You are here: Find local help with a Boundary Dispute
Need help?
Email: enquiries@localsurveyorsdirect.co.uk
Phone: 0800 0147 453
Filling in the short form below will immediately give you contact details for Surveyors covering your local area who can help you to identify and define a boundary line for your property. You will be given their full contact details, all within less than a second and you will then be able to contact them directly to discuss your requirements. Should you wish to place an order you would deal with them directly. There is no middle man.
Filling in the short form above will immediately give you contact details for Surveyors covering your local area who can help you to identify and define a boundary line for your property. You will be given their full contact details, all within less than a second and you will then be able to contact them directly to discuss your requirements. Should you wish to place an order you would deal with them directly. There is no middle man.
What is a boundary dispute?
A boundary dispute is where there is disagreement between two or more parties over where the limits of ownership are on a plot or plots of land i.e. where the ‘line of ownership’ starts and finishes.
Most properties are registered with the Land Registry and these records show the approximate position of boundaries on any registered titles. The boundaries are drawn as a red line around the property on a large scale Ordnance Survey plan.
For some properties, usually older ones, the land is unregistered. Here the boundaries are defined in the earliest conveyance deed or transfer deed relating to the land in question.
What causes a dispute?
A new fence in different position, a tree encroaching onto another’s garden, a new wall overlapping someone else’s land, an extension that reduces the size of the pathway between properties are all examples of how disputes can arise. Sometimes minor disputes can get out of hand quite fast and the parties involved end up using solicitors and this can result in a Court Hearing. Of course this is an incredibly costly and stressful business for all concerned and often the parcel of land in question is small yet the costs can be astronomical as much as 50-100 times the land value itself. Fortunately most disputes can be resolved early on by gaining a clear understanding of the boundaries.
How do I find out the exact position of the boundary?
Due to the way land titles are produced, the red lines around a property only show an approximate boundary. It is impossible to determine the precise position of the boundary from this. The red line does not show whether for example a hedge sits on the middle or to one side of the boundary. A chartered land surveyor who has experience of boundary disputes will be able to undertake a land survey, examine all the legal documents, search for historical data and aerial photographs and try to provide as accurate as possible guidance on where the line should be or confirm it is actually correct where it is.
Resolving Disputes
Once the surveyor has thoroughly researched your situation, it may be possible to resolve the dispute before it ends up in Court particularly as disputes are often due to lack of clarity regarding boundary position. They will also be able to give you advice on alternative ways to come to an agreement with the other parties. If however the matter cannot be resolved amicably they will be able to tell you whether or not you have a case. You should think very carefully if you wish to proceed in this way because the legal costs will mount up very quickly.
What do I need to do once the dispute is resolved?
You must make sure the revised boundary line is registered with the Land Registry. The surveyor will draw up a new plan showing the agreed boundary line and submit this to the Land Registry.
How do I choose the right person to help me?
The sooner you seek expert advice, the more likely you are to have a successful resolution. It is important you find out if they have had the relevant experience, you can ask what similar cases they have dealt with, how often have issues ended up in Court, find out how many times have they been the expert witness for boundary disputes in Court, check they have a good understanding of mapping, land surveys, historical data and aerial photographs.
Do you offer Boundary Dispute Services?
If you offer Boundary Dispute services and you want to find out more about being listed on this website, please complete the registration form
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Need help?
Email: enquiries@localsurveyorsdirect.co.uk
Phone: 0800 0147 453