Your property boundaries
Make a boundary agreement with your neighbour
You can usually avoid having to create a boundary agreement by having an informal discussion with your neighbour.
Get help in solving disagreements
Use the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Helpline Scheme to get advice on solving disagreements over boundaries.
What a boundary agreement can do
You and your neighbour can create a ‘boundary agreement’ to record:
- the boundary between 2 properties
- who’s responsible for maintaining a hedge, wall, tree or fence between 2 properties
Get legal advice if you’re thinking about making a boundary agreement.
What a boundary agreement can’t do
You can’t use a boundary agreement to sell or give away part of your land to your neighbour.
Get legal advice if you want to make sure the boundary agreement is still valid after you or your neighbour sell your property.
What to include in a boundary agreement
Your boundary agreement must include:
- your name and address
- your neighbour’s name and address
- the date the agreement begins
- the boundary you’ve agreed
You can include the boundary using:
- a written description
- a copy of an Ordnance Survey map - you can draw or write on it to show the boundary
- a map you’ve drawn yourself
Example of a boundary agreement
“Boundary Agreement
This agreement is made on 15th July 2017 between John Smith of 10 Acacia Avenue, title to which is registered under title number XX12345, and Mary Brown of 12 Acacia Avenue, title to which is registered under title number XX67891.
The parties agree that the legal boundary between the land within their respective registered titles, and running from the point marked ‘A’ to the point marked ‘B’ on the plan attached, is as shown by the red line drawn between those points.
Signed
[Witness (Signature, name and address)]
Signed
[Witness (Signature, name and address)]”
Record your boundary agreement
Fill in an application to change the register (AP1).
In section 4 under ‘Applications in priority order’, write: “To note a boundary agreement”. Under ‘Fees paid (£)’ write “£40”.
You don’t need to fill in sections 9 to 14.
You’ll need to send:
- the completed AP1 form
- a copy of the boundary agreement
- a cheque or postal order for £40, payable to ‘HMLR’ or ‘HM Land Registry’
Send the documents and fee to:
HM Land Registry Citizen Centre
PO Box 74
Gloucester
GL14 9BB
HM Land Registry will update the register for your property and send a copy of the updated register back to you. They’ll do the same for your neighbour.