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'Neighbour has broken the law my what they've done it my garden I'm furious'

A homeowner has been left fuming after finding out what their neighbour had been up to in their garden. They asked people online advice on how to handle the property situation

[Garden]

The resident has been left fuming over their neighbour's actions (stock image)(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

While moving into a new home can be an exciting time, it also comes with the uncertainty of what your neighbours will be like. Some are considerate and friendly, while others can be less than neighbourly. One resident has shared their unfortunate experience with the latter.

Having only moved into their property a few months ago, they've not yet had the chance to meet all their neighbours. However, they were left irked when they noticed that the neighbour to their left had begun constructing a small wall that encroached onto their property, cemented onto the front of their house and within their front garden.

Turning to Reddit for advice, they explained that they live in a terraced house where the homes are staggered rather than lined up parallel or in a straight line.

They added: "This wall now takes up (albeit a very small) part of our garden where our bins usually sit, and the wall itself has been cemented to the front of our house."

But the real kicker was yet to come. They continued: "The very annoying thing is that the neighbours haven't even asked us if we would be okay with this, they just started building it without notifying us of this.

"My family and friends say this isn't a big deal, but it's really frustrating to me and I don't want them to take the p*** like this with something else further down the line if we don't say anything now!".

The frustrated resident went on to reveal they had examined the boundary markers and discovered their neighbour had encroached upon a section of garden that rightfully belongs to them.

They concluded their Reddit appeal by seeking advice from fellow users about how to handle the predicament, prompting dozens of responses.

One commenter advised: "Reach out to your local governing body (town, township...) and ask what can be done. That should prompt code enforcement to come take a look."

WARNING: The post below contains explicit language. Reader discretion is advised.

Another user laid out a more detailed course of action for the homeowner, saying: "Ask them to see the permit for the work and the survey they had done showing that they were within the bounds of their property.

"When they likely can't produce it, show them your own survey and show them that they are on your property and they need to move the fence back onto their own property.

"Give them a chance to be agreeable and do the right thing. If they don't or won't, involve the governing body of your local jurisdiction that handles permitting and property records. They will fine them if they don't move it back.

"Also, document your conversation with the neighbour in some fashion so that you have the evidence if you need to pursue further legal action."

Parachute Law Solicitors explains that boundary disputes arise when adjacent property owners disagree over the precise limits of their respective ownership. These disputes often revolve around physical features like fences, walls, hedges, driveways, or building extensions.

The legal boundary of a property is usually defined in the Title Deeds and Land Registry records. To ascertain your boundary, Parachute Law Solicitors suggests checking your Title Deeds, reviewing Land Registry plans, seeking a chartered surveyor's report, consulting historical maps and aerial photographs, and simply having a chat with the neighbour in question.

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