A 77-year-old pensioner, rendered homeless after a bitter boundary dispute led to her eviction, has described being forced to pay council tax on her former property as the "final insult" in a distressing saga. Jenny Field lost her three-bedroom detached house in Hamworthy, Poole, Dorset, following her failure to settle a staggering £113,000 legal bill owed to her neighbour, Pauline Clark.
Legal Battle and Repossession Order
A county court judge issued a repossession order, granting Ms Clark, 64, the authority to sell Ms Field's property to recover the debt. Once the sale concludes, Ms Clark will receive the owed amount, with any remaining proceeds going to Ms Field. However, despite being locked out of her home since January, Ms Field has been informed by BCP Council that she remains liable for £163 a month in council tax because she still holds the freehold.
Council Tax Liability Amid Homelessness
"I phoned BCP Council and they said unless my freehold has been sold I am still responsible for council tax as nobody has bought my freehold from me as the legal freeholder," Ms Field explained. "I feel bullied and harassed. This is another insult to me losing my home." From April, she is expected to pay £163.70, followed by £162.00 for the subsequent ten months, adding financial strain to her already precarious situation.
Property Sale and Financial Concerns
Her bungalow has been listed for sale at a reduced price of £325,000, significantly less than anticipated, raising fears that the proceeds may not provide enough funds to secure new housing. Ms Field, now homeless, initially stayed in a local hostel and is currently living in a friend's flat, with her possessions stored in a leaky garage, compounding her hardship.
Origins of the Boundary Dispute
The dispute began in 2020 when Ms Clark erected a boundary fence that Ms Field claimed encroached 12 inches onto her land. In response, Ms Field had contractors remove and reposition the fence, sparking a legal confrontation that escalated to court. Ms Field ultimately lost the case, and her initial legal costs of about £13,000 ballooned into a six-figure sum after repeated unsuccessful challenges to the ruling.
Final Legal Attempts and Eviction
Given three months to pay the money or face repossession, Ms Field made a final attempt in December to overturn the ruling by alleging fraudulent conduct by her neighbour. The judge dismissed this claim as "totally without merit." On 26 January, bailiffs arrived at the usually quiet Dean Close and evicted Ms Field, giving her until mid-February to remove her belongings or risk them being disposed of.
This case highlights the severe consequences of prolonged legal disputes, particularly for vulnerable individuals, and raises questions about council tax policies affecting those who have lost their homes through no direct fault of their own.
