Urgent help needed re boundaries..

[grannyjanny]

My next door neighbour is building a conservatory & has removed part of the boundary hedge, which is his. I asked his partner the other day when he was re-marking the boundary line. She said he isn't because he has fitted a drainage pipe (it is a blue pipe with perforations) but I think I might be missing something here. He has laid the pipe put the soil back over it, then put plastic bags over the soil then a load of stones over the bags. How will the rain drain away? The stones have come into our garden & he has piled them at least 4" high against the back of my cold frame.
Does anyone know the legalaties of this situation. I have phoned the local council & they can't help but are sending a booklet about party walls.
I want to plant some pyracantha to hide the wall & for the birds so I would like to do it on the boundary.
Sorry it's so long winded.
Janet.

[jean]

I think you need to have a good chat with your neighbours to find out what they intend to do once the building is complete and you could mention at the same time the stones in your garden and how you think you would like to see the eventual boundary from your side. If you manage to have a friendly chat and sort it all out now it will save a lot of hassle later on. Hope you have friendly neighbours Grannyjanny

[grannyjanny]

Thanks JL. No we don't have nice neighbours. He is a big headed, loud mouthed know it all. He is a builder & knows how close to the wind he can sail re planning etc. We will have to speak to him but really wanted to know where we stand first.
Janet.

[andy]

I can't really help GJ but this site www.theanswerbank.co.uk has a section on "home and garden" and "law" so it might be worth asking on there.....they're a very helpful lot

[Weeterrier]

God, I hate when this sort of thing happens. I would find it even more difficult to approach good neighbours as bad ones
Do your deeds show the boundary? If not, perhaps something might be lodged at the local planning office. Certainly, his plans should be there, so you could see where the wall of his conservatory is sited, whether it is right on the boundary. I don't know the law, but I would think any workings, such as drainage pipes should be on his land. As for the stones, they should not come over to your side. Have you asked someone from the planning department to look?
Don't worry about the drainage. When he's not looking, just punch holes in the plastic bags, then the water will go through.
Your priority is to keep the big bully on his own side
Keep us updated

[grannyjanny]

Thanks Andy & WT. He doesn't need planning permission as it goes by the square footage of the house. The pipe is to drain excess water from the garden, when he was digging the hedge out there was a wet area. It's only a plastic pipe nothing to do with the conservatory. I pointed out to his partner that it has been a very wet summer & our garden is slightly higher than his, but of course it's our fault. I wonder if the boundary line is the centre of the hedge.
It probably seems petty to some but this is my little area between the sunroom & my greenhouse. We are very security conscious & the back is now very vulnerable. If he does replace the hedging it will probably be twigs as he has to everything on the cheap.
Janet.

[Weeterrier]

Well, to some this may be petty, but not to you, and that is what matters. For most of our lives, it is petty things which make up the fabric of it. When something awful happens, we think small annoyances will never matter again, but I don't think that works out very often. ;D
So, stick at it. The middle of the hedge may be the boundary, that would be sensible, but try to find out what the deeds say. These may be with your solicitor?
It is always worth knowing about your plot.

[Deleted]

Why dont you offer to plant a hedge of your choosing as you do want it to look nice.
Our neighbour who is not from this country had no idea how bounderies worked in this country when he started to build an extension. we had to point out where his boundry was. If you stand at your back door and look to your right that is your fence or hedge in 98% of cases that is how the law of the land was for a long time. Although in newer builds your responsibility could be the left hand fence or hedge. its best to check your deeds. but you are supposed to put right what you destroy in a build and make it look like it was before.

[grannyjanny]

While I was away for a few days last week he has planted a pieris & a row of cotoneaster. We bought a couple of pyracanthas last weekend so we will have to fit those in. I thought cotoneasters were deciduous.
Janet.