Dream garden ruined as neighbour 'tears up fence and hot tub area'

Rose Smith, 60, claims her neighbour took 1.1 metres of her Hayes garden – removing her fence and wooden planks from her hot tub surround An individual is standing next to a wooden fence, with one hand resting on the top of the fence. The fence appears to be in a state of disrepair, with visible damage and wear. The setting includes a backyard with a house and some greenery in the background. The person is dressed in a dark top and pants, with red boots.

Rose Smith at the disputed border

A nan is in a dispute with her neighbour after alleging they’ve seized 1.1 metres of her garden – tearing down her fence and dismantling part of her hot tub surround. Rose Smith, 60, invested £12,500 and five months revamping the rear of her garden, installing decking and a hot tub ahead of her milestone birthday celebration.

However, the teacher was left distraught when she claims to have found a metre of her property had been appropriated by a neighbour who allegedly removed her fence and stripped away wooden planks encircling her pool, before erecting a new fence deeper into her land.

Unable to intervene in what they’ve termed a “civil matter”, police have left Rose attempting to recover what she maintains is her garden, with assistance from the Land Registry.

A professional boundary survey conducted last month confirmed to Rose that her original fence stood in the proper location. She said: “What began as my dream garden has turned into a living nightmare,” said Rose, who resides in a three-bedroom terraced property.

An aerial view of a residential property featuring a backyard with a pool, a wooden fence, and a red construction crane positioned at the center, indicating ongoing landscaping or construction work.

Boundary Dispute over garden fence line in Hayes, London

“I won’t stop until what’s mine is finally respected. I do have a little bit of sympathy for him because he honestly thinks it is his land, but just the way he has gone about it is vile – he just doesn’t stop.

“I just want to be able to relax in my garden with my family.”

Rose’s ordeal began in April 2024, when the Hayes, West London resident received correspondence from the Land Registry. The report said that a neighbour attempted to claim a piece of land behind Rose’s garden through adverse possession, despite her being the registered owner.

This medium-sized plot had been neglected, overgrown and untouched for years.

“I didn’t even realise the land was mine,” admitted Rose. “I have lived there 10 years! As soon as I found out, I wrote straight back disputing it.”

An individual is relaxing in an outdoor hot tub, which is enclosed by a wooden structure, with greenery and a towel in the background.

Rose Smith in her hot tub

After a lengthy wait, Rose received confirmation from the Land Registry that her neighbour’s claim had been rejected, she said. She then set about transforming the abandoned patch into an extension of her garden.

A new fence was erected, extending the space by just over a metre, in line with the boundary plan provided by the Land Registry.

From February to June 2025, Rose worked relentlessly and by July, the project was almost complete, just in time for her 60th birthday celebrations, which were held in the newly revamped garden with her family.

However, her tranquillity was short-lived. In August 2025, a neighbour attempted to lay claim to the land once more – this time with the intention to sell – contacting her through a solicitor.

On September 22, she returned home from work to discover a portion of her garden had been claimed.

An individual, dressed in a black long-sleeve shirt and scarf, stands with crossed arms in front of a wooden deck surrounding a pool. The surrounding area is enclosed by wooden fences, and in the background, there are houses and trees.

Rose Smith whose in a land dispute with her neighbour

“He had cut out a bit of our garden,” she disclosed. “I genuinely didn’t believe what was happening – who does that?”.

“The neighbour had ripped out my fence. He sawed about a metre off my garden at a slope and taken five wooden planks from the hot tub surround.

“He left all my hard work ruined; I couldn’t believe that someone could do such a thing to someone’s property.”

According to her account, he had also removed a metre from her decking and rear fence, installing his own fencing in its place, before positioning two vehicles and a JCB dumper truck directly against it.

She alleges a teenager was stationed at the boundary line when she discovered the alterations.

Upon being challenged, the youth informed Rose he’d acted because “it’s my land” and insisted it was his “legal right”, presenting an alternative boundary plan which conflicted with Rose’s official title deeds.

An outdoor area with a wooden fence and a metal gate, partially blocked by a pile of debris, trash, and an orange traffic cone. A vehicle is parked in the background, and the sky is clear.

Neighbours have thrown items into Rose Smith’s garden after they said it was part of their garden

Rose notified police of the damage and provided statements, but was informed it constituted a “civil matter” despite approximately £2,000 worth of destruction.

Rose’s daughter, accompanied by a friend, dismantled the neighbour’s fence on September 24.

However, a replacement fence appeared on December 1, this time extending even deeper into Rose’s property, she explained.

A professional boundary survey conducted last month validated Rose’s title plan as accurate – confirming the entire new fence sits on her land.

Rose is now liaising with the Land Registry to examine the easement and determine her course of action.

“I just wanted a garden where my grandchildren could play safely – instead, it’s been stress, damage and months of worry,” she said.

The neighbour was approached twice for comment.