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Boundary Disputes: Where Our Expertise Fits In
An important clarification: Cassini Expertise is not a land surveyor (gu00e9omu00e8tre-expert) and does not carry out the official boundary-marking operation itself. However, when a property line is disputed u2014 a moved marker, encroachment, an imprecise cadastral plan, or disagreement between neighbours u2014 we step in as an independent technical expert to shed light on the dispute.
What Is a Boundary Dispute?
A boundary dispute arises when two property owners disagree on the exact location of their shared property line. It can take several forms:
- Moved or removed boundary marker: the marker on the ground no longer matches the official plan.
- Encroachment: a fence, wall or structure that extends onto the neighbouring property.
- Imprecise cadastral plan: the historic or digitised land registry plan shows a discrepancy with the actual terrain.
- Refused amicable boundary agreement: the neighbour won’t sign the boundary report (procu00e8s-verbal de bornage).
Our Role: Measure, Record, Counter-Expertise
In a boundary dispute, we provide the technical evidence you need:
- Precision topographic survey: total station, RTK GNSS, Lambert 93/RGF93 coordinates, NGF levelling.
- Joint on-site record: an objective, legally usable record of the encroachment or displaced marker.
- Counter-expertise: verification of a boundary survey carried out by a land surveyor, checking calculations and compliance with official plans.
- Litigation support: technical opinion, expert notes for your lawyer, and assistance during a court-ordered expertise (Article 646 of the French Civil Code, boundary action).
Amicable or Judicial Boundary Settlement: Where Does the Expert Step In?
A boundary action (Art. 646 of the Civil Code) can be pursued amicably or through the courts. Either way, the quality of the measurement is what decides the outcome: a discrepancy of just a few centimetres can be enough to reverse the ruling. Our joint survey and calculations (overlaying the cadastral plan against satellite imagery, checking distances and angles) provide the objective evidence needed to settle the dispute.
Across the Alpes-Maritimes and the Var, sloped plots, ageing walls and successive land divisions multiply the number of boundary disputes. A rigorous technical expertise makes the difference between a contested boundary that drags on and a property line that’s finally secured.
Related articles:
Our Services by Location
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you contest an amicable boundary agreement?
To contest an amicable boundary agreement, you must file a claim with the tribunal judiciaire within 5 years of the signing of the boundary report. The judge can order a topographic counter-expertise to verify the property lines. We recommend using an independent expert to support your case.
What does a topographic expertise cost for a boundary dispute?
The cost varies depending on the size of the property, the terrain’s complexity and the region — typically between €1,500 and €5,000. In a court proceeding, costs may be advanced by the claimant and later allocated according to the court’s ruling. Legal aid may be available if your income is modest.
What’s the difference between a boundary survey and a topographic expertise?
A boundary survey (bornage) is the official procedure that permanently sets property lines, carried out by a licensed land surveyor. A topographic expertise is a technical study that precisely measures the land and can serve as the basis for a boundary survey or to contest one. In a dispute, an expertise is often needed to establish the facts before proceeding with the official boundary survey.
Related reading: Property Boundary Survey Before Buying – Why It’s Essential · Boundary Encroachment on Neighbouring Land – Legal Remedies and Procedure · Amicable Boundary Survey Impossible in Nice: What to Do
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Survey carried out by Frédéric Faucouneau, independent building expert – Antibes, Alpes-Maritimes (06), Var (83), Bouches-du-Rhône (13). Find out more
📅 Last updated 02/11/2026 - Cassini Expertise, independent building expert – departments 06, 83 and 13.