Man is without doubt a territorial animal, as has been proved throughout the ages, with wars being fought over countries, land and castles, but in the relative peace of this civilised nation, passions can still run extremely high when it comes to the patch of land on which a residential home sits.
It was reported that last month a row developed between neighbours in Surrey over trees that one said had been planted on his land, which his neighbour contested. The war of words escalated into a physical confrontation when the one who objected to the trees chopped them down and then set fire to the stumps, which caused a nearby greenhouse to burn down.
Although both parties were repeatedly advised to seek professional advice, they seemed reluctant to do so, which would have been the optimum course of action, as solicitors could have studied the Title Deeds at the Land Registry to see exactly who owns what before the neighbours fell out irretrievably.
Boundary disputes are an extremely complex area of law, as they inevitably shift over time, so professional help is needed, particularly when the protagonists’ minds are clouded with emotion over what they perceive to be ‘their’ property.
However, most disputes can be resolved quickly by calling in professional advice and solicitors specialising in property can mediate or call site meetings of property experts, who will sort the arguments out before they escalate.