Could slanging matches over the garden fence shortly be consigned to the dustbin of history?
From Monday, new rules are being introduced which could dramatically cut the number of arguments between neighbours over garden boundaries. The measures will allow more property owners in England and Wales to apply for fixed boundaries, thereby reducing the scope for territorial disputes in the future. At present, just 26 properties out of 17 million in England and Wales have precisely determined limits. The resulting uncertainty can lead to long-running rows, frequently turning neighbours’ lives into a living hell. European example The new measures, set out in the Land Registration Act 2002, will bring Britain into line with the rest of Europe by allowing homeowners to register the precise limits of their properties. The aim is to introduce a greater degree of accuracy to property boundaries, which are currently defined by a red line on an Ordnance Survey map with a margin of error of about one metre in either direction. David Powell, a surveyor tasked with drawing up the new rules, s
