On 27/01/2015 16:09, Judith in England wrote:
Not me - but a neighbour of mine.

The houses where we live are a row of many on a straight road backing
onto a school field - the boundary between the houses and the school
field was a pre-existing Hawthorn hedge. The houses and the school were
built at the same time. There was no other boundary between the houses
and the school field - just the hedge which according to land registry
and Google Earth is a perfect straight line - about a quarter of a mile
long. A very clear boundary.

Some of us put up a fence at the bottom of the garden - typically a yard
inside the property from the hedge - and then tended to tip grass
cuttings and such over the fence - into the bit of garden between the
fence and the hedge. Others just kept the hedge and no fence. The
previous owner of her property put up a fence - but told her when she
bought the property that the fence was hers and the boundary was the
hedge.

Thirty years ago part of the school field backing on to the houses was
sold off and new houses were built (only 4 - the rest of the properties
still looked on to the hedge and the school field)

Suddenly the person in the house backing on to her property has decided
that the fence is the boundary - and much to her horror has chopped down
the hedge!

All immediate neighbours agree that the hedge is the boundary.

He claims that the fence is the boundary - and is taking the extra yard
as party of his property.

She is well aware of the problems of neighbour disputes - and is not sure
whether it is worth doing anything - or just lose a yard and the hedge
and live with it.

Any views - comments on what she could do (bearing in mind the dispute
issue and perhaps nothing being the best answer: she is however cheesed
off with his actions and attitude) s)


(Of course there are no dimensions of distances to boundaries on deeds)


What about putting regular notices on the hedge side of all the fences.

"This fence has been provisioned for security purposes and does not
define the property boundary - refer to land registry for boundary
location".

If this appears on all relevant property fences, does it not become the
accepted truth?

Phil