Adverse possession

Published: 27th September 2007

This brief update follows on from a previous month's article on the same topic.

The grand chamber of the European court of human rights (ECHR) gave its judgment on the long-running Pye case at the end of august.

By ten votes to seven, the court held that the acquisition of land by adverse possession did not violate the right to peaceful enjoyment of possessions set out in the European convention on human rights.

This overturns the November 2005 ruling of the ECHR which would have entitled the dispossessed owner to recompense.

More details will follow in due course.