What legal steps can I take if my neighbour has encroached on my land?

Start by getting your property professionally surveyed (through a licensed surveyor, or requesting an official survey through the local revenue authority) to establish exactly where your legal boundary lies compared to the current physical situation — this creates an objective basis for your claim before taking further steps.

Once you have clear survey evidence, you can first attempt to resolve the matter directly with your neighbour, since a peaceful, negotiated resolution is often faster and less costly than litigation. If that doesn't work, you can send a formal legal notice, and if necessary, file a civil suit seeking removal of the encroachment and, where applicable, an injunction and compensation for the period of unauthorised use.

Acting reasonably promptly matters here — the longer an encroachment continues unchallenged, the more complicated (though still generally addressable) the situation can become. Bring your survey report and any property documents to a property lawyer to assess the strength of your claim and the best way to proceed.