Fence Dispute With a Neighbour?

A boundary dispute is a disagreement about where the line between two properties runs, or who is responsible for a fence, hedge or wall on it. The registered boundary is usually a general boundary, so the line on the title plan is approximate and evidence of the true position often comes from the deeds and physical features.

Start by gathering evidence: the registered general boundary position, the Title Plan and Register, any historic Transfer or Conveyance, and photographs of the physical boundary. Share it with your neighbour and try to agree. If you can’t, consider mediation or a chartered surveyor before formal action. This is general information, not legal advice.

First check where your registered general boundary sits and where the fence stands, then look at your Title Plan, Register and any historic deeds. Share that evidence with your neighbour and try to agree a solution. If you can’t, consider mediation or a chartered surveyor before any formal action. This is general information, not legal advice.

Plot your registered general boundary on a satellite map and compare it with the fence, using GPS coordinates for each corner. Because the registered boundary is approximate, a small difference does not prove the fence is on your land. Larger differences are worth investigating with your title documents and, if needed, a surveyor.

It is best not to. If the boundary turns out to be where your neighbour says, removing it could leave you open to a claim for damage. Gather your evidence, talk to your neighbour and take advice from a solicitor or chartered surveyor before acting.

Start by knowing where your registered general boundary sits. Then look at the HM Land Registry Title Plan and Title Register for T-marks and fence covenant wording. If they are silent, order the historic Transfer or Conveyance. Finally, photograph the physical fence, posts and any hedge or ditch.

Not on its own. A T-mark usually indicates the side with a covenant to maintain the boundary feature. The covenant wording in the deed creates the obligation, and responsibility to maintain is not the same as ownership.

No. It shows the approximate registered general boundary position from HM Land Registry INSPIRE data, which is useful supporting evidence. It does not determine the legal boundary. A determined boundary needs an application to HM Land Registry, and a chartered surveyor can advise on the evidence.

This is common, especially for older estates. The original Transfer or Conveyance may still hold the T-mark plan and covenant wording. If not, physical evidence and common law presumptions such as the hedge and ditch rule may help.

Not necessarily. The title plan shows a general boundary, not the exact legal line, so a fence a little off the plan line does not by itself mean it is on the wrong land. Where the position is genuinely uncertain, a chartered surveyor can assess the evidence, and mediation is usually cheaper than court.