Neighbour Disputes Solicitors

Being involved in a dispute with your neighbour can be extremely disruptive and, in many cases, tricky to resolve amicably. Using our specialist skills in dispute resolution, we will work alongside you to find tailored solutions to a wide range of issues.

No matter which side of a neighbour dispute you may find yourself on, our team will take the time to carefully explain your options, taking the necessary steps to find a resolution without the need for court proceedings wherever possible.

At Stephen Rimmer, our neighbour dispute solicitors can assist with a wide range of matters, including:

• Boundary disputes
• Noise disputes
• Right to light
• Rights of way
• Party walls
• Fence disputes
• Tree and hedge disputes

Contact our solicitors for neighbour disputes

For clear, expert neighbour disputes advice, please contact a member of our property team for a no obligation discussion:

• Call: 01323 434416
• Email: enquiries@stephenrimmer.com
• Or pay us a visit at 21 Lushington Road, Eastbourne BN21 4LG

How we can help with neighbour disputes

Boundary disputes

Boundaries can be a frequent cause for disputes between neighbours. Given how complex residential property boundaries can be, it is somewhat understandable that neighbours will have conflicting views as to where a boundary line between their property lies.

When instructed, our team can assess a boundary dispute you are involved in with your neighbour, helping to determine exactly where the boundary between the properties is and how previous owners may have used the boundaries between the properties.

Where necessary, our solicitors for neighbour disputes can instruct third party experts, such as property surveyors, to assist with resolving the dispute.

Noise disputes

Anything from loud music being played at unsociable hours, to excessive dog barking could be sufficient grounds for a noise dispute to arise.

Resolving a dispute with nuisance neighbours who cause too much domestic noise is possible, particularly with the additional support of our team. We will take all of the necessary steps to ensure the problem is addressed, while ensuring that your legal rights are protected when dealing with your neighbour directly.

Right to light

Right to light can often prove to be a very contentious matter and will always be a very important consideration when any property development plans are put into place.

If a neighbour’s actions are threatening your right to light or, on the other hand, your plans are being halted by a neighbour claiming an obstruction to their right to light, our team can help.

Rights of way

It is often unclear exactly how rights of way can be used by either party, leading to disputes. This could be due to someone objecting to the use of their land by a neighbour, or because someone intends to enforce a right of way.

In any case, right of way disputes have the potential to be very contentious. Our neighbour dispute solicitors can help you to come to a suitable agreement, resolving the right of way matter with minimal disruption.

Party walls

Party walls (the wall that joins two houses together that are semi-detached or terraced) are regulated by the Party Wall Act 1996. This means that notice should be provided to a neighbour before any significant changes to the party wall take place.

If a dispute arises between the neighbours over the work that needs to be carried out, our solicitors can guide you through the necessary process to resolve matters. Depending on the circumstances, this may involve putting a party wall agreement in place.

Fence disputes

Many people elect to mark out the boundaries of their property with fencing. This can invariably create its own set of problems, causing fence disputes to arise between neighbours who cannot agree on where the property boundary should lie.

Where a fence dispute cannot be easily resolved, we can work alongside you to review whether the fencing breaches anyone’s land and proceed to take appropriate action based on those findings.

Tree and hedge disputes

Hedges are regarded as in the same way as fences in urban areas, which means they are often the subject of ongoing disputes between neighbours. Similarly, trees that grow to a certain height and impede on someone’s right to light can be a cause for concern.

Tree and hedge disputes are among the many matters our neighbour dispute solicitor can help you with. On a similar theme, our team can also advise you on issues surrounding Japanese Knotweed, which can cause significant damage to properties (even condemning them in the worst-case scenarios).

Neighbour dispute FAQs

Can a solicitor help with bad neighbours?

Yes, but this is often context dependent. If you have a nuisance neighbour, it may be possible to come to an agreement with them without having to take any formal legal action.

However, if you find that it is simply not possible to come to an agreement, or the neighbour is not willing to listen to reason, instructing a solicitor may be the most sensible course of action.

A specialist neighbour dispute solicitor can help to explain your current legal position, the options that may be available to you, and the benefits of going down a certain route.

What legal action can I take against my neighbour?

If you are involved in a legal dispute with a neighbour, the legal action you may be able to take will depend on the surrounding circumstances and the precise nature of the dispute.

If all other options have been exhausted, it may be possible to take a neighbour to court to enforce your side of a dispute. Where this is the case, our solicitors will be on hand to provide you with the necessary representation.

How do I settle a dispute with my neighbour?

There are a wide range of methods for resolving a dispute with a neighbour, many of which are designed to reduce conflict as far as possible.

Mediation, negotiation and arbitration are all potential options for resolving a neighbour dispute and can help to keep the matter out of court.

What are the most common neighbour disputes?

There are range of very common causes of neighbour disputes, some of which do not necessarily necessitate the need for legal action to be taken.

Noise complaints, parking issues, boundary disputes and overgrowing hedges are all common examples of neighbour disputes.

Who do I contact about bad neighbours?

The first person to try and contact would be the neighbour in question, as it may be possible to resolve the issue peacefully and without any external input.

If this is not possible, minor issues such as noise complaints could be resolved by your local council.

Any other matters can be resolved after speaking to our specialist neighbour dispute solicitors.

It is important to note that, if you have been threatened, personally targeted, or attacked by a neighbour, this could be a matter for the police.

Speak to our neighbour disputes’ solicitors in Eastbourne and Hastings

From our offices in Eastbourne and Hastings, our team advises individuals all across East Sussex, including in Bexhill-on-Sea, Hailsham, Polegate, Battle, Pevensey and St Leonards-on-Sea.

To find out how we can help with a neighbour dispute, please contact our expert team now:

• Call: 01323 434416
• Email: enquiries@stephenrimmer.com
• Or pay us a visit at 21 Lushington Road, Eastbourne BN21 4LG