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

That's a generous offer from your exhausted, you would lose nothing financially by at least having that one consultation with a lawyer that specialises in property matters. You would at least then know where you stand, and are not obliged to continue with a legal dispute.

If the land is yours and you allow your neighbour to put a fence on your land, this is going to create problems when the house is sold.

I would be highly suspicious that it's a land grab.

Why? If OP's going to end up with the extra bit then the neighbour can't be "land grabbing" can he.

I would be worried that if he is trying to steal some of your land, this is going to cause you a lot more problems if you tried to sell your house

For £3 your can download the title plan of your property, which might (or might not) show who owns which boundary.

We once had a fence blow down. We didn't know if it was ours our neighbours'. Neighbours' letting agent claimed it was our responsibility. We downloaded the plan and they were correct.

www.gov.uk/search-property-information-land-registry

I would let it wash over you, it’s just not worth it and it is only a hedge. Just as long as the fence is built on his property and not yours

I'm confused by your description tbh.

If he removes a hedge to replace with a fence that leaves you with a large empty area of soil, that suggests he isn't fencing in the space left by the hedge.

A diagram would help I think

Also, I don't think he can remove hedges this time of year if birds are nesting in it. Might also be worth checking that.

Also worth checking if you have any legal expenses cover on your home insurance policy. If you have they will be able to look into the boundaries on your behalf if you believe the hedge is yours

A fence is nowhere near as attractive as a hedge but look at it this way - you won't have to trim your side on a regular basis. If it's his boundary I guess he can indeed do what he likes with it.

Small shrubs can be bought quite cheaply from budget supermarkets like Lidl and they grow nicely.

I think I would at least flag up to the neighbour that you should both check with teh land registry to confirm the boundary. For following reasons

1 - check if the hedge is his, so he can remove
2 - if the hedge is yours but juts out onto his land so he can cut it back to the boundary but otherwise leave it alone
3 - if he removes the hedge, to make sure any fence is put up in the correct location - if he owns the hedge he'll own the fence so it'll have to be on his land and maintained by him.

Doesn't need to go to solicitors or be expensive - just get that in front of him and the potential thought of admin/solicitors may make him at least pause and consider things.

Land registry check isn't expensive and should be clear cut enough give an answer

The land registry diagram is not clear.

If it's anything like the one for our house, the boundary could be anywhere within a four foot wide margin surrounding the property.

No don’t let it wash over . You may end up with a devalued property if he takes some of your garden. Send him a recorded delivery letter and copy of the land registry with a letter saying that the ownership is in dispute and that he must prove ownership before Removing the hedge . Then the onus and cost is on him.

If your garden is already small you can’t afford for it to be smaller.

Do not roll over!!! Most of these arguments you don’t even need a lawyer- just write/ email them with a copy of your deeds stating that the hedge is on your land and as such they don’t have permission to remove it. Usually people run scared pretty quickly.
Not exactly the same but my bitch neighbours fence fell down into my garden, she didn’t fix it for months until I submitted a letter to the courts (didn’t cost anything) myself, then low and behold New fence went up in a wk.

Speak to his wife again with him present and remind her that she offered you money.

Thanks all
Have to get on so won’t be returning
But good advice

I’m going to let it go. Looks like nice fence

If it were me -
Ask him to hold off when you just check whose boundary it is.
Find out.
If it’s his then he can remove the hedge. He cannot cause damage to your property nor ‘take any of your garden.
Take photos as suggested now in particular of where the hedge meets the back and house boundaries.
Ask them (in email/writing just to make sure their fencer follows the boundary carefully.
If their fence encroaches take photos and immediately ask them to get fencers back to out right.
Plant lovely things in new border if you end up with one !

OP I would absolutely take your ex-husband up on the offer of a solicitor visit and a letter, that should be enough to ensure that even if a fence does go up that it goes up on the boundary and doesn’t capture part of your land. There is no way I would allow my neighbour to pull down a hedge that I believed to be mine without checking with a solicitor first. You might have a lot on now but this could cause you major problems down the road if you don’t do something about it now.

@Apossibility84

*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.

So tell him you won't consent.

If he isn't a concern, that will then be the end of it.

What a ridiculous and pointless thread!

You need to grow up and sort this, you risk devaluing your primary asset!

OP, you’re strange. Why are you rolling over and letting this go, when this could cause you worse problems in the future? Why are you posting here if you want to ignore all suggestions?

If you’re happy with their plan, fair enough but at least make the minuscule effort to check your deeds and confirm his claims.

If he is removing a hedge will you be left with the stumps?

Heron's advice is good. It's worth finding out exactly what their plans are, in email (perhaps try to arrange this with wife?)
It would be useful to know how tall the fence will be as well as being given reassurance that your side will be made good; any roots or debris cleared etc. And when /how long it will take as your garden could be out of action for a couple of days.

It's a bit odd and annoying that his wife offered you money initially? Even going so far as to name an amount. It seems as though this was said to make you say Yes to the fence with no intention of keeping to it?