{"id":25,"date":"2026-10-15T05:46:49","date_gmt":"2026-10-15T05:46:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adversepossessionlaw.com.au\/?page_id=25"},"modified":"2026-10-15T05:46:49","modified_gmt":"2026-10-15T05:46:49","slug":"about","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/adversepossessionlaw.com.au\/?page_id=25","title":{"rendered":"About"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Peter Gauld, the principal of Gauld &amp; Co., Solicitors, has more than 40 years&#8217; experience advising and acting in adverse possession matters. Adverse possession is now his principal area of practice.<\/p>\n<p>Adverse possession is a relatively complex area of the law.<\/p>\n<p>This website is devoted specifically to the firm&#8217;s work in adverse possession and related boundary dispute matters in Victoria.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"experience-in-adverse-possession\">Experience in adverse possession<\/h2>\n<p>Adverse possession matters can range from relatively straightforward applications to the Titles Office (the majority of applications) through to complex boundary disputes and contested court proceedings.<\/p>\n<p>Peter Gauld has acted over many years in matters involving:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>applications to the Registrar of Titles under section 60 of the Transfer of Land Act 1958<\/li>\n<li>claims involving possession by present and former owners<\/li>\n<li>disputed boundaries revealed by surveys<\/li>\n<li>adverse possession issues arising in fencing disputes<\/li>\n<li>Magistrates&#8217; Court proceedings under the Fences Act 1968<\/li>\n<li>defending adverse possession claims<\/li>\n<li>County Court and Supreme Court proceedings<\/li>\n<li>requisitions and evidentiary issues arising in Titles Office applications; and<\/li>\n<li>negotiated boundary solutions, including NICO plans.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The firm acts both for persons seeking to establish title by adverse possession and for registered proprietors whose land is affected by a claim.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"our-approach\">Our approach<\/h2>\n<p>Adverse possession cases are highly dependent upon their particular facts and evidence.<\/p>\n<p>An important part of our work is therefore to investigate the history of the land before unnecessary expense is incurred.<\/p>\n<p>For example, where an applicant needs to rely upon possession by previous owners to establish the required 15-year period, it is important to determine at an early stage whether the necessary evidence and documentation from those prior possessors can actually be obtained.<\/p>\n<p>Similarly, where a person wishes to resist an adverse possession claim, the first task is usually to determine whether there is some identifiable weakness in the claimant&#8217;s possession or evidence before expensive objection or court procedures are commenced.<\/p>\n<p>Our approach is to identify these issues as early as possible and to advise upon the most practical method of dealing with the matter.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"working-with-surveyors\">Working with surveyors<\/h2>\n<p>Surveying evidence is central to adverse possession claims.<\/p>\n<p>We regularly work with licensed surveyors in identifying the title boundary, the existing occupation of the land and the precise parcel which may be affected by an adverse possession claim.<\/p>\n<p>The surveyor establishes the physical and surveyed position. The legal work then involves considering the history and legal effect of the possession.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"victorian-adverse-possession-matters\">Victorian adverse possession matters<\/h2>\n<p>Gauld &amp; Co., Solicitors advises on adverse possession and related boundary matters throughout Victoria.<\/p>\n<p>We do not act in other States.<\/p>\n<p>Some matters can be dealt with entirely through the Titles Office process. Others require negotiation between adjoining owners, Magistrates&#8217; Court proceedings or, occasionally, proceedings in the County Court or Supreme Court.<\/p>\n<p>The appropriate course depends upon the particular facts, the available evidence and the importance of the land involved.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"contact-us\">Contact us<\/h2>\n<p>If you are considering an adverse possession claim, have received notice of a claim affecting your land, or have discovered a discrepancy between an existing boundary and the title boundary, you are welcome to contact Gauld &amp; Co., Solicitors to discuss the matter.<\/p>\n<p>We provide initial advice to establish whether a claim, or defence to a claim, may be possible, without obligation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Peter Gauld, the principal of Gauld &amp; Co., Solicitors, has more than 40 years&#8217; experience advising and acting in adverse possession matters. Adverse possession is now his principal area of practice. Adverse possession is a relatively complex area of the law. This website is devoted specifically to the firm&#8217;s work in adverse possession and related [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-25","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/adversepossessionlaw.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/25","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/adversepossessionlaw.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/adversepossessionlaw.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adversepossessionlaw.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adversepossessionlaw.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=25"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/adversepossessionlaw.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/25\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26,"href":"https:\/\/adversepossessionlaw.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/25\/revisions\/26"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adversepossessionlaw.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=25"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}