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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Neighbour stole our woodland?

983 replies

TwittleBee · 27/01/2019 07:00

Our DGrandad left me and my sister his woodland when he passed away a few years ago. It isn't anything that special (as in its not protected and hasn't any distinguished species) but does have a TPO on a couple of trees. It is a place that my sister and I visit occasionally and thought that perhaps we could use it as a place to "wild camp" with the kids this summer for a few weekends. Even had insipiration from what George Clark created in a piece of woodland in his series Amazing Spaces and thought maybe one day with enough money we could do the same.

Anyway, we went down there this weekend to have a look to see if we could maybe clear a patch for a good tent destination, Thought it be good to do this now before everything starts flourishing in the spring.

To our shock it's all been fenced off and there has been some very obvious clearing of trees and shrubs! We knocked on the nearest house to ask what's happened to our woodland and the couple that lived there informed us that they have now taken it as their own and have started keeping it in order for past couple months. They said that it now makes our land legally theirs?

Obviously we shall be seeking legal advice but in the meantime, can what they claim actually be correct?

Just seems so unfair? Surely that would mean I could just fence off any land and claim it as my own?

OP posts:
Hittapotamus · 27/01/2019 21:22

The woodlands sound wonderful OP. No wonder you're keen to assert your rightful ownership to them.

Dollymixture22 · 27/01/2019 21:28

Don’t leave your car unlocked around these people - they will sit in it for ten minutes, wipe the windscreen and claim it as theirs!!!

nicoala1 · 27/01/2019 21:33

It will all be sorted on the basis of OP post. Might take time, but it will be all found to be spurious on the part of the so called Squatters. Hope it all works out.

Anyway, whilst reading the descriptions of the woodland, I was thinking that the area would be ideal for woodland burials. Sorry if that offends or brings things up for people, but that is what I would love for myself.

Maybe OP might consider it in the future?

Best of luck in your battle anyway.

Original poster
TwittleBee · 27/01/2019 21:37

Really appreciating all the posts btw, many brilliantly funny ones which are making me less stressed and some really informative ones too.

I shall update once progress has been made. Thank you for the support

OP posts:
FixItUpChappie · 27/01/2019 21:44

Placemarking - what entitled cheeky fuckers these people are! Shock

rytonsister · 27/01/2019 21:46

Where do these people hide ? Cf-ery and no mistake!

VinnythePanda · 27/01/2019 21:49

I wouldn’t damage their fence in any way. BUT, depending on the land boundaries, could you put a fence around their fence? Grin

MyOtherProfile · 27/01/2019 21:53

They're going for the CF award 2019 aren't they?

Annoyance · 27/01/2019 21:56

Have you googled their names? The chances are you're not the first person they've annoyed. I bet they've already been involved in another dispute somewhere.

nonevernotever · 27/01/2019 22:17

And if you are in Scotland it's still not theirs in that time scale. Iirc an a non domino title requires 10years peaceful occupation without judicial interruption dating from when a title is registered in the official registers

Bipbopbee · 27/01/2019 22:18

Wow! Hope you get this sorted OPFlowers

rosablue · 27/01/2019 22:52

Op another thing you could do on Monday morning is to ring the Land Registry office and ask to speak to their fraud office because you believe that somebody is trying to steal some land that you own and have deeds for.

We’ve had cause to speak to them twice when land that we believed was ours had been claimed by others. They were unfailingly polite and helpful; They were able to look through old records and help us to ascertain what had gone wrong (solicitors on behalf of evil relative had only transferred 3 of 4 properties to my mum and had then on his death let his wife write a declaration that it all belonged to him and thus she inherited it - took lots of legal fees but we got it in the end).

You could tell them that these people are trying to claim the land as theirs because they fenced it in and check they haven’t tried to do anything about it by changing the deeds - or even finding out if anyone has requested the deeds as if they haven’t that also helps to show that they haven’t gone through the right steps (ie try to contact registered owners)

They are able to mark the seeds so that if anybody tries to do anything to it you will be notified - there can be a small charge for this sometimes but it’s not much (about a fiver maybe) which would also be very worth doing given the token cost.

littlebillie · 27/01/2019 22:54

Nope they can't just claim it and you can sue for damage and trespass

LLOE7 · 27/01/2019 23:11

Can't believe this- absolute CF!

Whatisthisworldcomingtoo · 27/01/2019 23:20

I actually can't believe people would do this! Mad!

Nomdejeur · 27/01/2019 23:28

Place marking! How bloody cheeky of them!!

Weenurse · 27/01/2019 23:40

CF, I am watching with interest.

IamNotDarling · 27/01/2019 23:56

My neighbour stole about 2m sq from an elderly neighbour over the years by moving his fence back into very overgrown shrubs.

Elderly neighbour died and her children came to sell up. CF neighbour was caught out but didn’t argue, held his hands up and put it back to the original boundary.

Hopefully these CFs will do the same when they receive a letter from your legal advisers!

RamblinRosie · 27/01/2019 23:58

Lots of excellent advice.

Firstly I’d have a nose around the Garden Law website, lots of good advice there.

Second, make sure you have a copy of the relevant Land Registry documents.

Thirdly, get hold of a copy of the TPO, should be available online. It may just cover specific trees, or it may also cover a wider area. If in doubt, have a chat with your local Tree Officer, IME they’re often very helpful in this type of situation. If your neighbors have cut down protected trees, they’re up shit creek.

Fourthly, see a solicitor, you probably don’t need a specialist. They have trespassed, committed damage, simples!!

Also, don’t touch the fence, they may have gifted it to you. If you want it, keep it. Obviously, if you don’t want it they should pay to take it down.

Looking forward to hearing you beating their butts.

Doman · 28/01/2019 00:05

Please keep us updated OP. The neighbours are batshit.

DeRigueurMortis · 28/01/2019 00:08

Sounds very much like these people haven't done their homework or hoping you won't do yours.

OdeToDiazepam · 28/01/2019 00:21

The cheek of some people!

OhJustElfOff · 28/01/2019 00:50

I am wondering about the size still, OP? How much fencing have they actually put up? I can't fathom how/why anyone would undertake this kind of presumably expensive project without checking the legalities out first?

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 28/01/2019 01:04

I get the point about people claiming land after it's been apparently abandoned and/or they've had unchallenged access or use of it for a decade or more - but how on earth do they think you can just put a fence around something, announce you've 'taken it over' and claim it as yours?

Can I just get some chicken wire and wrap it around any land/building/car/TV in Currys and then it's suddenly mine? Can I surround a sleeping person with it and then claim them as my chattel and personal servant from when they wake up?

It does sound very like claiming a 'lost' golf ball before it's even stopped rolling.

These people are utterly crazy.

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 28/01/2019 01:08

Just thinking about how many lovely expensive pub pool tables I must technically be the permanent owner of now, having put 50p down on the edge of them all to (hitherto unrealised by me) stake my inalienable claim to ownership them for all time.