Our property and our home is a safe sanctuary for us were we can kick back, relax, and have a good time with our family. Unless you’re living in a rural area where the next house is hundreds of meters away, most homes in the urban area will be quite close to each other. While there are neighbors that will bring you a welcoming cake when you’ve just moved in, there are also grumpy neighbors. But no worries. As long as you have a clear understanding of which part of your fence is yours, you won’t get into any trouble with your neighbors.
But just like countries in our geography classes, each will have their own border to signify that the land belongs to a particular flag and their set of laws. In the same way, we place fences around our homes to set a boundary of what’s ours and what’s not. There will be times, however, that the other party would make claims that a specific part of our land belongs to them. Thus, property line disputes tend to happen because of this.
What You Should Do
At a certain point in our lives, there might be that one grumpy neighbor that thinks that he can bully everyone in the neighborhood.
It may be over some fence that extended a few inches on their yard or fruits that fall from a tree into their area. There’s always going to be someone who wants to cause drama. So if you ever get into a heated exchange with your neighbor, what are some things that you can do?
Keep Calm
Most people tend to make rash decisions when they are emotional or angry. If your neighbor is pushing your buttons and you don’t like what they are saying, you can always go inside your home and let someone talk to them. Once you’re in a calmer mood, reach out to them and communicate on what they want. Remember, have a logical discussion instead of one that’s based on emotions.
When tensions are running high with you and your neighbor, it’s essential to keep a cool head. Keeping a calm and professional demeanor with your neighbor will help encourage people to be on your side instead of on your neighbor who is antagonizing you.
Hire a Legal Solicitor and Surveyor
Naturally, a property line dispute is a legal dispute. Even if you know your rights and where your property line is, it’s not a guarantee that you will win your argument. One of the best ways to increase your odds of winning the dispute is with the help of a legal advisor, especially from a solicitor firm that specializes in property.
When it comes to legal disputes, there is no time to make a guess that’s based on what you know, but should be based on hard evidence. Commissioning the services of a surveyor will help give you an accurate depiction of which part of the land is yours with documentation.
Do Research
Now that you have the documented proof on which part of the land is yours, you can start doing some research on the laws of your town. How do property laws come into play when there is a dispute? Making sure that you understand which ones will cater to your situation will help your likelihood of defending your land.
Have Diplomacy
If possible, reach out to your neighbor and discuss everything necessary with the intent of getting into an agreement.
If you can reach a middle ground with your neighbor and things start quieting down, that’s a good sign. Of course, you shouldn’t let your guard up if it comes to legal disputes. You’ve already won if there’s no fight to be fought.
File a Case
Doing diplomacy outside the court system should be your last line of defense before anything does happen. Not only is taking legal action an arduous process, but it also comes with a hefty monetary backing, so it’s important to think things through before any final decisions.
Remember: filing a case should be your last resort. It should only happen if there are major breaches in the law regarding your property and your rights.
We understand that disputes about land and property can be complicated at times, but standing your ground and defending your rights through the right information will help. Conflicts with people close to your property can make you feel uneasy, but it’s a necessity to protect your property. With this information, you can have a better chance of winning the dispute.
