Boundary Dispute Surveys

When a fence line, an encroachment or a neighbour disagreement needs settling, we provide independent survey evidence based on the cadastral record. Often that is enough for both sides to agree.

Almost Always One of Three Things

Boundary disputes feel personal, but the underlying causes are remarkably consistent.

• Nobody Knows Where the Line Is

  The original marks are gone and the title has never been re-established, so both neighbours are working from assumption.

• The Occupation Has Crept

  Successive fence replacements, a shed, a garden bed or a driveway have gradually moved the practical boundary away from the legal one.

• Something Is Built Over It

  A wall, eaves, a retaining wall or footings sit across the line, which raises questions about both the structure and the title.

• Fencing Cost Disagreements

  Neighbours disagree about who pays for a dividing fence, which then turns into an argument about where it should go.

How We Investigate a Disputed Boundary

The work is evidence gathering and analysis. We do not take a side, we establish what the record supports.

• Review Title and Historical Information

  We obtain the title and the historical survey information, including the records of the neighbouring properties.

• Field Investigation

  We survey the site, locating fences, structures and any surviving survey marks relevant to the boundary.

• Cadastral Analysis

  The evidence is analysed against the title and established surveying principles to determine where the boundary legally sits.

• Report With Supporting Evidence

  You receive a written report setting out the findings and the evidence behind them, in language you can actually use in a conversation with your neighbour.

What You Get at the End

Evidence that stands on its own, whether the matter settles over the fence or in front of a court.

• Marks On Site

  Marks showing where the boundary sits, so both parties can see the line rather than argue about it in the abstract.

• A Plan Showing the Reality

  A detailed plan showing fences and structures in relation to the legal boundary, which is usually the document that ends the argument.

• Expert Reports Where Required

  Expert witness reports suitable for mediation or legal proceedings, with attendance at court or mediation if it goes that far.

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Boundary Dispute Questions

Boundary Dispute Surveys Across Melbourne and Victoria

How a Boundary Is Actually Defined

Property boundaries are determined through a cadastral survey, not by measuring from existing fences. We research your title, the historical survey plans, the neighbouring surveys and any original survey marks, then complete a detailed field survey.

By analysing all the available evidence in accordance with surveying legislation and professional standards, we re-establish where the legal boundary sits. That is a different exercise from measuring what is there now, and it is why the answer sometimes surprises both neighbours.

Is My Fence the Boundary?

Not necessarily. Many fences are built on or near the legal boundary, but a fence is not definitive evidence of where the boundary lies.

Fences end up in the wrong place for ordinary reasons. Historical construction methods, an informal agreement between two previous owners, or simple error at the time. The only way to accurately determine a property's legal boundary is a cadastral survey completed by a licensed surveyor.

Resolving It Without Going Further

Most disputes do not need a court. We provide independent survey evidence, and in many cases that alone is enough for the parties to reach agreement, because both sides are finally looking at the same information.

Our role is not to advocate for you. It is to establish what the cadastral record supports, which is precisely what makes the evidence persuasive to the other side.

Fencing Costs and the Fences Act

Under the Fences Act 1968, adjoining property owners are generally responsible for contributing equally to the reasonable cost of constructing, repairing or replacing a sufficient dividing fence, including any necessary associated works.

In most cases that means each owner pays half, though neighbours are free to agree to a different arrangement. Where they cannot agree, either party may apply to the Magistrates' Court, which can determine the type of fencing work required and how the costs are divided.

Before You Build a Fence

If there is any doubt about the line, get the boundary re-established before the fence goes in rather than after. It is far cheaper than moving it, and it removes the disagreement before it starts.