A retired couple, Graham and Katherine Bateson ended up spending their life savings—£45,000—because they got into a long legal fight with their late neighbor, Wendy Leedham, over a fence.
Back in 1987, when the Batesons bought their house in Snettisham, Norfolk, they were told the driveway was shared. But in 2019, Leedham suddenly decided to put up a fence that blocked their access. Mrs. Bateson told The Express, "We bought it as a shared drive, that's how it was explained to us and sold to us."
For three years, they tried to get the fence removed through legal action. But even after all that effort, when they finally had a mediation hearing in 2021, the decision was made to let the fence stay, with a new boundary drawn to match it. However, Leedham passed away before the hearing, and now her house is up for sale.
Out of frustration, Mr. Bateson decided to take down the fence himself last year. That didn't go too well—he got arrested for criminal damage and ended up spending 12 hours in a cell before the charges were dropped. Now, the Batesons are worried that if someone new buys Leedham's house, they might put up another fence. "We're still living in fear they will put another fence up when there shouldn't have been one in the first place," said Mrs. Bateson.
Previously:
• Bamboo gone wild and neighbors from hell: Redditors share homeowning nightmares
• Garage sale displeases neighbor
• Man conquers noisy neighbors with 'magic'
• Smug neighbor's property line grudge costs him big time in fence feud
