To feel that neighbours have “had me”

[Apossibility84]

Single parent and no support network at all.

I have a lovely garden. Small but just suits us. It’s simple, very well looked and green. There’s a hedge that divides my garden with my neighbours. He says the hedge is his (the land registrars diagram would suggest otherwise but I can’t afford a solicitor to pursue this).
He says he is going to remove “whatever my thoughts” and replace with a fence leaving me with a wide empty space of soil.

Let’s assume the hedge is his. Can he unilaterally remove and replace irrespective of how it leaves neighbour’s plot?

I’m cross with myself as I just nodded and accepted everything. His sweet wife had offered £100 months ago during initial chat so that I could do something to fill the space, but when I mentioned that to him “I am not going to do that”.

Any guidance would be appreciated although if you can remove a hedge boundary that is yours and don’t have any responsibility to how leaves neighbour‘s garden, then I will just remove it from my never ending “to-do” list and move on (probably a good thing!) and just deal with the empty bedding as and when I have money spare in the future?

Many thanks

If it's his hedge, he can do what he likes assuming that it won't leave your garden in an unsafe condition (as opposed to an unaesthetically pleasing one). There doesn't have to be anything to physically separate your gardens.

But if it affects your land isn’t that an indicator that it’s on your land?

From what he said, his poor attitude, I would be highly suspicious that it's a land grab. He's made you for a soft mark. They are going to put the fence wherever they want and they've "paid you". I wouldn't assume you will end up with that empty space...

I would also say no now. Do you have their email? Put it in email.

As a single parent, you need to stop worrying about the approval of bona fide arseholes and get hard.

I would try not to worry, and just think about what you will put in it's place

I'm not sure they have to offer you anything if they remove the hedge leaving it bare on your side. It's nothing a bag of grass seed wouldn't fix if need be.

However, if you suspect that the hedge is within your boundary I would not be letting them build a fence an inch within it. Do you have insurance on your property that has legal cover? Please use it if you do to get some advice.

Tell them can you look at the plans to check where the property law bed is, so they don't have to move the fence later on if gets put up on your land....

Are you sure you'll be left with a "wide empty space" where the hedge was? I mean that's quite easy to rectify. You can get big boxes of grass seed in the pound shop.
I'd be more concerned that the fence will be put where "his" hedge ended. ..so you'd have no empty space and lose some of your garden.

check your deeds to find out where the boundary actually is. Take photos now.
Yes they can replace the hedge if it is on their side. Just make sure fence is also put up on their side.
You will just have to plant some shrubs to fill the gap.

If it really is his hedge, no, he doesn't have to worry about you being left with a bare patch. It's not as if he's killing plants that belong to you, you've been benefiting from his hedge all this time! You really do need to make sure he sticks to the legal boundary though.

I think you've got your priorities backwards.

You can go into the land registry website and download your boundaries. I've just fone it because my neighbour thinks 6 inches of land, which are clearly ours, are his. I'm waiting for this to be over and then I'm going to dispute it with him. They are.horrific neighbours anyway so I need to make sure I can call surveyors or the land registry out as back up.

Yes of course he can remove his hedge if it’s in his garden. He doesn't have to replace it with anything ( unless it says otherwise in the deeds ).

However if he’s going to put up a fence, that’s great! You can simply plant your own hedge/ shrubs / anything you want along that “ wide empty space of soil “.

He’s not obliged to keep a hedge he doesn’t want in his garden because you like the look of it.

Sounds like he's after a bigger garden. If the hedge really is on his land then you can't do anything about it but don't let him put up a fence over your boundary, it will be next to impossible to get the land back.

Agree with PP who suggested legal cover.

He can remove his hedge if he wants, if it's his hedge. If you get left with a strip of soil it's really not difficult to stick a few plants in! Verbena is cheap, colourful and grows like a weed. Or maybe plant a bush for low maintenance year-round green.
What sort of soil do you have, and which way is it facing? We could suggest some plants for you.

I would also worry about a land grab. If the land registry says it's yours I would give him a copy and threaten legal action if he trys to take your property. Hopefully the threat of legal action will be enough to scare him off.

I know it's hard to stand up for yourself sometimes. I hate confrontation too but dont let him bully you.

Ok thank you

A mixed but all helpful response.

Yes - I do suspect that it is on my land. Certainly my ex husband thinks so and is even prepared to pay for me to go to a solicitor (he’s a good guy but he’s made clear he will pay for one solicitor visit and one letter so if it rumbles on - I would have to pay and can’t afford). So I’m not going To pursue.

Ok so seems like if we assume hedge is his - then he can do anything he likes as long as doesn’t leave me in dangerous state? The hedge is very very thick - hence why it will leave me with a wide empty bed.

But there is a certain temptation just to roll over and let it wash over me!

I would further make clear that as the hedge is on your property, it is your property, and you expressly forbid them or anyone on their behalf entering your property including for the purposes of removing your hedge.

Don't roll over. We did that with our neighbours and now they are horrendous. When they first mentioned the land I wish we'd pursued it now they think they can walk all over us

Do you have home insurance? You may have legal cover with it.

If it goes on, a police visit may also put an end to this man's attempted intimidation of a woman living alone.

Thanks all
I’m just going to suck it up.

I have a nice garden, the children love it, they’ve not been able to play where the thick hedge is anyway so if now an empty bed then no loss on that front. When I have the money - I’ll just turf seed.

I have a lot on, so it’s for the best.

Don't know about hedges but as a single parent you need to stand up for yourself. Speaking from a vast experience of arseholes I'd give him your email address and ask him to outline his plans before starting the work. Or id get his email from his nicer wife and email him for confirmation of his plans.

If you have the land register diagram to say the hedge is yours then as others have said Email them those and tell them that you do not give them permission to remove the hedge. Ask the wife for her email address.

If it goes on, a police visit may also put an end to this man's attempted intimidation of a woman living alone.

Sorry if I gave that impression. Whilst he was a bit brow beating alpha male - I never felt threatened or unsafe. Not even close.

He says the hedge is his (the land registrars diagram would suggest otherwise but I can’t afford a solicitor to pursue this).

So you think you have evidence (land registrars diagram) that it's your hedge, and you want to keep it? Tell the neighbour that, and ask him to prove it's his. Ask other neighbours what they think. Particularly ones that have lived there a while. They'll know which side belongs to which house.

Apossibility84 if you don't mind the hedge being removed, then give them permission to remove Your hedge. Do it in writing so there is no doubt that the original hedge was yours and to make sure as others have said that they don't move the boundary line which will be a costly and time consuming drama of you decide to sell the house.

The land registry diagram is not clear. I can’t explain. It would seem that it is my land but not absolutely clear. Hence needing legal thought