# Who owns wall to the side of my back garden



## first_timer (7 Oct 2009)

Hi,
I live in a house, that is beside an apartment block next door.
The back garden of the apartment block is enclosed by a concrete wall, that goes all around its perimeter.
Because we are next door to it, I share one section of this wall.
On the other 2 sides of my back garden, we did not have any fencing (worthy of this name at least) at the time of buying the house (from the builder) - we put some up ourselves.
At the time of buying, the foreman told us we did not own the side wall.
All the houses in the estate were sold with no garden walls - only some sort of low wooden "fencing".
All apartment blocks in the estate are surrounded by concrete walls.
At the time of buying, the foreman told us we did not own the side wall.
Now the wall in question is in need of repair, and the question is, who will pay for it.
I got copy of the title deeds and map - they do not give any indication on the wall ownership.
It looks like I will have to end up paying for my share of the repairs - even though I am not really sure I have any ownership on the wall.
The other point is, how do we divide the espense. The wall is damaged both on my side, and the side at the back - I don't expect we will receive 2 separate bills, one for each side. Is it correct I should only pay one half of the half of the total?

Thanks a lot


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## Leo (8 Oct 2009)

It sounds clear that you don't own the wall, and thus have no responsibility for its maintenance or repair.
Leo


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## first_timer (8 Oct 2009)

Thanks Leo, that s reassuring.
It does sound clear to me as well... but not so much to the apartment block's management company... how do I go about proving it? would it be worth my while going to a solicitor, or is there any other place that I could go to, where I wouldn't be charged a fortune just to get my point across?
Thanks a lot


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## Peter C (9 Oct 2009)

Perhaps instead of you proving anything to them how about asking them to prove you do own half the wall ? I'm not a solicitor but there may be hidden benefits to owning the wall. Or when they call shout Yippee now I have one wall for my new shed down that side of the garden or I am delighted ask the builder to quote to rise it 3 feet. basically throw it back at them, many of the management companies are actually front companies for the original developers.


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