Think neighbours fence is on our property

[MissesBloom]

We have decided we'd like to move, and have started tidying up our garden and half painted a fence to the right of our property. I thought the fence was ours at first as it's on our side of the boundary, however I then noticed the panels were facing their side and we have the back of them.

Not sure how to figure out where the boundary starts in our garden, but from looking at where the houses end and which side the fence starts on it seems like they're erected it on our side (whilst the previous owners lived here)

Have only come to notice this since I started tidying up the garden as we are now hoping to sell up. What's the best way of checking this? It appears that they're built a fence and shed over our boundary (to pinch some extra room in their garden).

To be honest I don't think I want to address it before I move, am just worried about the Implications while we're selling (if any) and if they may have a moan that I've started painting the back of their fence.

Don't have much experience with this kind of thing and have quite bad anxiety especially in social situations and terrible with any sort of confrontation. Just wondered if anyone has had a similar issue and could advise.

Have added an image of the brick wall that separates our two properties from when they were built and the fence following on from it.

Omg honey can't believe it ended up getting to that. How can people be so awful? Hopefully you've moved now and have come out the other side bruised but otherwise OK.

I have no intention of trying to raise this with them. They are very elderly, and have been lovely neighbours. I just wanted the fence to look good for the potential buyers, and was pondering really if they have any right to have a whinge about it (if it's their fence) I will 100% be avoiding this at all costs now in future too sounds bloody horrendous.

Minnie I've already started it now, but have been militant over it as I don't want them to have to deal with drips in their side. I will finish it and leave well alone after that. Had no idea how much of a touchy subject boundaries are. Will avoid avoid avoid

I wouldn’t take it up with the neighbours as it would be unwise at this point to start a dispute.
However - when I sold my house, my buyers queried a similar situation with my boundary at the front. The fence had a similar right angle to it which had only been put in so the guy who built my fence could line it up with the gatepost. The right angle was only a couple of inches wide so not a problem and the sale went through, whereas you seem to have lost a slightly larger chunk of garden.
Your land registry plan clearly shows that the boundary line is straight, so if the wall marks the boundary then it seems that the fence has been placed on your property, as the fence is not in line with the wall.
It really depends on whether your (future) buyer picks up on this and decides that they want that part of the garden back.

It really depends on whether your (future) buyer picks up on this and decides that they want that part of the garden back

It would be very unlikely that any future buyer would have any success in reclaiming the lost inches. A homeowner is presumed to fence to the extent of their land, and certainly if the fence that's there has been in position for a good number of years, there really isn't a way of reclaiming the wee bit of ground behind without the agreement of the neighbours. Future buyers should be told that they're buying what they see on the ground.

If you are intending to sell, I would put a matching fence up and cover the wall. The fence end looks pretty revolting, and stark, painted or not! It’s a double fence end on! I would replace the whole lot if it was mine.

Why paint the fence if you know it's your neighbours fence? Would you be happy with them painting part of something you paid for eg plant pot(!) because they can see it bordering their boundary??

The convention used to be nice side to thr neighbours and the posts to you for maintenance reasons but more and more people tend to keep the nice side for them now hence the confusion.

I painted it because I believed it to be our fence at first because of the position of it. I wouldn't hop over the fence and start painting their plant pots, but this fence is on my land.

Am going to leave it (other than finishing the painting) as I don't have time to put up another fence and I don't want to lose any more space on that side. It never occurred to us so hopefully nobody will be overly worried about it.

It is your fence, and even if it was put up by your neighbours (I don't think it was), it's your fence now as it's on your land. Paint away.

We are buying a house and the NDN accosted our surveyor to say that the boundary fence was in the wrong place. The owners caved in so that they would avoid a boundary dispute. Whilst still under offer, and after we had actually made that offer, the NDN moved the fence and it has rendered the side of the house impassable. The land registry map clearly shows where the boundary line is. BUT the solicitor told me that the maps are “out” by about 2 feet which is how the NDN can legally make the land grab. I am concerned about this as I do not want a boundary dispute when we come to sell this ourselves. I’m happy to query this now as the house is not yet my property.

DH wants to buy the house so I will have to suck it up. And now, I suppose, I don’t have to worry about upsetting the neighbour when DS does his drum practice