If you own or rent a home with some outdoor space, you'll know how important it is to keep that space private, as it's often a great space to get some fresh air while still remaining in the comfort of your own home.
But one woman has been left outraged at her "cheeky" neighbour's behaviour, as they keep telling her that they should be entitled to her garden space as well as their own - and have even expressed a desire to come onto her property to prune a tree that's on the boundary line.
The woman explained she used to rent her home from a landlord who owned four houses in the street, including the one rented by her next-door neighbour.
She now owns the house herself, but her neighbour keeps reminding her that before she moved in, she and the previous renters used to share their garden space to make it a large allotment.
Now, despite the woman living in her home for several years, her neighbour is demanding they keep the shared garden plan, even though the woman's property is no longer rented.
In a post on Mumsnet, she explained: "I live in an end-terrace. There are four houses which were once all owned by the same landlord. When we moved in, we were renting. The house had been rented for short periods by many people, and my next-door neighbour had been there for years.
"At one point, apparently, she and the longer-term tenant of my house had shared the garden and used it as a joint allotment. My neighbour isn't that elderly (60s), but she loves to tell me about how she used to be entitled to go into what's now my garden, and how she knows it better than me.
"After renting for a couple of years, our house came up for sale and we bought it. My neighbour is used to us both having the same landlord, and she still seems to think she has access to my property.
"Recently, my neighbour told me she will send her son into our garden to prune a tree on the boundary. She didn't ask: she told me. Her son isn't a tree surgeon or a gardener, and we're in a conservation area where you need permission to prune trees of that size.
"As the tree is on the boundary, I'm naturally concerned we'll be held responsible - and we've not yet seen deeds to make clear where the boundary is, because we're still chasing land registry, and the title hasn't previously been split.
"Is it me, or is she being incredibly cheeky?!"
Commenters on the post were on the woman's side, with many saying the neighbour was cheeky for acting entitled over the garden space.
One person said: "Definitely cheeky. I'd put something in writing to her, pointing out the legal position regarding the tree and making it clear that you don't consent to it being pruned.
"With regard to her coming onto what you believe to be your property, I don't think there's a lot you can do about it until you know for sure where the boundary actually is. But when you do establish where it is, put up the highest fence that's allowed."
While another added: "Yes, cheeky, but sometimes people aren't always maliciously so."
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