Resolving Boundary Disputes with your Neighbour
Having disputes with your neighbour can really take its toll – on your nerves, on your ego, and certainly on your quality of life. We live in such close proximity with our neighbour, often times even sharing a border with them, that issues are bound to come up on occasion. When they do, it is best to try to reach an amicable understanding of the issues as we must live with these people for a very long time. Living arrangements can become very uncomfortable if we have unresolved disputes with them.
One common issue that arises among neighbour, especially those sharing adjoining property, is that of boundaries. The question of boundaries can go for years without being an issue. It only becomes an issue when something changes along that shared border. Your neighbour plants a tree, for instance, or a line of trees that happens to be dropping those wicked Sweet Gum pods all over your yard, or beans from your carob tree are stinking up the neighbourhood. Your dog is coming home limping every day. Maybe a fence is the issue.
Ideally such disputes can be resolved without calling in the big guns – the lawyers. Through tact and diplomacy and perhaps a Title map showing the true property lines, neighbours can work these issues out on their own. Even with the help of a lawyer, some compromise is necessary.
Sometimes the issue is crossing a person’s property while building a fence or out building. Sometimes it’s a matter of a neighbour maintaining a portion of your property or planting on it, calling into question just who that property belongs to or who is responsible for its care and upkeep.
These disputes can easily be resolved by taking a look at the property deeds which give a very detailed description of the boundaries. These can get complicated when the deeds date back many years to a time when boundary markers were sometimes as abstract as a large boulder or a certain tree. Even more complicated if it was a row of elm trees or a spreading chestnut, trees that have suffered a great toll as a result of diseases that have rendered them virtually extinct.
If the above is the case you can always have the property surveyed. This of course introduces more expense into the matter, ideally split between you and your neighbour. You may need a lawyer to draw up a boundary agreement for both of you to sign. But enlisting the aid of a lawyer does not necessarily mean you are becoming adversarial. It is rarely necessary to go to court over such matters. A lawyer can often offer other suggestions and act as an intermediary in the discussions.
An Albany lawyer that has plenty of experience with boundary disputes on the North Shore is McVeagh Fleming and Partners. Their team of lawyers can give you the appropriate guidance with any boundary issue you might have.
Ideally, if you maintain your relationship with your neighbour as well as you maintain your property, you should be able to work out any disputes that should arise.
One common issue that arises among neighbour, especially those sharing adjoining property, is that of boundaries. The question of boundaries can go for years without being an issue. It only becomes an issue when something changes along that shared border. Your neighbour plants a tree, for instance, or a line of trees that happens to be dropping those wicked Sweet Gum pods all over your yard, or beans from your carob tree are stinking up the neighbourhood. Your dog is coming home limping every day. Maybe a fence is the issue.
Ideally such disputes can be resolved without calling in the big guns – the lawyers. Through tact and diplomacy and perhaps a Title map showing the true property lines, neighbours can work these issues out on their own. Even with the help of a lawyer, some compromise is necessary.
Sometimes the issue is crossing a person’s property while building a fence or out building. Sometimes it’s a matter of a neighbour maintaining a portion of your property or planting on it, calling into question just who that property belongs to or who is responsible for its care and upkeep.
These disputes can easily be resolved by taking a look at the property deeds which give a very detailed description of the boundaries. These can get complicated when the deeds date back many years to a time when boundary markers were sometimes as abstract as a large boulder or a certain tree. Even more complicated if it was a row of elm trees or a spreading chestnut, trees that have suffered a great toll as a result of diseases that have rendered them virtually extinct.
If the above is the case you can always have the property surveyed. This of course introduces more expense into the matter, ideally split between you and your neighbour. You may need a lawyer to draw up a boundary agreement for both of you to sign. But enlisting the aid of a lawyer does not necessarily mean you are becoming adversarial. It is rarely necessary to go to court over such matters. A lawyer can often offer other suggestions and act as an intermediary in the discussions.
An Albany lawyer that has plenty of experience with boundary disputes on the North Shore is McVeagh Fleming and Partners. Their team of lawyers can give you the appropriate guidance with any boundary issue you might have.
Ideally, if you maintain your relationship with your neighbour as well as you maintain your property, you should be able to work out any disputes that should arise.