They do say a man’s home is his castle, and it seems that war can easily break out if in any way the castle walls are breached. It seems that more and more often neighbours are falling out over building works, boundary fences, hedges and rights of way. Disputes this close to home can be stressful so it’s always a good idea to try and resolve issues at an early stage and as amicably as possible.
Here are 5 tips to resolve boundary disputes before they arise:
- Always check property deeds – make sure you carefully review the title deeds to your property before you buy and before you get drawn into a dispute. You could be bound by covenants which restrict the use of your own land or allow neighbours rights of access. It is also important to inspect the land or property to see if there is anything that could affect your use of the land in the future.
- Keep it friendly – You should always start with an amicable discussion. You may find that the land that is important to you may be insignificant to your neighbour, or that your neighbour readily agrees to your suggested solution.
- Keep a diary of events as they happen. This can be important in evidence if court proceedings are needed.
- Don’t delay in seeking legal advice – If you stand by and let a neighbour build a wall or other structure on your land it might not be possible to have it removed later if objection is not raised immediately.
- Boundary works are controlled by the Access to Neighbouring Land Act. A surveyor can be appointed to oversee the works and avoid disputes arising. Appoint a surveyor as soon as you have notice that works are going to commence.
For any further advice please contact our specialist Litigation Team on 0845 287 0939 or complete an online enquiry form.