A retired teacher from West London finds herself locked in a distressing and protracted boundary dispute with her neighbour, who she alleges has aggressively claimed over a metre of her garden, destroying carefully installed decking around her hot tub in the process.
A Dream Garden Transformed Into a Living Nightmare
Rose Smith, a 60-year-old grandmother from Hayes, had invested £12,500 and five months of effort into transforming a neglected section of her garden. The project, which included new decking and a hot tub, was completed just in time for her milestone birthday celebration with family in July last year. However, what was intended as a peaceful retreat has descended into what she describes as a "living nightmare".
The Dispute Begins with a Land Registry Letter
The conflict traces its origins back to April 2024, when Mrs Smith received correspondence from the Land Registry. It informed her that her neighbour, Sandeep Singh, was attempting to claim ownership of a medium-sized patch of land behind her garden through adverse possession – commonly known as squatter's rights. Remarkably, Mrs Smith, who has lived in her three-bedroom terraced home for a decade, was unaware she was the registered owner of this derelict and overgrown plot.
"I didn't even realise the land was mine," she admitted. "As soon as I found out, I wrote straight back disputing it." After months of waiting, Mr Singh's claim was formally dismissed by the Land Registry, confirming the land was unequivocally hers.
Transformation and Subsequent Destruction
Empowered by this confirmation, Mrs Smith proceeded with her garden transformation. She erected a new fence precisely to the boundary indicated in her official title plan, extending her garden by just over a metre. From February to June last year, she worked tirelessly to install the decking surrounding the hot tub.
The tranquillity was shattered in August 2025 when, she claims, Mr Singh attempted to claim the land again, this time contacting her lawyer in an effort to sell it. The situation escalated dramatically on September 22nd. Returning from work, Mrs Smith was devastated to discover that part of her garden had been forcibly taken.
"Mr Singh had cut out a bit of our garden," she said. "I genuinely didn't believe what was happening." She alleges he tore down her fence, sawed off approximately a metre of her garden on a slope, and removed five wooden planks from the hot tub surround. To consolidate his claim, he reportedly erected his own fence and parked vehicles, including a JCB dumper truck, against it.
Police Powerless in a 'Civil Matter'
Distraught, Mrs Smith contacted the police, but was informed they were powerless to intervene, classifying the incident – despite an estimated £2,000 of damage – as a civil matter. "I couldn't believe that someone could do such a thing to someone's property," she lamented.
In a further twist, when her daughter and a friend removed the neighbour's newly built fence two days later, Mr Singh allegedly retaliated by constructing another fence on December 1st, this time encroaching even further onto her land. Mrs Smith also claims rubbish has been thrown into her garden by the neighbours.
Seeking Resolution Through Official Channels
To definitively establish her rights, Mrs Smith commissioned a professional boundary survey. The results corroborated her Land Registry title plan, confirming that the entire new fence, and the land in question, is rightfully hers.
She is now working closely with the Land Registry to determine the next steps in this bitter, nearly two-year ordeal. "I just wanted a garden where my grandchildren could play safely," she reflected. "Instead, it's been stress, damage and months of worry. I won't stop until what's mine is finally respected."
While expressing a sliver of sympathy, believing her neighbour genuinely thinks the land is his, she condemns his methods as "vile." Mr Singh did not respond to requests for comment on the allegations.
