To rat out these CFs

[gerbalgreen]

Two family members, who I used to think were very nice, gleefully told me two years ago that they have been moving back their fence every year and have been stealing land.

But it's ok because their neighbours are elderly and haven't noticed. 😱

They live in the country side and you cannot see the neighbours house from their garden. Their neighbours land covers all three sides of their house and is a wooded area. They have tripled the size of their garden.

They were smug when they mentioned that if they used the land for a certain number of years the rightful owners couldn't take it back due to some law.

After this conversation I can't see them in the same light and now every time I meet up with them I realise they just aren't good people. I also feel so guilty knowing this and not doing anything.

I also know that either at the end of this year or some point next year the time will have passed that the neighbours can't do anything.

I am considering sending them an anonymous letter. Should I? I could find them on google maps. A big part of me doesn't want to get involved then another just wants justice to prevail.

I also live abroad. So any letter sent from my country, should the neighbours show it to said family members, would obviously be from me. I don't want this family to know how I feel as it would cause chaos with the rest of the family. I would rather make it anonymous. How would I do this? Would this give me bad or good karma?

YANBU : Write the letter
YaBU : Don't get involved

I suppose technically they are putting their family before all else!

What a ridiculous motto.

This. All that happens is that they have to apply to register the land in their name. The land registry then writes to the owner and says “are you happy for joe bloggs to take your land”. They say no.

If the neighbouring land is large though it might go unnoticed.

Defo send it.

Childish twaddle

Type it out, send to me with the address, I'll post it (if in UK)

Thank God your view is in the minority!

Yes please do, what pathetic types they must be, would be having nothing more to do with them after dobbing them in.

Can't you post it to a friend in the uk and ask them to post it on? If you don't know anyone, I'll do it for you.

You've got 2 volunteers already, but I was also about to offer to post it on for you.

If and when the house goes on the market and the deeds are studied I imagine it will come to light and be queried by any potential new owner

Nothing worse than a snitch? Nasty foul lack of morals when people think in this way.

It's stealing from their neighbours. If you know about it, then you are under a moral obligation to do something about it. The neighbours wouldn't think of asking Moonpig for your details and if they did, MP would refuse because of GDPR. Or, belt at braces...take one of these lovely offers up. Otherwise, the bad guys win.

How are thieves not worse than snitches? And liars, which you are endorsing. What a lovely person you must be to know! No need for enemies if people have you in their lives, then.

Nothing worse than a snitch.
Ha! I can't imagine living like this. Like a gutter rat. How basic.

Get your shades and baseball cap on, drive to a different town and post 2 letters in case the first doesn’t get there

Definitely write to / alert them

someone did this to my family on an even grander scale but were caught out, quite by accident, in year 5

To answer your question - no, my family would be thinking and doing the same as you want to. They do not think that family is above the law.

No, I would be proud of my daughter for doing the right thing. Surely there are limits on what you parents would do, even for "family" - would they cover up a murder, hide a child molester? Do as your conscience tells you what is right - it will guide you well.

Is this classed as adverse possession? Doesn’t that take years to come into force?

But yes, tell them some how.

I think this is awful and would have no hesitation in telling these family members they are thieves. Stealing land under the 4 year rule wont work anyway. In fact if it comes to light when the elderly couple move or die and the property is sold they could very well be prosecuted as they are the ones who moved their fence. Just because the couple did not notice does not mean they get to keep it. It is effectively stealing but the owner not noticing. Still illegal. Do your other family members know what they are doing?

What a pair of idiots. When either party come to sell it will cost the grabbers lots of money to replace their fence to the correct boundary.

No one's going to bother tracking down an anonymous Moonpig.

I hope that they keep the fence since it is on their land now hahaha…then the CFs will have to buy a new one 😂

Encroachment is bad but grassing is far worse

I wouldn't do it. By the sounds of things their scheme will come to nothing anyway. But your actions might have the unintended consequences of causing a lot of stress and strife for the elderly family and ructions across your family.

Chefs kiss for this ^