Neighbours row over claim office was built on their lawn | UK | News
Justin Leech and his wife Julia moved into their newly built home but realized the yard was 6 feet too short (Image: SWNS)
An angry man becomes embroiled in a turf war with neighbors who he claims are building his own neighborhood. garden office capsule in the garden. Justin Leech and his wife Julia after moving into their new £600,000 building HouseThey noticed that the garden was 6 feet shorter than expected.
Incompetent builders had erected the hedges at the wrong angle, creating a dog leg along the boundary line of their property. The confusion meant that around 17.7 square meters (190 sq ft) of their land was mistakenly added to the garden behind them. Shortly after Justin and Julia moved in in November 2023, neighbors built a garden office pod on the extra land.
Mr Leech, 51, said: “We thought we were moving into the house of our dreams but it turned out to be our worst nightmare. A mistake had clearly been made when the fence was put up.”
Mr and Mrs Leech complained to Shropshire Homes, which built the property in Orleton, Herefordshire, but the issue remains unresolved almost three years later.
In a bid to end the impasse, the couple vowed to tear down the fences to take the case to court.
Mr Leech said: “You can clearly see on the plans where our boundary line should be. “The neighbors clearly know they have land that is our right.
“We are so desperate that we are seriously considering removing the fences so we can have our day in court. We want a judge to make the decision.”
The couple, who have two children aged eight and four, say they tried to discuss the issue with their neighbors Craig and Nichola Fleetwood, but to no avail.
Constable Mr Leech said: “We’ve tried to talk to them about this for years but they don’t want to know.”
Incompetent builders had put the fences at the wrong angle (Image: SWNS)
He added: “It’s obvious the fence was installed in the wrong place. The boundary line was measured from the wrong building. “It was a simple mistake but it needs to be fixed.
“The fence is even at a right angle, so it’s not straight. None of the other fences do that. All our other neighbors agree that this is our land. It’s crazy.”
Mr and Mrs Leech also fear they are in a race against time to reclaim the land, which could be in default from their neighbors in a decade’s time.
Ms Leech, who runs a small business, said: “The neighbors are happy to wait because they know the land will automatically be there after the 10 years are up.
“I can see the hedges from every window at the back of the house and it’s a constant reminder that we haven’t been given the land that’s rightfully ours. Seeing the office pod on land that’s actually ours just adds insult to injury.”
Shropshire Homes admits the fence was placed in the wrong place but says it has knocked £10,000 off the final price of the house.
In an email sent to the couple, the developer also promised to provide the Land Registry with evidence confirming the original boundary line.
Chief executive Richard Shackleton said: “We have met our legal obligations which should actually put an end to the problem.
“Mr Leech and his wife do not have any legal rights to the disputed land and we will not transfer the land to either party as long as the dispute continues.
“They also have a legal obligation to maintain the existing fence and therefore we do not condone any attempt to remove it.”
Mr. and Mrs. Fleetwood have been reached for comment.
