Poole Pensioner Evicted After Losing 5-Year Boundary Dispute Over 1ft Land Strip
A 77-year-old woman has been forcibly removed from her £420,000 bungalow following a lengthy legal battle with her neighbour over a narrow strip of land in Poole, Dorset. Jenny Field faced eviction after a county court judge ruled against her in a protracted boundary dispute that spanned five years.
Costly Legal Battle Leads to Property Seizure
The dispute centred around a party fence between the two properties, with Ms Field claiming her neighbour had moved the fence 12 inches onto her land. Despite her objections, the court ultimately ruled in favour of neighbour Pauline Clark, 64, resulting in Ms Field's bungalow being seized to cover estimated legal fees of £113,000.
Bailiffs arrived at the property around 11am, with Ms Field reportedly refusing to answer the door initially. After telling bailiffs to leave, a locksmith used an electric saw to remove a lock, allowing entry. Ms Field emerged in her slippers to explain her case but was denied re-entry to her home.
Neighbour's Mixed Emotions Over Outcome
Ms Clark's son-in-law Matthew Corbin, who watched from the neighbouring garden, expressed the family's complex feelings about the situation. "My mother-in-law has very mixed emotions today," he told reporters. "There is relief but she doesn't know what will happen next. It's not nice to see someone get evicted and we wish it didn't come to this."
The court had previously ordered Ms Field to cover costs for removing the fence and pay two-thirds of Ms Clark's legal fees, amounting to approximately £21,000. However, the dispute escalated, leading to the current eviction and property seizure.
Pensioner's Anguish and Financial Consequences
Ms Field, who purchased the bungalow in 2016, expressed her distress about the situation. "They've changed the locks and won't let me back in. How can I be evicted for something I haven't done?" she questioned. "I have got nowhere else to go. This is my home and my property. I have had five years of this rubbish. I am really upset by the whole thing."
In his judgement at Bournemouth County Court last September, Judge Fentem described the case as "a very long-running boundary dispute" and noted that Ms Field had "sought to relitigate the original case" in various ways. He concluded that there was "no reasoned basis" for her allegations of fraud and that an order for sale was necessary as a last resort.
Legal Perspective on the Dispute
Ms Clark's solicitor Anna Curtis previously commented on Ms Field's position, stating: "She believes she is not liable for these debts. There has been no discussion or offer of settlement, no suggestion of refinancing or obtaining equity on the property. There has been no proper response in relation to the claim."
The judge emphasised that the order for sale represented "a Draconian remedy" but was necessary given the circumstances. The property is now expected to be sold to cover the substantial legal costs incurred during the five-year dispute, leaving Ms Field without her home of eight years.
