How overgrown is it? Is it possible that the fence has a gate in it or doesn't extend the full width of your garden allowing access behind it?
You can't take any action before you know the situation on the ground so I'd say clearing the visible rear fence should be your priority.
My inlaws had a garden that was a ridiculous length, jungle and huge conifers at the back, they are both elderly and just fenced of the area instead, the went my the adage out if sight out of mind, There garden was still ridiculously long after the sectioned off area
If this never came up during your property purchase then it may be an un-official land grab by neighbour(s).
You need to clear the back garden to see what's what - personally, once cleared, I would re-instate my boundaries as per Land Registry plans and then see which of your neighbours, if any, complains.
Sounds like the previous owners didn't want to maintain the full garden length and erected a fence to make their garden smaller and hide the jungle behind. If you want to claim the unused land back simply remove the partition fence.
As others say, clear the garden and move the fence. I'm assuming the neighbours at the back have fences too, so nobody is using this land?
I'd probably ask the solicitor who dealt with the purchase whats going on too, but I suspect it's your garden it's just been segregated by previous owners.
Normally the solicitor would have asked purchaser at point of dealing with sale to verify boundary lines
That's strange looking plan. End of your garden is shared between two houses, does it mean their ends of gardens are dog legs? Or is there a waste land between the gardens.
Wasn't this picked up during survey, or by you when you looked at the property. 3m shorter garden is definitely something that cannot be missed.
Contact your solicitor who helped you purchasing the house and ask this question, he/she might be able to contact sellers solicitor and ask.
Adverse possession (commonly known as “squatter’s rights”) is continuously using land which is owned by someone else, as your own for a period of time, and then applying to be registered as the legal owner of the land.
The land must be used exclusively by you without any objection from the owner of the land. If the land is not already registered at the Land Registry, you can apply to be the legal owner of the land after 12 years. If the land is registered, then you can apply to be registered after 10 years of using the land. (edited)
As others have said, since the rear neighbours have staggered plots, it's highly unlikely that they will have tried to perform a garden grab (since they would end up with L shaped cut-outs. So assuming that their gardens all have their fences aligned then the waste ground at the bottom of your garden is your property so either:
1) Move your fence to the boundary line 2) Remove the fence and use the rear neighbours fences as the property line 3) Simple add a gate so you can access your the land behind the fence.
No solicitors should be needed, unless someone has started using the fenced off land.
Wildlife have claimed it now, and they identify as humans , you don’t stand a chance ..
What is on the land that is the 3m behind your garden?
I understand if you involve a solicitor you'll have to disclose a neighbour dispute when you come to sell.
Take a look on google maps see if you can see any access points to the area as EndlessWaves said there may be an overgrown doorway or gap to gain access. Depending on the map date you may be able to gain an idea how long it has been set aside
Assuming it’s ‘ spare ‘ land then just extends yours 10 feet too - problem solved
Look on Google map satellite view to see what is behind your fence. It could be enclosed area of rubbish. We have one of about the same length!
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move your fence 3m in line with your neighbours fences. remove all trees and bushes and wait
I think whoever erected rear fence in your garden didn't bother with all additional work, with all trees in the way, they decided to put fence in front of them. (edited)
It looks like there are houses and garden butting up to the end of the garden so how would they be able to claim an additional 10ft unless the missing 10ft is the actual boundary line for your garden?
The plans are sort of drawn to scale so measure with a ruler, scale it up and then measure your garden.
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sorted byYou can't take any action before you know the situation on the ground so I'd say clearing the visible rear fence should be your priority.
There garden was still ridiculously long after the sectioned off area
You need to clear the back garden to see what's what - personally, once cleared, I would re-instate my boundaries as per Land Registry plans and then see which of your neighbours, if any, complains.
If you want to claim the unused land back simply remove the partition fence.
I'd probably ask the solicitor who dealt with the purchase whats going on too, but I suspect it's your garden it's just been segregated by previous owners.
That's strange looking plan. End of your garden is shared between two houses, does it mean their ends of gardens are dog legs? Or is there a waste land between the gardens.
Wasn't this picked up during survey, or by you when you looked at the property. 3m shorter garden is definitely something that cannot be missed.
Contact your solicitor who helped you purchasing the house and ask this question, he/she might be able to contact sellers solicitor and ask.
Adverse possession (commonly known as “squatter’s rights”) is continuously using land which is owned by someone else, as your own for a period of time, and then applying to be registered as the legal owner of the land.
The land must be used exclusively by you without any objection from the owner of the land. If the land is not already registered at the Land Registry, you can apply to be the legal owner of the land after 12 years. If the land is registered, then you can apply to be registered after 10 years of using the land. (edited)
1) Move your fence to the boundary line
2) Remove the fence and use the rear neighbours fences as the property line
3) Simple add a gate so you can access your the land behind the fence.
No solicitors should be needed, unless someone has started using the fenced off land.
I think whoever erected rear fence in your garden didn't bother with all additional work, with all trees in the way, they decided to put fence in front of them. (edited)
The plans are sort of drawn to scale so measure with a ruler, scale it up and then measure your garden.