Edward Blakeney and Ashpen Rajah of Falcon Chambers unpack the Court of Appeal’s decision in White v Alder [2025] EWCA Civ 392 in this week’s issue of NLJ. The ruling confirms that boundary demarcation agreements bind successors in title—regardless of whether they knew of the agreement when purchasing
The case involved a dispute over a boundary wall between two properties, where the original owners had agreed its location. The court upheld that such agreements, whether express or inferred, define the legal extent of property and are binding for all purposes.
This decision resolves previous uncertainty and affirms that no ‘priorities’ analysis or overriding interest is needed. The authors note that this clarity should encourage continued use of boundary agreements as a pragmatic tool to resolve disputes and avoid litigation—‘quieting strife’ in the words of Mr Justice Megarry.
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