Boundary Disputes

Our Personal Disputes team advises clients on boundary disputes in properties of all kinds, from urban homes with shared access to rural and agricultural properties where boundaries are or have been marked by fences or ditches.

We understand that property is likely to be your most valuable asset and one about which you have a particular emotional connection as well as financial. With property values being so high and parcels of land being continually divided as more homes are built with smaller gardens these feelings are only intensified and boundary disputes more commonplace.

Of all the cases our personal Disputes team handle, boundary disputes are among the most acrimonious and hardest fought, often with one or other party wanting to argue a point of principle. While such arguments can be both costly and exhausting, if there is a clear benefit in claiming or preserving land, our boundary disputes experts have the skills and experience to help you. We regularly work with other professionals, including land surveyors, using plans and site visits to review original or historic boundaries and compare these with contemporary features, such as walls, fences, or hedges. This helps us to determine where those features sit in relation to the boundary and whether there are any discrepancies.

We will help you to understand the boundary dispute process and the merits of the case, breaking down the legal jargon so that you fully understand your position and the likely costs of any action. There are several options available for resolving a boundary dispute, including negotiations through correspondence, site meetings, mediation, expert determination and, as a last resort, court or property tribunal proceedings.

Most boundary disputes settle without the need for litigation and, depending on whether any land is actually changing hands, the agreed boundary position can be dealt with either by a transfer of land between the parties, or by a simple written Boundary Agreement.

If you are already in dispute about a boundary or are concerned that your neighbour may have taken land which is not theirs, contact us for advice.