Resolve a boundary dispute

Boundaries separate your home and garden from homes beside you.

Disputes over boundaries can include:

trees overhanging into gardens
boundary walls and fences
high hedges blocking light

Check your home's boundaries

To resolve a dispute, you need to know your home's boundaries.

You own your home

If you own your home, you can find your home's boundaries by checking your title deeds.

You can get more information on property boundaries and how to understand your title deeds on the Registers of Scotland website.

You rent your home

If you rent your home, your tenancy agreement may tell you the boundaries of your home.

Otherwise, ask your landlord.

Resolve the issue with your neighbour

Try talking to your neighbour about the problem first.

Do not talk to them on your own if you're worried about your safety.

If you’re worried about approaching them, write a letter, explaining the problem clearly and sticking to the facts. Keep a copy so you have a record of what you said.

Mediation

If this does not work, you could explore mediation. Mediation is when an independent expert helps you decide what to do about your problem.

If your neighbour rents their home

You can try speaking to your neighbour’s landlord about the problem.

Find a private landlord’s contact address by searching the Scottish Landlord Register.

Trim overhanging trees or hedges

You can trim branches or roots that cross into your property from a neighbour’s property or a public road.

You can only trim up to the property boundary. If you do more than this, your neighbour could take you to court for damaging their property.

You can only enter a neighbour’s property to trim branches with their permission.

Protected trees

Certain trees are protected by a ‘tree preservation order’. You can check if a tree is protected on your council’s website.

If it is protected, speak to the council before doing anything.

Tree preservation orders

High hedges that block light

Your local council can help you with disputes about high hedges.

If a dispute is about council owned land

If your boundary dispute involves council land, contact the council about it.

Contact your local council

Get legal advice

If you cannot resolve a dispute, you can get legal advice from a solicitor. This can help you understand your options for legal action.

This usually costs money. If you’re on a low income you may qualify for legal aid.

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