Couple loses boundary dispute over 48cm strip of land

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 16 Oct, 13:08 · Archive

A London couple lost a four-year legal battle over a 48cm strip of land after their neighbours' kitchen extension was granted adverse possession.

Susannah and Chris James, who run an insurance tax business, purchased a £600,000 semi-detached house in the London suburb of Surbiton in 2021. The following year, they began a four-year legal battle with their neighbours Mina Sharma and Neil Deeley, claiming that the kitchen extension at the neighbouring property had been built 48cm over the boundary between the two houses.

The case was heard by Judge Ewan Paton in the property arm of the First-tier Tribunal. The Jameses asked the judge to declare that a slice of their neighbours' kitchen was trespassing on their land and to order that it be demolished and removed.

However, the judge ruled in favour of Ms Sharma and Mr Deeley, allowing their claim for adverse possession—sometimes known as squatters' rights—over the 48cm strip. The kitchen extension was built in the early 1980s, well before the current owners bought the house in 2012. Neither the current owners nor previous owners had any idea the structure strayed over the boundary, and the boundary had gone unnoticed for decades due to thick vegetation masking the border.

Couple loses boundary dispute over 48cm strip of land — Image: Evening Standard

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How it is being reported

London couple lose fight over 48cm sliver of land as kitchen extension given 'squatters rights'Judge rules in bitter dispute between neighbours in south LondonEvening Standard · 16 Oct, 12:59
Judge gives couple 'squatters' rights' over 48cm sliver of land after new neighbours tried to have 30-year-old kitchen extension demolished over tiny boundary breachBusiness power couple Susannah and Chris James have lost a four-year boundary battle over a 48cm 'sliver' of land after arguing their neighbour's kitchen extension breached their boundary.Daily Mail · 16 Oct, 12:57
London couple lose boundary fight over 48cm of land after neighbours' kitchen found to have 'squatters' rights'Nobody noticed the boundary for 40 years due to thick vegetation at the back of the houses masking the borderThe Independent · 16 Oct, 09:07

In this story: Susannah James · Chris James · Mina Sharma · Neil Deeley · Judge Ewan Paton · Surbiton · London · First-tier Tribunal

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