Property disputes

We have all heard of those horrendous court cases costing tens of thousands of pounds when parties have been arguing about as little as a few inches of land. Boundary disputes are a Judges nightmare. Very often the deeds are unclear and the decision as to who owns what a lottery.

More serious property disputes denying a home owner access to their property; claiming legal rights over a person’s property are equally fraught with uncertainty.

We are more protective over our property rights than just about anything else and a threat to them is extremely stressful.  Going to court will:

• Undoubtedly be costly;
• Take many months and even years to resolve;
• Not guarantee that the parties get what they want;
• Possibly decrease the value on your property;
• Possibly prevent or delay you selling it.

Sometimes it is necessary to obtain a court ruling but in the vast majority of cases it is not and judges actively encourage parties to try and mediate. Because mediation is much quicker and cheaper than going to court it can take away a great deal of the stress, worry and uncertainty that will hang over you for many, many months if you go to court.

Even if court proceedings have been started they can be put on hold to try mediation. You will find that a Judge is highly likely to recommend to the parties that this is the best course of action. So why not go to mediation sooner rather than later?