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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:
SpoonyCat · 26/03/2025 17:40

They don't look like they have gained a lot. It seems like a lot of effort to go to for such a small space. Might they be planning to build something on it?

Abra1t · 26/03/2025 17:37

moveoveralice · 26/03/2025 15:02

Not controversial, just stupid.

Why on earth would anyone let a neighbour get away with a sneaky land grab, no matter what the size!

Show quote history

IF you wanted to sell the house in the future, you would have to explain on the mandatory legal form that there had been a boundary change and expect some questions from conveyancers.

KateShugakIsALegend · 26/03/2025 17:35

Apologies, not RTFT. But if you pull out now, might you get your £10k back?

You are not doing this on a whim - things have changed since you bid. It is now a property with an active boundary dispute.

UndermyShoeJoe · 26/03/2025 17:25

Cheeky fuckers at the highest. Waiting for a grieving family to sell the property to try and land grab.

DuckieDodgyHedgyPiggy · 26/03/2025 17:24

Something like this happened at our old house. On the day we moved out, the neighbour was on our shared area putting up a shed to claim it as his! It turned out that someone had made a mistake when drawing up the plans, so he got away with it.

EaglesWings · 26/03/2025 17:24

lessglittermoremud · 26/03/2025 16:30

Sounds like they’ve tried to take advantage hoping no one would notice or care.
We brought our house as an auction lot as it had been repossessed by the bank, our next door neighbour has their fence about 1.5 ft into our garden, rather than where it should be, and it runs the length of the garden.
It has well established bushes against it, so when we realised we queried it, like you we had already paid a substantial amount of money.
Apparently the family who had lived here before were great friends of theirs and weren’t bothered so they had put the fence in at the angle that best suited them and didn’t ask for a contribution for the fence.
We’ve let it go because relations between us and them are slightly frosty, they seem to begrudge us being here and their friends being ‘forced’ out
However if they had done the fencing whilst we were at the start of the process of buying I would have absolutely challenged it, I think by us not bothering to do anything it’s created an impression we’re bit soft and the neighbour has done other CF things on a minor scale ever since then….

I agree with this, don’t let it go. How you handle this first piss take is important!

We ignored some minor messing with the boundary fence and shrubs, hedges, unfortunately what this means is that my elderly neighbours see us as a soft touch and move things at will.

Now if I spot it there and then I challenge it, but otherwise they make sneaky changes and when I eventually realise and challenge they insist it’s been like it for 20 years…….they cover their tracks by making it look aged and long-standing.

DuckieDodgyHedgyPiggy · 26/03/2025 17:21

FrenchandSaunders · 26/03/2025 09:44

Love the fact your diagram had a 'sensitive warning' message 😁

Yes! Maybe they think that if you squint, it looks like a Picasso drawing of boobs, or something? You've got to have some imagination though.

Original poster
MummyToBeAgain1 · 26/03/2025 17:18

@Flouncysock
We backed of that one at the early stages - thankfully the seller hadn't found a property to buy so took it of market. We found this new property last month that we're both happy with!

OP posts:
Flouncysock · 26/03/2025 17:16

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

OneFineDay13 · 26/03/2025 17:12

simpledeer · 26/03/2025 10:29

Ring solicitors and tell them the boundary dispute has to be resolved.

Then make a cup of tea.

I would rather “lose” £10k than live next door to people who have stolen from me.

You would rather lose 10k are you serious?!

SpringIsSpringing25 · 26/03/2025 17:10

I hope this isn't too much trouble for you to get sorted! And I hope that going forward they're not a complete nightmare!!

ButterCrackers · 26/03/2025 17:09

MummyToBeAgain1 · 26/03/2025 17:04

@moanafan
I most definitely will be posting updates on here as and when I have one.

Honestly, prior to posting I was thinking to leave it till after completition so we don't delay the sale.
The advice on here has been fantastic - I'm so grateful!

Don’t complete without legal advice - it’s like buying a car with four tyres but then getting a car with a missing tyre and part broken. Your solicitor should deal with the situation. The auction will have a terms and conditions. The seller has to put this right and get their land back and put right the damage with the neighbours paying for this. It’s criminal to break others property.

ElbowsUpRising · 26/03/2025 17:07

Surely tearing down a wall and plants is criminal damage? Certainly the plants as they’re not his. The wall I guess may be

Original poster
MummyToBeAgain1 · 26/03/2025 17:05

@mommatoone
Exactly what DH said! Especially, with how quickly they did it and disposed all plants/rubbish.

