When you purchase a property, particularly a detached house, you generally purchase the surrounding land as well. For instance, you may have front and/or rear gardens with grassy areas. You may also own the driveway or paths that run around the property. You have a right to enjoy these without interference.
Your neighbors will also have the same rights over their properties. Unfortunately, clashes can occur. You and your neighbor may not agree on precisely who owns the land or certain parts of the property. This is where boundary disputes occur. Outlined below are some of the more common types of boundary disputes.
Who’s responsible for the repairs?
There is a boundary fence between your house and your neighbor’s house. Before purchasing the home, you checked who owned this and who was responsible for its upkeep. The fence is within your neighbor’s property, so they are solely responsible. Unfortunately, parts of the fence have fallen down onto your property, and it’s only getting worse. You have mentioned it to your neighbor and they claim that you should pay for the repairs, or at least part of them. This is a boundary dispute that many homeowners are all too familiar with.
Encroachment
Your neighbor may be looking to start a family and would like to add another bedroom to their house in the form of an extension. This is something that they are perfectly entitled to do. However, what they are not entitled to do is interfere with your property. Sometimes, extensions can be pushed to the very limits of property boundary lines and may even exceed them, ultimately spoiling your enjoyment of your own home.
Boundary disputes can be very stressful and time consuming. You shouldn’t have to face this type of situation on your own. To get back to enjoying your home, it may benefit you to seek legal guidance.