Land boundary issue what should I do?

Jamesb94 · 11 July 2019 at 6:16PM

Basically my house has an extension that was built 30cm away from the boundary.

I’ve taken down the fence on the boundary as next door said they were replacing it anywhere so the side of my house can be rendered.

Upon speaking to next door today they said they will just put the fence up after my wall ends to make their bit bigger.

I’ve attached a drawing.. it’s rubbish I know.. best I could do.

The bit I’ve highlighted with a scribble is where they plan to take over the land. It’s only 30cm wide by 10ft long so I feel it won’t matter to me I don’t use it anyway I’m just not sure of any legal implications or house value issues that could come of this?

Not being able to access the side wall of my house in future if new neighbours who aren’t friendly move in?

I get on with the neighbours fine and have no issue with them, just not sure if I should be worried or not?

If I need to give me information or explain better let me know

Thanks

Slithery · 11 July 2019 at 6:50PM

Don't let them replace the fence in a different position. It's just asking for trouble somewhere further down the line.

Jamesb94 · 11 July 2019 at 6:51PM

What kind of trouble?

PasturesNew · 11 July 2019 at 6:58PM

If you do that you're storing up trouble for yourself when selling.

You might even lose a buyer - a house I viewed and kind of liked and would probably have made an offer on had just such a boundary - the entire wall of their living room was "exposed" in the neighbour's garden. You run the risk that at any future point that wall could have a goal post painted on it and your life could be made hell.

That 30cm is your house's "moat" against whatever the neighbour does next....

oddjobbpb · 11 July 2019 at 7:12PM

To stay on good terms with neighbours tell them you've go no problem with it but you told your mortgage lender about it and they said absolutely not.

Jamesb94 · 11 July 2019 at 7:23PM

Would a mortgage company actually say that though? Seems far fetched. They aren't clueless neighbours I’m sure they will know if mortgage companies get involved with that stuff.

I have no problem politely giving them a good reason just wanted to be sure I wasn’t being petty as my wife said I was just being petty when I mentioned I was concerned about it :rotfl:

The football post example is one good point if anyone can give me any other good reasons so I have a few it would help

Thanks

Slithery · 11 July 2019 at 7:33PM

How would you maintain your property without a 30cm gap? Ask the neighbours to take the fence down every time?

Smodlet · 11 July 2019 at 7:44PM

OP, have you ever heard the expression, "Give them an inch and they will take a mile"? I wonder where it originated.

Our last house had a lean-to at the side which had been built partly on land purchased from the owner of the neighbouring property "at great expense". This was all before our or the current neighbours' time but they referred to it at every opportunity, almost as if they expected us to pay all over again.

Every square inch of land in this country belongs to someone and costs a fortune. If you give up this land you will never get it back and it may well affect your ability to sell your property. Who wants to buy into a neighbour dispute?

If you really don't mind your neighbour encroaching thus, at least make him pay for it. I would hazard a guess it will be at least in the £00s; yes, for a strip less than a foot wide.

Jamesb94 · 11 July 2019 at 7:44PM

In that regard they would let me on their driveway. This is the front of the house not the back. So it’s our front driveways not the garden.

I’ve had to take the fence down even with 30cm gap in order to take off pebble dash and do a cement render as not enough room.

If they don’t put fence back up it just feels like I’m rendering their wall for them rather than my house... although if the fence goes up I don’t see that wall anyway... it feels like a tricky one

Jamesb94 · 11 July 2019 at 7:45PM

By 00s you mean hundreds?

MoneySeeker1 · 11 July 2019 at 7:48PM

For all you know that neighbour (or a new person they had sold the house to) would want to build an extension up against your wall if they were able to access it and treat that bit of your garden as if it was theirs. At the least, there is every chance some neighbour at some point might want to put their stuff up against your wall and I understand that can have damp implications for your wall.

Land boundary issue what should I do?

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