Check the documents, the seller’s replies and the site before committing. A routine viewing or a general title plan may not expose a disputed strip beside a fence, garage or extension.
Questions to ask through your conveyancer
- Have any boundaries been moved, disputed or agreed?
- Are there written agreements, notices, expert reports or proceedings?
- Who maintains the fences and walls, and what supports that answer?
- Does any neighbouring structure project over or under the land?
- Are access arrangements needed for repair or maintenance?
Request the supporting records rather than relying only on a statement that there has “never been a problem”.
Compare the site with the documents carefully
Look for changed fence runs, unusual gaps, shared walls, retaining structures and building work close to the edge. Differences are prompts for investigation, not automatic proof of encroachment. The title plan usually shows general boundaries, so do not use a scaled measurement to reject the physical layout without further evidence.
Will the normal house survey settle the boundary?
Do not assume it will. Check the actual scope of the survey and legal enquiries. A general building-condition survey is a different instruction from interpreting boundary deeds and relating them to a measured site survey. If a specific boundary concern matters to the purchase, ask what further investigation is needed.
What if an existing dispute is disclosed?
Ask for the complete correspondence and outcome, including any agreement and plan. Your conveyancer can advise on the effect on title, funding and the transaction. Resolving the factual uncertainty before exchange can give you better options than inheriting an argument after completion.
If you are selling
Discuss known boundary issues with your conveyancer and give accurate replies to the enquiries actually asked. Do not assume an informal settlement, old argument or a dispute about a fence is irrelevant. Keep the documents available so the position can be explained consistently.
Need help with the boundary evidence?
Send the property addresses, the disputed section and the key documents. We can confirm whether preliminary evaluation or a fuller investigation is appropriate.
Discuss the boundary → · View fees + VAT →Adapted from Coburns’ boundary Knowledge Base for this site, with updated explanations and related guidance.