How Can You Resolve A Boundary Dispute?

A boundary dispute can often create a lot of problems between neighbours, which means that they have to seek professional legal advice in order to resolve the problem. Boundary disputes can be a complex issue and therefore needs specialist knowledge in order to bring them to a satisfactory conclusion.

So, Lovedays Solicitors, solicitors in Matlock share their expertise on the best way to resolve a legal dispute.

What is a boundary dispute?

A boundary dispute usually occurs when two parties cannot agree on the exact placement of the boundary lines between two properties. This might be in relation to a garden fence, shared walls, private roads and pathways or even joining fields.

Disputes often come about because one party is trying to protect their land or property or reserve access rights in the face of extensions being built, repairs or changes to the boundary, allowing the boundary to fall into disrepair, planting or failing to maintain trees and hedges, building new structures or simply because of a change of ownership.

A dispute can also arise as a result of one party feeling as though their property is being encroached on and the boundary is not being respected.

Resolving boundary disputes

As with any disagreement, communication is key in a boundary dispute. You should try to have an open and honest conversation with your neighbour about the issue, as you may be able to reach an amicable compromise or solution between you. Even if you are not able to resolve the problem yourselves, it can be important in understanding what the issues are and what the next steps should be.

It is then advisable to move on to mediation, which allows an independent third party to guide conversations between you and help you to come to an agreement. If both parties are able to agree in this situation, then the outcome can become legally binding. Arbitration works in a similar way, however, in this case, the mediator will be the one who comes to their own conclusion, and can therefore take emotions out of the situation, and find a resolution that the conflicted parties are not able to reach themselves.

If all of this fails, then the last resort is to go down the road of litigation. This should only be an option in the most severe of cases, where all other avenues have been exhausted. This allows the courts to decide on the outcomes after seeing evidence such as title deeds, historical documents, maps, surveyors reports and even satellite images. This can be a lengthy and expensive process and should not be entered into lightly.

Seek legal advice

There are a number of boundary disputes that have been known to run on for years and years, and they can create a lot of bad blood. This is often because of misinformation and people on either side not fully knowing what their rights are.

If you are involved in a boundary dispute in any way, then it is advisable to speak to a legal professional who specialises in these types of cases in order to know where you stand. They will be able to explain what your rights are and can help you to act quickly, in order to ensure things are settled as soon as possible.

They can help you bring the dispute to an end with correct and fair resolutions and can significantly reduce your stress levels.

Boundary disputes can be incredibly difficult, and can cause significant amounts of stress, anxiety and expense for everyone involved. Turning to a solicitor for help can be an effective way to reach a resolution much quicker and avoid a lot of heartache.