Boundary Hedge

[sandmaster]

The properties in my area are usually sold new as leasehold but most owners have probably purchased the freehold reversion.
My neighbour is in dispute with me regarding our boundary hedge. My deeds contain a plan registered at the Land Registry (my copy bears their stamp) showing the boundary goes through the centre of the hedge. Her deeds contain a plan showing she is responsible for maintenance (her house having been built before mine which remained as farm land for some time).
I need to ensure she maintains the hedge to a reasonable height (I suggest that of the continuation of the hedge in neighbouring properties). But to whom is she covenanted. Can I enforce the covenant?

[sandmaster]

I have cut the hedge every year for 30 years as my old neighbour was quite aged and struggling to do it. The new neighbour moved in about 18 months ago. About April last year she asked my permission to remove the hedge and replace it with a fence. By September I had given up waiting for her and trimmed it myself. Within days the police were knocking on my door - suspected criminal damage to my neighbour's hedge. I have since heard that just before I cut the hedge she had asked a friend of mine for a quote to cut it.
Now, do you still think I can come to an amicable arrangement with my neighbour?

[Nosha123]

stuff the neighbours and burn her damn hedge!

I hate my neighbours. they are old, miserable, unreasonable and downright liars.....

Why cant people just be nice eh! WHy go out of her way to be difficult about a HEDGE for gawds sake!

Dont these people have anything else going on in their lives???

I feel sorry for you!

[Nosha123]

besides.. if you cut it - and she was about to get it cut... where is the damn problem????

It'll grow back too!!!!

[sandmaster]

I really don't know what the problem is. But I don't want the police around again wasting my time.
I did send her a letter suggesting we talk about the hedge and come to an agreement but she has ignored that.

[Nosha123]

I doubt the Police really want to waste their time with her - she sounds pathetic....
If she ignores your letter and continues with police action she is only making herself look stupid.
Cover yourself and make sure everything is put in writing to her. Maybe even get a solicitors letter sent stating you are keen to come to a mutual agreement on the hedge maintenance.

Our neighbours ignore every letter I send - refuse to reply to them and then go round telling all the other neighbours lies and say I dont care about them.

Cant be doing with them any more - stuff them....

[LoftyLottie2]

Nosha123. LOL. I totally agree, especially after all the problems I had last year with mine.

I could well have written your posting. My neighbours even complained that seeds that blow over from our trees make their conservatory roof dirty. They complained to the farm around us that they shouldn't harvest on a windy day as they had to clean their windows because of all the dust. They complain, complain, complain - they have no life!!!

[sandmaster]

Some people shouldn't live next to others.

[LoftyLottie2]

We sent a solicitors letter after being harrassed by our neighbours on several issues, and the neighbour wrote to the solicitor complaining about them and threatening them with the ombudsman!

Nosha, your postings sound so heartfelt. I can feel your wrath from here!! ;o)

[Nosha123]

Jees LoftyLottie2 (what happened to the old name!) Are they Old neighbours you have?
Not that I am saying all old people are miserable as I am sure they are not..
Our neighbours took on a legal advisor to fight against us and sue us and once she realised how ridiculous they were she dropped them and sided with us!
She has also advised me that if they continue spreading lies we can sue them for defamation of character!
]
Cant wait til the next time I see them! Will give them what for!!!

[Nosha123]

ha ha Lofty - yeah.. wait til I let the neighbours hear my wrath.... I am gonna have some LOUD parties in the summer.. and point the speakers right at their house! Then they'll regret being so nasty and difficult!! he he

[LoftyLottie2]

Horrible isn't it. We had perfectly nice neighbours and have lived in the same house for 30 years with no problems. Then neighbour from hell moved in said neighbour accused us of stealing 2ft of their garden several years before they moved in. Just how we did it I am not sure, considering the house was occupied. He even claimed that the tree I planted 30 years ago in our garden was his!!

Fortunately a 6' fence has stopped me seeing him. But, having never experienced problem neighbours it call came as a real shock. We also keep dangerous dogs, apparently - one yorkie and one jack russell cross who are only ever out in the garden when we are about and who would lick you to death!!!!

[LoftyLottie2]

I must edit my posts. I keep making mistakes. I can't blame it all on the keyboard.

'all' not 'call' and a full stop before 'said neighbour'. I'm going for a nap!

[LoftyLottie2]

Nosha. We are in our early sixties and the neighbour is the same age!!

[sandmaster]

Cor Loftie - should be be keeping exotic animals as pets?
Nosha - I'm 61 which I suppose is old, but I enjoy loud music as well!! In the summer I may well hold some parties in our garden.

[Nosha123]

how the hell was the tree you planted his???
How funny.. I know its awful at the time but you just have to rise above it and laugh at their pathetic-ness....

Sandmaster... you need to act as responsibly as you can - and just let her show herself up for being a pathetic time-waster. Dont speak.. write.. that way if the police turn up again you can show them copies of the letters you have sent and not had a response. Eventually they will wise up and see she is wasting their time!
Sadly it sounds like you will ever get on with her so just ignore her!

[sandmaster]

The above should have read 'should you be keeping....'
Sorry

[LoftyLottie2]

61 is very young sandmaster. That is how old I am! I also enjoy loud music, loud rock music at that. Just wait until the summer!!

[Nosha123]

of course if she thinks the hedge is hers... but you choose to trim your side of it - just chuck all the clippings of HER hedge back to her!
She'll have to go and pick them all up then!
Might make her wish she had chosen to make friends rather than enemies!!!!
Our neighbours wanted us to build them an entire new garage just cos of a small crack caused when we did some building work at ours! Apparently the garage was TOTALLY unusable (this despite her parking her car in it every night).
They are much older than you.. he is in his mid 80's... and to start with I was bending over backwards to accommodate him. Then I got wise!
Miserable old b*****d
He then moaned to neighbours... what about all the noise of the building work.... HE IS DEAF!!!!!! HE CANT HEAR ME SPEAK LET ALONE BUILDING WORK NEXT DOOR.

[LoftyLottie2]

Nosha, I planted the tree our side of the boundary 30 years ago. He reckons that we moved our boundary fence 2' over towards his side. They are old properties and the boundaries are really all over the place. We have never changed the boundaries since we moved in. I think it might have been noticed by the previous neighbours if we had!

We just had a wire fence and a hedge between us. We erected a six foot fence last year after all his complaints so we wouldn't have to see them again - ever!!!

It seriously made me want to move - in fact I was so strung up I was ready to go. There were all sorts of other things that he did - too numerous to mention.

I love my house and garden but I don't feel the same about it now. It feels so unfair.