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Original poster

NEIGHBOUR CROSSED THE BOUNDARY BEFORE EXCHANGE

867 replies

MummyToBeAgain1 · 26/03/2025 09:29

Hi

I need some advice please.

We're buying a semi detached property and due to exchange and complete in a week or 2.

Over the weekend we drove past the property to find a fence being built between our garden and the property on the right. I suspected they had come in to our garden at a glance so drove past again yesterday.

The fence had fully been up and clearly it crossed in to our garden (to be). I've attached a quick drawing which shows what I mean. The red line is the fence the neighbour has put up.

Just for some context this is a auction property as the owner has died and the children wanted a quick sale. This means that we have a deadline for completition which makes things more stressful.

What do we do now?

Tia

Sensitive content
NEIGHBOUR CROSSED THE BOUNDARY BEFORE EXCHANGE
OP posts:
Hufdl · 27/03/2025 21:32

I think it is definitely a probate, elderly person selling a house thing.
Utterly disgusting.
Not everyone has the stomach for the fight though, which these CF's are counting on.

Original poster
MummyToBeAgain1 · 27/03/2025 20:55

birdling · 27/03/2025 20:49

@MummyToBeAgain1
What did your solicitor say?

I emailed her yesterday afternoon with the full details includ pictures/historical images etc.

I called today and she said she's looking in to it and will get back to me asap.

I suspect she's got exchanges/completitions to get through before the 31/3 deadline (stamp duty increase). So, I think she'll raise this query early next week.

I'm hoping I hear from her tomorrow though. Fingers crossed.

OP posts:
birdling · 27/03/2025 20:49

@MummyToBeAgain1
What did your solicitor say?

Original poster
MummyToBeAgain1 · 27/03/2025 20:47

Hufdl · 27/03/2025 19:20

My friends elderly neighbour was in hospital for an extended period and then went into nursing home.
One day they saw the party hedge being taken down by another neighbour and what looked like the foundations of a wall being built and a fine land grab.
She recorded it all on her phone from her excellent vantage point.

My friend had a number for a family member and text them what was happening.
She heard nothing for several days and suddenly she had a couple of her younger nieces and nephews at her door.
She showed and gave them everything she had.
The following day work stopped.
Then the wall was all taken down and was rebuilt in the corect spot on their boundary and a new hedge was planted.
One of her nieces was a solicitor and she took no prisoners.
It was the talk of their terrace and undoubtedly cost them to put it all right.

I've read so many stories under this post of people taking from the vulnerable! There's a pattern - they take from those who are either old or who have died.

I'm glad your friends neighbours situation was sorted before it was to late. Hoping these stupid neighbours sort it out as quickly. </3

OP posts:
Speckson · 27/03/2025 20:42

If a neighbour has snatched part of what you bid for then you don't own what you bought - it's not what you expected. How does that differ from buying a teaset and then being told that there are only four cups and saucers, not the six you purchased?

godmum56 · 27/03/2025 20:36

MummyToBeAgain1 · 27/03/2025 20:33

Why can't anything be done until contracts have been exchanged and the property becomes ours?

Show quote history

I think (hope!) that the poster meant that there was nothing that you could do as the owner because (hopefully) you don't own it yet?

Original poster
MummyToBeAgain1 · 27/03/2025 20:33

rb124 · 27/03/2025 17:06

As said, you need to get into your Solicitor and find out what's what as far as property lines are concerned, but you may not be able to do anything until contracts have been exchanged and the property is legally yours - at the moment, it'll still be owned by the Estate of the seller.
You need to make sure your Solicitor keeps their eye on the ball as the easiest way for the vendor to sort this out could be to sell them the strip of land they've allegedly stolen.

Why can't anything be done until contracts have been exchanged and the property becomes ours?

OP posts:
godmum56 · 27/03/2025 20:14

rb124 · 27/03/2025 17:06

As said, you need to get into your Solicitor and find out what's what as far as property lines are concerned, but you may not be able to do anything until contracts have been exchanged and the property is legally yours - at the moment, it'll still be owned by the Estate of the seller.
You need to make sure your Solicitor keeps their eye on the ball as the easiest way for the vendor to sort this out could be to sell them the strip of land they've allegedly stolen.

surely that would void the sale?

Hufdl · 27/03/2025 19:20

My friends elderly neighbour was in hospital for an extended period and then went into nursing home.
One day they saw the party hedge being taken down by another neighbour and what looked like the foundations of a wall being built and a fine land grab.
She recorded it all on her phone from her excellent vantage point.

My friend had a number for a family member and text them what was happening.
She heard nothing for several days and suddenly she had a couple of her younger nieces and nephews at her door.
She showed and gave them everything she had.
The following day work stopped.
Then the wall was all taken down and was rebuilt in the corect spot on their boundary and a new hedge was planted.
One of her nieces was a solicitor and she took no prisoners.
It was the talk of their terrace and undoubtedly cost them to put it all right.

rb124 · 27/03/2025 17:06

As said, you need to get into your Solicitor and find out what's what as far as property lines are concerned, but you may not be able to do anything until contracts have been exchanged and the property is legally yours - at the moment, it'll still be owned by the Estate of the seller.
You need to make sure your Solicitor keeps their eye on the ball as the easiest way for the vendor to sort this out could be to sell them the strip of land they've allegedly stolen.

Wakemeupbe4yougogo · 27/03/2025 16:42

We had difficult neighbours OP, and it doesn't make for an easy life. I cried the day a For Sale sign went up and they were moving closer to family - they had made our lives miserable for nearly 10 years. I pity the poor fuckers that got them after us. We ended up spending nearly £6k with solicitors over the ongoing boundary dispute (and they were the ones in the wrong). We made sure that the new owners were made aware of this all via the Estate agent and they've been a dream to live next door to in comparison.

