can't see your deeds or the 'curve' - how on earth are we supposed to know what she's going on about?
You either let it go or get legal advice because you've trued talking to her reasonably and rationally but she obviously thinks she is right so is obviously not going to stop

Gazelda · 13/06/2023 10:23

Did you use a solicitor for your house purchase, or a conveyancing company?

If you used a solicitor, it would probably be easiest to go back to them, explain the situation and ask them to write a letter to your neighbour clarifying the boundary and saying that you consider the matter now closed.

If she then continues to cross the boundary, then a stronger letter would be needed.

WayneCampbellsSidekick · 13/06/2023 10:22

She keeps saying yes I know the deeds show the boundary as being a straight line but look my land registry document shows there being a curve - what on earth is she talking about 🙈

OP posts:
EsmeSusanOgg · 13/06/2023 10:19

Seeline · 13/06/2023 10:15

Remove the weed membrane and stones and leave them at her front door.
can you put up a fence, or plant a hedge or something?

Yup.

And get a solicitor to write a cease and desist letter. Highlight the boundary, that she does not gave permission to access your garden and that action will be taken if she continues to do so.

She's read something online about adverse possession. But that does not apply here.

Rollercoaster1920 · 13/06/2023 10:18

Having had issues with an arsehole neighbour I'd say get it fenced NOW. Don't pre-warn them. Don't entertain any negotiation. The cost of paying a fencing contractor was worth it for taking the stress away. The deeds show what the deeds show, or if you have a proper RICS land survey even better.

Seeline · 13/06/2023 10:15

Remove the weed membrane and stones and leave them at her front door.
can you put up a fence, or plant a hedge or something?

Dotjones · 13/06/2023 10:13

Get a solicitor to write them a letter telling them to stop coming onto your property without permission and highlighting where the boundary is.

If they ignore this then you can take them to court.

The "if I tend the land for x years it's mine" argument is bullshit. To claim land in that way you have to physically keep the legal owner out for a long time, a decade or more. If the owner visits the land the clock resets.

ButterCrackers · 13/06/2023 10:13

Get a solicitor to write a letter setting out the boundaries and also that costs must be paid to you to put right the damage they have caused in your garden. Get an estimate from a gardener for the work.

WayneCampbellsSidekick · 13/06/2023 10:11

Saying what exactly?

OP posts:
Whenwillitallmakesense · 13/06/2023 10:10

Get a solicitor to write them a letter.

Swipe left for the next trending thread