If you have recently found yourself in the middle of a boundary dispute or a neighbor dispute and are unsure of what to do next, you’re not alone. A far too common problem, boundary disputes are more of a pain than anything else, but luckily there are ways to efficiently come to a settlement and a decision on what belongs to who. For more information about what boundary dispute is and how to move forward, continue reading below.
What is a boundary dispute?
Through and through, a boundary dispute is a dispute between two neighbors or neighboring properties. These can include the use of garden walls, hedges, fences and any other planted or man made boundaries that divide two or more properties from the next. These types of disputes often concern rights or way and easements.
Other times you’ll find that a boundary dispute is created over what we would refer to as professional negligence. This is when a solicitor has failed to correctly mark on plans a boundary. This generally occurs when a house is sold or bought.
What to do with a boundary dispute?
The first thing you’ll want to do is to contact a good boundary dispute solicitor. With a good solicitor you’ll be able to have a strong representation on your behalf, one that will help to end the boundary dispute quickly and effectively. Often times, you can also get a free initial discussion before you hire a solicitor. This is a great way to find out if the person is right for the job.
Can boundary disputes hurt the value of your property?
This is a very common question that deserves a good answer. In short, yes they can hurt the value of your property. This is why you’ll want the dispute handled professionally and as quickly as possible. Generally speaking, when a dispute is occurring, you’ll find that at that particular time, you’re unable to sell your property, meaning you’ll have to wait until the dispute is completely taken care of and has ended. Sometimes, you’ll find that you are able to sell your property during a dispute, however that sell is at a much lower value than you would like.
Most of the time, mediation between the two parties involved is enough to solve a boundary dispute while other times a trip to court is necessarily. This tends to happen because the other party involved does not wish to participate in a mediation session.
Though the idea of being trapped in a boundary dispute is anything but pleasant, sometimes they do happen and can’t be avoided. If you find yourself in this type of situation, the best thing to do is to contact a boundary dispute solicitor right away to start the process. The last thing you want to do is to draw out the situation longer than necessary, especially if you are trying to sell your home as you’ll find you either can’t sell it at the moment or will have to sell it at a much lower value than you had previously hoped to.