Swiftie1878 · 27/03/2025 16:24

MummyToBeAgain1 · 27/03/2025 16:10

Taking someones death to they advantage - show's their character!
This is what I'm annoyed about. The amount of time it could take to resolve! We had everything planned out and were expecting to move in within the next few weeks! Had all furniture, deco organised in my shopping cart ready to order once exchange had taken place. Feeling a little deflated now.

Show quote history

Just bear in mind, these people will be your future neighbours and you’ll be dealing with them….
It would give me a huge rethink tbh!

Original poster
MummyToBeAgain1 · 27/03/2025 16:19

GabriellaMontez · 27/03/2025 15:52

My neighbour did this (to his back neighbour). Albeit not as much land. As soon as he received a threatening solicitors letter, he reinstated the boundary.

He's a chancer but a coward. He's not given them anymore problems.

This is what I'm hoping for us! I'm not sure how it works - whether the seller will directly approach the neighbour or their solicitor will send them a letter..

OP posts:
Original poster
MummyToBeAgain1 · 27/03/2025 16:17

WendyA22 · 27/03/2025 15:37

So are you saying it doesn't make much difference to you - but would make a great deal of difference to your neighbour?

Show quote history

If you read the post I was responding to, you would figure there was context behind my response.
Someone said why would the neighbours go through such a hassle for 1-2ft wide, long strip of land. This comment was my response.

OP posts:
beenwhereyouare · 27/03/2025 16:14

AquaPeer · 27/03/2025 12:32

There’s probably some nuance to be had in the sense that I wasn’t talking about the OPs exact situation? 😂

Show quote history

I didn't mention it before, but you know "loads of people who would take the opportunity of an empty property and having a new fence to steal a few inches? "
Really? Because I might be wrong, but I don't know of any.

Original poster
MummyToBeAgain1 · 27/03/2025 16:10

Iamnotalemming · 27/03/2025 15:28

This happened to someone I know - empty house after the death of a parent and neighbour took advantage to move boundary and increase size of their garden. It took quite a long time and some expense to resolve but when it was rectified, they had the boundary reinstated with the burliest fencing contractors they could find!

Blows my mind that anyone would think this was acceptable behaviour. Selfish arseholes.

Taking someones death to they advantage - show's their character!
This is what I'm annoyed about. The amount of time it could take to resolve! We had everything planned out and were expecting to move in within the next few weeks! Had all furniture, deco organised in my shopping cart ready to order once exchange had taken place. Feeling a little deflated now.

OP posts:
OchonAgusOchonOh · 27/03/2025 15:58

WendyA22 · 27/03/2025 15:37

So are you saying it doesn't make much difference to you - but would make a great deal of difference to your neighbour?

Show quote history

Hardly the op's concern, particularly when it could cause problems down the line when selling.

GabriellaMontez · 27/03/2025 15:52

My neighbour did this (to his back neighbour). Albeit not as much land. As soon as he received a threatening solicitors letter, he reinstated the boundary.

He's a chancer but a coward. He's not given them anymore problems.

WendyA22 · 27/03/2025 15:37

MummyToBeAgain1 · 26/03/2025 10:17

@RaspberryBeretxx
This was our first thought. However, our side of the neighbours property has very, very little garden space. For them this will make a difference as it'll allow them to comfortably access the back of the property. The length is till the end.

So are you saying it doesn't make much difference to you - but would make a great deal of difference to your neighbour?

Swiftie1878 · 27/03/2025 15:30

SoonTheDaffodilsWillBeOver · 26/03/2025 09:45

To be clear OP - this is not your house. You haven’t even exchanged yet. So you can’t go to the neighbours and say the fence is on your land, because it’s not yet your land.

I would go through your solicitors and say there appears to be a boundary dispute, and you need the sellers to resolve this before exchange. Then it’s their problem.

Exactly this.

Iamnotalemming · 27/03/2025 15:28

This happened to someone I know - empty house after the death of a parent and neighbour took advantage to move boundary and increase size of their garden. It took quite a long time and some expense to resolve but when it was rectified, they had the boundary reinstated with the burliest fencing contractors they could find!

Blows my mind that anyone would think this was acceptable behaviour. Selfish arseholes.

Bluedenimdoglover · 27/03/2025 15:20

Go to your solicitor. Tell them the boundary has been moved. The vendor has to disclose any boundary dispute prior to completion
Do you really want to move next to people who will do that?
I'd think long and hard about this house purchase.

Thebloodynine · 27/03/2025 15:03

Lairymary · 27/03/2025 14:55

Out of curiosity, do you think you would have noticed if you hadn't caught them in the act?

She didn’t catch them “in the act.” She drove past and saw the completed works, and knew they had changed the garden. So yes, she would have noticed when they moved in. She’s just happy she caught them now, just after they did it and whilst it’s still up to the seller to sort it out rather than after it became her problem and expense.

godmum56 · 27/03/2025 14:56

MummyToBeAgain1 · 27/03/2025 13:39

We have all the legal documents as part of the auction pack. No mention of this anywhere nor was amything disclosed by the seller.
I very much doubt there was a informal agreement in our case. I just think the neighbour took advantage of the situation thinking noone would realise.

Show quote history

can't wait to hear what your solicitor says

Lairymary · 27/03/2025 14:55

Out of curiosity, do you think you would have noticed if you hadn't caught them in the act?

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