Arguments over who owns what between adjoining land or gardens often lead to confrontations, sometimes costly court action, violence and in some cases murder.
A case that in the Manchester Evening News this week highlights exactly how a simple disagreement over the rightful place of a wall, hedge or fence can escalate out of control when one party takes actions into their own hands.
High Court Judge Lord Justice Dyson has dismissed an appeal by Mary Kendrick and John Edwards of Bamber Avenue, Sale Moor, Manchester and now they are faced with selling their house to pay their lawyers fees. The Manchester Evening News quotes Ms Kendrick as saying: "We've just lost everything really".
Kendrick and Edwards had taken the fence down in 2006 whilst neighbours Stephen and Barbara Evans were on holiday claiming that that the fence was `tatty and unsightly' and they hoped the removal of the fence would `provoke constructive discussions.'
Lord Justice Dyson upheld a previous decision by Judge Stephen Davies who found that there was no justification for Kendrick and Edwards to remove the fence awarding costs against the couple.
Ownership of land has caused disputes between home owners, farmers, counties, counties and even countries since the beginning of time.
Whole wars have been fought in the defence of, or against the annexation of disputed ground and will continue to do so.
Obviously, and it is easy for any outsider to say this, when you are on the receiving end of a dispute, the personal costs in time, health and expense are difficult to measure but it is also hard to stomach the other party in getting away with anything if you are the one who feels aggrieved.
If you are buying or selling a house then getting a survey done and agreeing the boundaries with neighbours could save a lot of pain in the future.
If you are having problems with neighbours, please visit our legal section on neighbour disputes.
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