A leading law firm has reported a surge in the number of neighbours going to war over boundary disputes.

The civil litigation department at Kirwans says the rise in the number of cases they are witnessing has been sparked by the recession.

David Kirwan, Senior Partner and head of civil litigation at Merseyside-based Kirwans, said the firm had seen a doubling in the number of disputes over boundaries, fences, hedges and extensions to properties during the past 12 months.

Mr Kirwan said: “There is no question that the financial pressures people are facing have made them more likely to snap when faced with disputes involving neighbours.

“People are very protective of their property and what they perceive to be their land at the best of times, so add in some workplace stress and financial woes and you have a potent cocktail.

“The most prominent disputes often concern seemingly minor issues caused by the erection of a fence or hedge.

“When deciding a legal boundary, the fence itself may not be a guide as it is not always in the right place.

“People sometimes think plans held by the Land Registry will help, but these are also not always definitive. Some simple disputes might involve trawling through 20 years of history before you can decide for sure where the borders fall.”

David Kirwan said that his team always sought to resolve disputes as amicably as possible, often using mediation.

He added: “Going to court should be the last resort in any neighbours’ dispute. While a dispute might take a few months to resolve, the likelihood is you will have to continue living side by side for many years to come.

“There is also the potential to run up potentially ruinous legal costs, particularly if both sides dig their heels in through pride and a refusal to be beaten. These costs can quickly spiral into tens and hundreds of thousands of pounds.”

For more information, contact David Kirwan on 0151 677 3433 or email dkirwan@kirwanssolicitors.co.uk