A furious father is locked in a bitter dispute with his neighbours, who he claims built a garden office on his lawn. Justin Leech and his wife Julia moved into their newbuild home, which cost £600,000, only to discover their garden was 6ft (1.8m) shorter than anticipated.
Fence Erected at Wrong Angle
Justin says the builders installed the fence at an incorrect angle, creating a dog-leg in the property boundary line. This mistake meant approximately 17.7 square metres (190 sq ft) of their land was inadvertently added to the neighbouring garden.
Shortly after the couple moved in during November 2023, the neighbours constructed a garden office pod on this disputed patch. The couple complained to Shropshire Homes, the developer behind the estate in Orleton, Herefordshire, but the issue remains unresolved nearly three years later.
Threat to Remove Fence
In a bid to break the deadlock, the couple have vowed to tear down the fence to force the case to court. Justin, aged 51, said: “We thought we were moving into our dream home but it’s turned into our worst nightmare. There was clearly a mistake made when the fence was put up.”
He added: “You can clearly see where our boundary line should be on the plans. We are so desperate we are seriously considering removing the fence so we get our day in court. We want a judge to decide.”
The couple, who have two children aged eight and four, have tried to raise the issue with their neighbours but to no avail. Justin, a civil servant, said: “We have tried to talk to them about it over the years but they don’t want to know. It is blindingly obvious that the fence was installed in the wrong place.”
He explained: “The boundary line was measured from the wrong building. It was a simple mistake but it needs correcting. The fence even takes a right angle so it's not straight. None of the other fences do this. All our other neighbours agree that it’s our land. It’s madness.”
Race Against Time
The couple also fear they are in a race against time to reclaim the land, which could default to their neighbours after ten years under adverse possession laws. Julia, who runs her own small business, said: “The neighbours are just happy to wait because they know the land will automatically be theirs after 10 years is up.”
She added: “From every window at the back of the house I can see the fence and it’s a constant reminder that we have been denied the land which is rightfully ours. Seeing the office pod on land which is actually ours just adds insult to injury.”
Developer's Response
Shropshire Homes say they knocked £10,000 off the final asking price of the house. In an email to Justin and Julia, they stated they would provide evidence to the Land Registry confirming the original boundary line.
Managing director Richard Shackleton said: “We have satisfied our legal obligations which should really be an end of the issue. Mr Leech and his wife do not have any legal right over the land in dispute and whilst it remains in dispute we will not transfer the land to either party.”
He added: “They also have a legal obligation to maintain the current fence and therefore we do not condone any attempt to remove it.” Justin's neighbours have been approached for comment but have not responded.
