Thanks kexkez. The problem with that is trying to actually find that out, or give them some kind of proof/information that says that I don't have to pay because the council says I do have to pay and the building commission said the same because "people don't pay for their share of the fence until they start building a house on the vacant land" according to them. However, when I told them that I was not the original owner but the third, they didn't have an answer for me.
The double dipping is the issue for me hence why a neighbour asked to investgate. Furthermore, a friend of ours almost got stung by this but found out that the previous owner had already paid. Some very dishonest people out there.