A HOMEOWNER has hit out at her neighbor for complaining about a fence she put up on their shared driveway – saying it was “ridiculous”.
Nurse Kathryn Hewitt, 51, bought the new-build from Persimmon Homes for just under £180,000 in December 2021.
5
Kathryn Hewitt was locked in a fence for three years Credit: NNP
5
It rises up to 6 feet in parts at what she says should be an open joint facility Credit: NNP
5
But she quickly realized that her neighbor, Angela, had erected a 6-foot-high fence along the shared boundary line without her permission, preventing her from opening the car door or taking the bin out into the garden.
However, Angela says Kathryn never approached her directly about the front fence in Dinnington, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
The bank clerk, who is in her 60s, told The Sun: “It’s really funny.
“She only moved in in December 2021, and we installed the fence in April 2021, so it was there when she bought it.
“I can’t really comment on whether the fence is going to come down. It’s a thing that’s been going on for a long time and has caused a lot of problems.
“Mrs Hewitt never discussed the front fence with us. We found out about it when she went to seek legal advice.
“We actually don’t know what’s happening now because we haven’t heard from her lawyer.
“Recently, I suffered from cancer since November last year and was undergoing treatment, and through that the legal side got involved.
“I don’t know if she knew about it because we never talked.
“She didn’t talk to me about this fence. I didn’t know until the legal question was sent.”
I’m sick of my dirty neighbors, but I can’t afford to build a privacy fence
Mum-of-two Kathryn said the border should have been open plan.
She also alleges that Persimmon Homes installed a rear garden fence between the two properties in the wrong place.
Speaking about the fence, she said: “This is a clear breach of the contract signed before I bought my house.
“After endless communications with Persimmon Homes and letters from solicitors to my neighbour, I still don’t want to go ahead with removing the fence.
“Further inspection from Persimmon Homes also revealed that the fence they installed was in an incorrect position.
“As a result, I have limited access to the rear of my property – a legal requirement.”
She claims that the developer offered her £1,000 in compensation and to cover the cost of changing the land registry documents.
What are your rights in this situation?
By Jonathan Rose
BOUNDARY Disputes are legally private matters and must be resolved between the parties involved.
In most cases, local councils are not involved unless there are special circumstances or a planning element to the dispute.
Early solutions can often be negotiated through offers of settlement or professional mediation.
However, if the parties cannot agree on a settlement, the disputes may be brought to court for adjudication.
This is often an expensive and time-consuming process as the court must determine the legal boundaries between properties.
If you are involved in a border dispute that you cannot resolve, the best option is to consult an attorney for advice on your specific case.
Kathryn says the whole dispute is costing her “an arm and a leg” and she doesn’t have the money to continue to fund legal fees.
She added: “This whole situation is creating costs running into thousands of pounds.
“Besides the cost implications, the stress of the whole situation is having an adverse effect on my mental health.”
A spokesman for Persimmon North East said: “We are sorry for the inconvenience caused to Mrs Hewitt by the original installation of the small boundary fence.
“We got permission from the owner of the neighboring property to give us access to move the fence to the correct alignment.
“However, the two owners in question are unfortunately now involved in a court case regarding the additional fences that were installed next to the neighboring property, which is why we were unable to access it.
“We remain hopeful that an agreement can be reached on both sides so that we can move the original fence.”
5
Kathryn says the fight has affected her mental healthCredit: NNP
5
Nurse says she had inadequate access to her back gardenCredit: NNP
Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: HIS Education