how to fight your neighbor in a line dispute with out a lawyer

by Trisha Crist Jr. 6 min read

Try to reach a neighbor-to-neighbor agreement. Reaching an agreement between the two of you — without involving attorneys and/or the court system — is generally the fastest, easiest and cheapest way to resolve neighbor property line disputes. Once you’ve reached an agreement, both of you can sign a deed that details the perimeters of the land.

Here are some tips, ranging from a simple conversation to a lawsuit.
  1. Talk To Your Neighbors. This is the first step to take. ...
  2. Put Up Signs And/Or Fences. If you live in an area with a lot of open land, it can be useful to put up signs to deter trespassers. ...
  3. Conduct A Title Search. ...
  4. Hire A Land Surveyor. ...
  5. Hire An Attorney.
Dec 15, 2021

Full Answer

What to do if you have a dispute with your neighbor?

Perhaps the best way to solve a property line dispute is by mutual agreement with a neighbor. Property owners on both sides of the disputed boundary can decide to use a common marker, such as a fence or tree, to determine where land belonging to each begins and ends.

Can a dispute over a property line be resolved?

How you proceed greatly depends on your relationship with the neighbor. Keeping things friendly, or at least civil, is often the best approach. If your relationship with your neighbor allows, try to speak with him or her about the issue. Perhaps there's simply a misunderstanding, which can be cleared up between the two of you. Although consulting with your attorney is advisable prior to …

Can I Sue my Neighbor Over property line disagreements?

First things first, verify that you fully understand the nature of the property line disputes. If you are unable to do so on your own or lack the legal understanding, you should acquire professional analysis from a real estate attorney. If you don’t know what to ask your real estate attorney, these eight questions will help you get some ground on the case. The attorney should be able to …

What is a neighbor dispute or a lot line dispute?

Oct 10, 2015 · If there is a small tree near the property line that is likely to grow until it crosses the line, it is a good idea to talk to your neighbor about the tree before it is an issue to ensure that both of you understand who owns the tree and what should be done about it when its branches start crossing property lines.

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What are the 4 types of boundary disputes?

Broadly speaking, the majority of these disputes can be broken down into four categories:Lot line disputes.Fence, landscaping, and outbuilding disputes.Access disputes.Adverse possession claims.Nov 25, 2020

What are the most common Neighbour disputes?

Common neighbour disputesNoise. A common complaint raised by people is to do with noise. ... Trees and hedges. Overhanging trees are another common reason for neighbour disputes. ... Boundaries, fences and driveways. ... Shared amenities. ... Party walls. ... Abusive, anti-social or violent neighbours. ... Overhanging gutters.

How do you settle a boundary dispute?

Getting professional help with a boundary disputeNegotiate directly with the neighbour to achieve a settlement of the dispute that has arisen; or.Agree with the neighbour to enter into a form of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), and in the present conundrum I would recommend Mediation; or.More items...•Oct 15, 2021

How do you stop a Neighbour harassing you?

What Can You Do If Your Neighbor Is Harassing You?Turn to your landlord if you rent your place.Ask for a restraining order against the neighbor.File a police report.File a noise complaint.Sue the neighbor for harassment.

How do you deal with a psycho neighbor?

If you're experiencing harassment and are afraid for your safety, you should immediately report your neighbor. Don't call 911 unless your issue truly is an emergency. Check with your local police station what the appropriate approach to this situation is. Ask the police who you should talk to about your issue.

Can Neighbours remove boundary walls?

You may be able to reach an agreement with your neighbour to set out the precise boundaries of both of your respective properties. This is known as a Boundary Agreement and you are encouraged to seek independent legal advice before you enter into such an Agreement.Jul 1, 2018

How long before a boundary becomes legal?

This is a complex area and the law changed in 2003 but, in summary, if a neighbouring owner can prove the right sort of continuous and exclusive possession of the land for long enough (12 or 10 years depending upon the period in question) they may have acquired, or be entitled to acquire, title to the land, even if it ...Feb 1, 2019

The Importance of Enforcing Your Property Lines

It’s very important to both know and enforce your property’s exact boundaries. If your neighbor is encroaching upon your property and continues to...

Finding Your Property Lines

You should be able to find your property lines on your deed, but it’s important to note that deeds are not always correct. It’s ideal to cross-refe...

Boundary Fence Laws in Pennsylvania

It’s very common for boundary fences, also known as division fences, to be put up between properties. When a boundary fence is put up with the cons...

Resolving Boundary Disputes

The best method of resolving a boundary dispute is to come to a legal and reasonable agreement with your neighbors. Unfortunately, that isn’t alway...

How to deal with loud neighbors?

Other courses of action to deal with loud neighbors include: 1 Issuing a Stern Warning, 2 Hiring a Mediator, 3 Calling the Police, 4 Involving the HOA, 5 Filing a Lawsuit.

What is neighbor law?

