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Here at Stephensons, our expert neighbour disputes solicitors and lawyers have extensive experience in successfully resolving all manner of neighbour, property and land disputes. If you have issues in regards to boundaries, noise, privacy, trees, blocked access or neighbour nuisance (such as anti-social behaviour) we have the experience to amicably resolve what can prove to be an extremely stressful and distressing situation.
If you have a question for our specialist neighbour dispute solicitors please call us on 01616 966 229 complete our online enquiry form. The neighbour disputes team at Stephensons are dedicated to finding fast and affordable solutions to your situation. We use alternative dispute resolution such as mediation, to avoid court action if possible. Our solicitors recognise the importance of expert evidence and have built up a national network of contacts that can be called upon to help resolve your dispute, in the quickest and most cost effective manner.
You may have already tried alternative solutions to your neighbour dispute problems, such as mediation, contacting their landlord (if they are a tenant), contacting the council or even contacting the police. However, if your neighbour disputes remained unsettled, it is advisable to seek legal advice in order to resolve your issues once and for all.
How can our neighbour disputes solicitors help?
A neighbour dispute is a conflict or disagreement between neighbours, which can include issues related to noise, property boundaries, access, trees, or anti-social behaviour. These disputes can result in stress, frustration, and damage to relationships between neighbours.
To resolve neighbour disputes, there are several steps that can be taken, including:
It's important to seek legal advice promptly if you're involved in a neighbour dispute to ensure that your legal rights are protected and any agreement you enter into is in your best interests and entirely resolves the dispute. Our neighbour disputes solicitors can advise you on the best course of action to resolve the dispute efficiently and effectively.
Our solicitor’s specialisms in regards to neighbour disputes include, but are not limited to:
It can be quite stressful and overwhelming if you have approached a neighbour over an issue and they have refused to cooperate, resulting in an ongoing dispute. Some matters can even escalate to the point where a person’s home becomes a prison if they are on the receiving end of irrational or intimidating behaviour from a neighbour. If you would like to speak to our specialist neighbour dispute solicitors to discuss your situation please call us on 01616 966 229 complete our online enquiry form.
When choosing a lawyer for your case you need to instruct a professional who is completely knowledgeable in the law surrounding these disputes. It is no good using someone who dabbles in neighbour disputes; do you want to risk your home based on the advice of someone who is not an expert? Often inexperienced solicitors fail to advise their client to accept a very reasonable offer.
Good solicitors will work in teams. There will be different people who help you with your case within the office and there maybe also a barrister that deals with certain parts of the case. You are essentially buying in special skills, such as advocacy. Again the barrister needs to meet the same criteria - a proactive specialist, who communicates well.
If you're facing issues with a troublesome neighbour, our property lawyers can assist. They'll advocate for your rights with your neighbour and in court if necessary and aid in enforcing court orders against the neighbour, providing essential support and legal representation to resolve the matter effectively.
Neighbour disputes can arise for various reasons, but some of the most common disputes include:
To pursue a claim against your neighbour for emotional distress, you typically must demonstrate their deliberate or careless actions resulted in significant emotional harm. It is very difficult to evidence this in court and often the best advice is to focus on the issue that is causing the dispute to ensure it is resolved as quickly as possible. Seeking guidance from a legal expert is recommended to assess the feasibility of your case within your area's legal framework.
Unreasonable noise from neighbours encompasses various disturbances, such as excessively loud music, TV volume, shouting, door slamming, and inconsiderate use of appliances. These disruptions can infringe upon peace and comfort, constituting noise nuisance concerns warranting resolution.
Neighbour harassment entails a 'course of conduct,' involving multiple related occurrences causing alarm or distress, not necessarily violent. The behaviour must exhibit an element of oppression to qualify as harassment, highlighting the significance of consistent patterns of troubling conduct in neighbourly disputes.
Neighbour disputes can be handled through communication, mediation, legal advice or court action. Seeking legal advice promptly can ensure that your legal rights are protected and help you resolve the dispute efficiently and effectively.
