Bungalow Owner Successfully Sued Neighbour For Putting New Fence on His Land

Stories of neighbours from “hell” are few and far between. Sometimes you read crazy stories of neighbours harassing other residents or residents getting into fights with their neighbours.

But surely, when do you read about someone suing their neighbours?

On The Fence With Land 

When the next-door neighbours built their new fence on this couple’s plot of land, being angry is an understatement.

What better way to let someone know how crossed you are than bringing them to the court of law?

According to Shin Min Daily, the plaintiffs, a couple living in a bungalow near Lakme Terrace, stated that the elderly neighbour next door had replaced the old fence pillar belonging to the couple during renovations.

The new fence installed had trespassed the couple’s land and inevitably left a gap in theirs.

Infuriated, the couple filed a lawsuit against the neighbour’s family, alleging that they had violated the couple’s property rights.

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Why The Gap

How did the situation even happen in the first place?

The prosecution noted that the elderly couple made the decision to remodel their home back in August 2019. For better oversight, the two entrusted the renovation job to their son and daughter-in-law’s supervision.

During the renovation process, a pillar made of red bricks stood between the two bungalows.

Instead of consulting with the couple on the predicament of the pillar, the family one-sidely decided to have the pillar removed in place for a new fence, leaving a gap in the corner of the couple’s fence.

In the family’s defence, the red pillar was actually constructed by the former owner of their land. Safe to say, they probably assumed they had full ownership of the pillar.

Appalled by the sudden awkward gap in their fence, the couple filed a lawsuit against their neighbours, particularly against the son and his partner, on the grounds that the pillar had belonged to the couple and that it had been improperly removed by the neighbours, causing a dent in their infrastructure.

After the trial, the court ruled that although the pillar had been constructed by the neighbour’s former owner, given its placement between the property of the two private homes, both owners must agree to the demolition if it is to proceed.

Ultimately, the jury found in favour of the couple, with the neighbours having to fork out S$3,380 in damages.

Take this as a learning lesson; be careful about tearing down infrastructure on shared land. Unless you’re willing to drop a couple more thousand dollars on your renovation expenses.