Neighbor law covers the many disputes that may occur between two individuals that live side by side. Of course, there are many sorts of disputes that can, and do, arise.

Why do neighbors have fences?

One of the most common neighbor disputes is perhaps property boundary issues. After all, fences exist not only for privacy, but also for the purpose of keeping others (mostly neighbors) out.

What happens if you file a lawsuit on your own?

If you chose to file a lawsuit on your own, you must weight the benefits with the costs. The benefits may be a quiet neighbor, and even some extra cash. On the other hand, the cost of having an angry neighbor. And the costs of filing a lawsuit you may not win, may make the effort more trouble than it’s worth.

What is encroachment in real estate?

Encroachments can include: a fence built on your property, a shed which partially enters your property, or a garden bed which is partly on your land.

What happens if you don't get a demand letter?

If the demand letter and other negotiations among your respective attorneys are not getting you the hoped-for results, it may be time to file a complaint in circuit court, most likely to "quiet title." This means you ask the court to consider all your evidence and arguments (and your neighbor's evidence and arguments) and decide who legally owns the land at issue.

What does an appraisal tell you?

An appraisal will tell you the market value of the piece of property in dispute. A title search will find all recorded documents in the chain of title of your property, and will show if there are any easements or deeds that may affect your ownership interest in the property.

How to resolve a dispute with a neighbor?

Once you’ve reached an agreement, both of you can sign a deed that details the perimeters of the land. You should work with an attorney to sign the deed, which will then need to be filed with your county recorder’s office or land registry office.

What to do if you can't reach an agreement with your neighbor?

If you can’t reach an agreement with your neighbor on your own, a letter from your attorney is a reasonable next step. It lets your neighbor know you mean business before pursuing further legal action. The letter should detail the property line violation and ask for a specific action to resolve the situation. 7.

Do cities have their own property line ordinances?

Property line laws vary by state, and some cities may also have their own property line ordinances. Make sure you fully understand the laws that apply to your specific situation before going head-to-head with your neighbor.

Identifying The Property Line Issue

First things first, verify that you fully understand the nature of the property line disputes. If you are unable to do so on your own or lack the legal understanding, you should acquire professional analysis from a real estate attorney.

A Demand Letter To Refresh Memory

Let’s just assume that you’ve tried speaking to your neighbor, face to face. They were hesitant and did not want to compromise. Perhaps they were even hostile towards you.

Court, Settlements, Legal Action

If your demand letter and any other form of discussion are not providing hoped-for results – it would be a great time to file a quiet title or a complaint. You ask the court to consider all of the evidence, including your neighbor’s arguments – to decide who legally owns the land at the question.

Property Line Disputes Can Be Resolved In A Myriad Of Ways

Now that you understand how to determine the worthiness of a property line dispute, you can act accordingly. Whether you choose to use less aggressive methods of legal action or full-on sue your neighbor – it will be your choice.

1. Is there a survey?

All boundary disputes should start with a survey. After all, how can either neighbor argue that the other neighbor is exceeding their legal boundary lines without a marker and a licensed survey. We always recommend getting a survey first.

2. Use

This is a key question. In particular, if one of the neighbors is going to make an argument for a prescriptive easement for ingress and egress or some other transitory use, they must establish that they have been using the disputed area for at least 5 years.

3. Burdens of an encroachment

In many of the cases we see, one side or the other argues for the imposition of an equitable easement. One of the big factors, amongst several, is to determine whether the burden to the encroached upon party substantially outweighs the burden to the party maintaining the encroachment.

4. Why fight?

Every time we deal with a neighbor dispute we start with asking the question judges ask us to ask our clients over and over – why fight? The reason judges ask this question is that neighbor disputes can be unconformable because in many cases you are living next door to your opponent and that can be uncomfortable during the lawsuit and even afterwards.

5. Do you need a recorded easement?

Inevitably, every neighbor and lot line dispute comes down to whether the person claiming to establish greater rights can resolve the matter without a recorded easement that runs with the land.

What to do if you want to dispute a bill for any valid reason

What to do if you want to dispute a bill for any valid reason#N#1. Do not ever call to settle a bill or resolve a billing problem. Write a letter within 30 days of the date on the letter. Delay and it will be legally assumed that you have accepted the charges.#N#2.

What to write and where to send?

What to write and where to send?#N#1. Make sure you follow all instructions on the billing letter as to where it should go (person and address).#N#2. Make sure the letter has your name and address;#N#3. Captions are essential. List your name, account number, invoice number and amount separately.#N#4. If you dispute the entire bill - say so.

Reasons? I will give you reasons!

Reasons? I will give you reasons!#N#1. State your reasons for dispute in a bullet form. Avoid generalities. Stick to dates and facts. (e.g. The item you bill for has not been delivered" or "The services you bill for have not been provided"#N#2. If something was promised, state the date and the name - "On 11/11/2011 Ms.

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