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Good fences make lousy neighbors, survey finds

Posted On: Jun. 16, 2022 2:41 PM CST

England

Turns out the placement of fences, walls and hedges is causing problems between neighbors, at least across the pond.

More than 6 million Brits have been caught up in disputes with their neighbors over property boundaries, a report by Bromley, England-based Churchill Insurance found.

The findings reveal the average space neighbors argue over typically equates to just over 2%, or 27.5 square feet, of an average garden, as reported by the Daily Mail. And one-fifth of boundary disputes focus on less than 10 square feet of land.

“Unfortunately, many people end up falling out with their neighbor over boundaries, whether that is over trespass caused by a tree, a fence or an extension,” said Sarah Khan, head of Churchill Home Insurance.

Churchill’s advice is that people try to speak to their neighbors to resolve problems, saving time, money and relationships. Still, this is not always possible, the insurer acknowledges.