Utilising a solicitor's letter in a neighbour dispute signals the seriousness of your complaint. It serves to clarify legal aspects of the disagreement, such as boundary disputes, where neighbours struggle to reach consensus. A solicitor's correspondence can provide legal guidance and emphasise the significance of resolution.
A neighbour dispute can be any conflict or disagreement between neighbours, which can include issues related to noise, property boundaries, access, trees, or anti-social behaviour. These disputes can result in stress, frustration, and damage to relationships between neighbours.
If neighbours are intimidating you, seek legal advice from a neighbour disputes solicitor or the police. Keep a record of incidents, avoid confrontation and try to communicate with them. If the situation escalates, take legal action to protect your legal rights and interests.
Make every effort to resolve the dispute, without giving up the rights in your property deeds. Approach your neighbour to solve the problem amicably. Some local authorities run mediation services that you may be able to use. These disputes can be the lengthiest, most costly and bitter disputes that we see and it is worth making effort at an early stage to avoid a problem.
If the dispute doesn't end then put a polite request in writing. You should also maintain a detailed diary of all incidents. Please remember that this may need to be produced to court at some stage.
These are crucial to any dispute. Your lender may have held them in the past. However lenders are now recording all information electronically, and sending deeds back to borrowers and their solicitors. If you've got the deeds then keep them in a safe place.
This sets out a procedure if you are doing the following:
Appropriate notices need to be served in order to protect your position. The Act then provides for both parties to appoint surveyors or a single agreed surveyor, who will act impartially. The surveyor will draw up an award, detailing the work to be done. The condition of buildings will be recorded, together with timetables for access and the work.
The 7-Year Boundary Rule is not as specific as people think. There can be an argument about a boundary position if no action has been taken for 7 years but the rules of adverse possession, when land can be claimed due to it being fenced off, require either 10 or 12 years before an application can be made. This is a complex area of law requiring specialist advice.
Indeed, you can sell a house despite a boundary dispute, but you must disclose this issue as part of your legal obligations. Your conveyancing solicitor will guide you through the process, ensuring the necessary disclosure of details about your property, including any ongoing boundary disputes, during the sale. A boundary dispute will put many buyers off.
The Land Registry Title plan can be the initial reference point for boundary ownership verification. However, boundary lines depicted on the title plan are typically "general boundaries" unless formally established and registered with the Land Registry. Hence, they offer a broad indication rather than precise delineation, necessitating caution in relying solely on them. The actual deeds for your property will be the documents that may be able to show you exactly where the boundary is. You may have these and/ or the Land Registry may have copies.
A neighbour dispute occurs when there are disagreements between two or more neighbours, they often lead to distress and frustration. These conflicts are surprisingly common and can stem from various issues, highlighting the significance of effective communication and conflict resolution in maintaining peaceful neighbourhood relations.
Given the intricate and perplexing nature that boundary disputes have, seeking guidance from a solicitor specialising in this field is beneficial. Their expertise in boundary disputes and adverse possession ensures comprehensive legal advice, assisting you effectively throughout the resolution process.
It may be worth calling the police, who can assist in some situations. You should also seek advice quickly as you may be entitled to obtain a court order stopping the work (an injunction).
The police may intervene if the threats and abuse are serious, or amount to harassment. It is worth giving them a call.
The Noise Act 1996 sets night hours from 11pm to 7am. Local councils can issue warnings for noise exceeding permitted levels during this period, regardless of whether it constitutes a 'statutory nuisance,' emphasising the law's broad applicability regarding nighttime disturbances. The Council ought to install noise recording equipment so they can evidence how loud the noise actually is.
No matter the type of dispute you are experiencing with your neighbour, our neighbour dispute solicitors and lawyers are here to guide and support you throughout any legal proceedings you may wish to take. As mentioned previously, it is advisable to try and resolve neighbour disputes amicably, but if this has been attempted and unsuccessful, we will be happy to help resolve the issues for you.
To discuss your neighbour dispute case and have an initial chat about your situation, feel free to call us on 01616 966 229. Alternatively, if you would prefer to fill out our online enquiry form, a member of our team will then contact you directly as soon as possible.
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