Resolving epic battles between neighbours
Posted December 9, 2011 10:11 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Maybe you live next to Clark Griswold and his sleep-depriving Christmas light display or perhaps there was an unfortunate incident involving a chainsaw and your 30-year-old hedge; neighbourliness can turn into full-on hatred pretty quickly.
If you want to promote peace on Earth, or at least peace with the jerk next door, MoneySense Magazine has few tips on patching things up:
The cheapest, most cost-effective way to resolve an issue is to simply talk with your neighbour but that can often go nowhere fast.
“We all know there are certain neighbours out there who don’t want to talk, who don’t want to find a resolution,” says Romana King, an editor with MoneySense. “What we suggest is not to escalate it too quickly and not to assume you are right.”
She adds you should do your research carefully. “One quick and easy way to find out if whether or not you have claim to what’s going on on your property is to get a survey done. Surveys cost about a $1,000 but that helps you understand exactly what your claim is.”
The next step, if your neighbour doesn’t want to talk, is mediation. “Hire a mediator, who [is] trained to come in and find an amicable solution to both parties so it’s not a zero sum game like it is in court.”
“It’s more of a win-win situation. No one walks away a definitive winner, everyone walks away with a little piece of the pie,” King explains, noting community mediators are free in many parts of Canada.
If all else fails, agree to disagree and never speak to your neighbour again or brace your bank account and go to court, which can cost both parties tens of thousands of dollars.
