Good Fences make Good Neighbours – Boundary Disputes

By Tina Hwang

Is your neighbour accessing your property to complete boundary work? Has your neighbour started construction work which will compromise your property, or it’s value, access or enjoyment? fence_goodp

If you are worried about a neighbours construction work or think it may affect the title boundary, then both parties should attempt to consult before work progresses. Without good consultation boundary misunderstandings can become disputes, and disputes can quickly esculate into situations which may require legal action.

Disputes with neighbours can arise over many things; noise, fences, trees and animals etc. Ideally, you and your neighbour should be able to resolve any problem by discussing it and acting reasonably. However, if this is not possible, the law may be able to help resolve the matter.The most important rule is to keep the channels of communication open and try to keep design solutions on the table as a way of reaching compromise agreement. If any of these circumstances apply to you, we suggest you seek legal advice regarding your rights and responsibilities. Seeing a lawyer before a problem escalates can save you anxiety and money. Get in touch with Tina, Jack or Ross.

In an earlier blog Tina Hwang discussed The Fencing Act 1978. The act sets out the rights and responsibilities relating to fences between neighbouring properties. It provides a statutory framework to resolve disputes that may arise. This includes (but is not limited to) determining what constitutes an adequate fence, the cost of building or repairing a fence, who is responsible for those costs, and who is to do the work. Land owners can enter into agreements or covenants concerning fencing matters that can be registered against the titles of the affected lands for a period of up to 12 years after registration. Read more about boundary disputes and Neighbour Law

Encroachment

When you purchased your property, your lawyer should have shown you a copy of the Certificate of Title for the property. The Certificate of Title records the plan of the property and its boundaries with neighbouring properties that were determined by land transfer survey. It can be disastrous for a land owner to discover that they do not actually own all of the land they thought they did because they relied on fences and natural boundary markers, rather than the boundaries shown on the Certificate of Title.tree on roof

Encroachment is where you or a previous owner of your property has erected a structure and part of the structure is on a neighbouring property. This is technically a trespass and the encroaching land owner is legally responsible, whether or not they erected the structure. The definition of structure includes any building, driveway, path, retaining wall, fence, plantation or any other improvement.

The Property Law Act 2007 enables a party to seek relief where such an encroachment exists. Whether or not relief should be granted is an exercise of judicial discretion and must be considered “just and equitable” in the circumstances. Relief can be provided by: directing that the structure be removed, granting an easement (or alternatively a right of possession for a specific time) over the land under the structure, or transferring that land to the person who owns the encroaching structure. If the wrongly placed structure is a fence, no relief may be granted if the dispute can be resolved under the Fencing Act 1978. Trees are commonly grown on boundaries as living fences and disputes over trees are a common cause of dispute between neighbours. The process of removal or dispute resolution can be costly and often a factual questions of who is legally liable to pay. Checkout our facts on tree disputes.

This information was accurate as at November 2015

Disclaimer:
We have taken care to ensure that the information given is accurate, however it is intended for general guidance only and it should not be relied upon in individual cases. Professional advice should always be sought before any decision or action is taken.