OP posts:
Original poster
MummyToBeAgain1 · 26/03/2025 17:04

@moanafan
I most definitely will be posting updates on here as and when I have one.

Honestly, prior to posting I was thinking to leave it till after completition so we don't delay the sale.
The advice on here has been fantastic - I'm so grateful!

OP posts:
mommatoone · 26/03/2025 17:02

Sneaky fuckers! I bet they are chuffed to bits thinking no one will ever know.

Original poster
MummyToBeAgain1 · 26/03/2025 17:02

@Beachhutlover
Yes, I'm SO grateful we realised prior to exchange.
So sorry about your situation though - what a nightmare - that could have easily been us.
How are they with you now?

I would never think of taking someone else's posession regardless of how small or big. No normal person would unless you're a entitled, greedy t*.

OP posts:
Coconutter24 · 26/03/2025 17:01

Do the neighbours not realise buyers see plans of the boundaries when purchasing 🤦‍♀️ they’ve tried to pull a fast one for sure

moanafan · 26/03/2025 16:55

I’m very invested in this, what cheeky twats the neighbours are!! Please do keep us updated, I definitely want to know how swiftly this gets resolved for you! Fingers crossed for a prompt and proactive solicitor reply!

FeelingLikeAFaultyNPC · 26/03/2025 16:55

Beachhutlover · 26/03/2025 16:30

I’ve never posted before ( lurking for years!) but felt compelled to warn you this could be a big problem. We had a 2 year boundary dispute over 18inches, the neighbours also put a patio up as far as our garage wall and did this without us realising just before completion. This took 2 years , a lot of stress and upset, and £20,000 to resolve using solicitors. Please make sure the current owners sort this out before you exchange and complete, you will need it sorted out if you wish to sell in the future. Anyone who does this sort of thing is not a pleasant person. Wishing you lots of best wishes.

That’s awful @Beachhutlover I hope it was equally as expensive, if not more so, for your stealing neighbour. They should have to pay your costs. It must have really spoilt your new home having to deal with all that. I hope you are able to finally enjoy you home, and the stress of it all will soon be a distant memory Flowers

Original poster
MummyToBeAgain1 · 26/03/2025 16:50

Exactly!! The cheeky buggers - not just a fence put up but a wall broken down and the plants all dug out and disposed leaving NO visible evidence of foulplay.

It was the estate agent who showed us but they not really involved in anything more than showing us around. It's the dedicated individual for the auction company who needs to know - I want to speak to my solicitor in the morning before doing anything else!

This will need to be sorted prior to the exchange The garden length is approx 21 metres maybe a bit more so the 1.5ft they've taken adds up to a lot all the way to the end!

Regarding, nightmare neighbours - no way, am I backing of because of them. We love the property, location, the garden - the whole lot. It could just be that they had a informal agreement with the previous owner..

OP posts:
CowTown · 26/03/2025 16:48

Beachhutlover · 26/03/2025 16:30

I’ve never posted before ( lurking for years!) but felt compelled to warn you this could be a big problem. We had a 2 year boundary dispute over 18inches, the neighbours also put a patio up as far as our garage wall and did this without us realising just before completion. This took 2 years , a lot of stress and upset, and £20,000 to resolve using solicitors. Please make sure the current owners sort this out before you exchange and complete, you will need it sorted out if you wish to sell in the future. Anyone who does this sort of thing is not a pleasant person. Wishing you lots of best wishes.

Yes. All must be put right BEFORE completion. By the current owners—it’s not your battle OP (thankfully).

TheHerboriste · 26/03/2025 16:40

SparklyGlitterballs · 26/03/2025 16:30

So they've intentionally destroyed not only a wall that wasn't theirs, but also plants and shrubs. That's classed as criminal damage.

This is what i am thinking. I'd lose my shit if I offered on a property based on (among other things) mature shrubs and plants, and these arseholes took it upon themselves to kill the shrubbery.

OP, I'm glad you spotted this. Begin as you mean to go on; if they think you are pushovers they will make your life miserable. Ask me how I know.

Thebloodynine · 26/03/2025 16:37

@MummyToBeAgain1
Who showed you round? One of the kids selling the house or their representative. Just wondering if they know about it now or if you’ll have to wait for your solicitor to tell them.

FortyElephants · 26/03/2025 16:37

How stressful!! I would never buy via MMA it sounds like a nightmare