Dealing with Conflicting Land Boundaries
Has your neighbor built a fence that crosses over onto your property? Is your neighbor complaining about a tree that’s clearly growing on your property? Dealing with conflicting property boundaries is almost always difficult and frustrating. Land boundary disputes can turn previously friendly neighbors into enemies.
Thankfully, dealing with conflicting land boundaries doesn’t have to be a nightmare. Below, we’ve covered the steps you should take in the event of a property boundary dispute. Use this information to help prevent the situation from getting out of control.
Get a professional land survey
While determining property lines based on a property line map is possible, it’s easy to make a mistake. A surefire way to resolve land boundary disputes is by having a professional land surveyor take an accurate measurement of your property lines.
If you do end up in a legal battle with your neighbor, you can easily present a survey certificate from a professional land surveyor. Sometimes, a court will require you to conduct a land survey, so you can save some time by getting one right away. Just be sure to tell your land surveyor that you need a Certificate of Survey before they get started.
Discuss things with your neighbor
Do your best to stay calm while discussing conflicting property boundaries with your neighbor. Property line disputes can get heated, and it’s best to avoid an ongoing argument. A lot of times, neighbors can reach agreements over conflicting property boundaries without having to take legal action.
Take legal action
If you absolutely can’t reach an amicable solution with your neighbor, you may have to consider taking legal action. Get in touch with a good attorney in your area and discuss the situation. An attorney will have the best knowledge of how to proceed. Some steps involved in settling a land boundary dispute can include sending your neighbor a cease-and-desist letter and/or filing a lawsuit.
It’s usually best to leave legal action as a last resort when dealing with conflicting land boundaries, as lawsuits can be extremely expensive and exhausting for all parties involved. That said, sometimes it’s impossible to settle some disputes without resorting to legal action.
Avoiding property line disputes
The best way to avoid a property line dispute is by conducting a boundary survey before starting any type of construction project. Accidentally installing a fence or other structure over your property line could result in legal trouble and bad blood with your neighbor. You could also end up having to tear down your new structure and start from scratch.
Even after conducting a boundary survey, it never hurts to talk with your neighbor about your plans. They will likely appreciate you discussing the upcoming construction with them first. And by reaching an amicable solution with your neighbors, you can both avoid a long, drawn-out legal battle.
Get an accurate land survey
Avoid bad blood with your neighbors by investing in an accurate land survey. At Bettersworth & Associates, Inc., we use the latest land surveying technology to take accurate measurements of your property. Contact us today for all your land surveying needs.
Categorised in: Boundary Survey, Property Dispute