Whether you are a landlord, tenant or a traditional homeowner, being caught up in a property dispute can be a stressful and difficult time if you do not have the right advice to hand.
According to data published by The Property Ombudsmen earlier this year, disputes between landlords and tenants are slowly increasing all across the UK – with the most common reasons for complaints including ‘poor management’, ‘communication and record-keeping issues’ and ‘problems with tenancy agreements, inventories and deposits’.
Similarly, separate research from price comparison website GoCompare suggests that neighbourly disputes remain a big issue in certain UK regions. In a survey carried out in October, the group found that London, for example, ranked as the UK’s number one ‘hotspot’ for ‘nasty neighbour behaviour’, while South East England was one of the top destinations for ‘noisiness’ complaints.
Andrew Skinner, a Consultant with Palmers who specialises in property disputes, said that even very minor disagreements or disturbances between neighbours, or landlords and tenants, can quickly spiral out of control and leave people in awkward situations they are unable to resolve themselves.
“Disputes all too frequently arise and can become a major drain on your time and resources unless handled quickly and efficiently. On top of this, a small disagreement can very quickly turn into a bitter legal battle if advice isn’t sought early on,” he said.
Andrew added that depending on the nature of the dispute, it might not always be necessary – or sensible – to pursue a lengthy court battle in order to reach a resolution.
“Landlords and tenants should always consider alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and any other alternative options which might help them to bring a disagreement to an end in a speedier – and oftentimes less costly – manner,” he said.
Here at Palmers, we regularly advise homeowners, landlords and tenants on how to resolve issues ranging from party wall and boundary disputes, to noise nuisances and leasehold and ground rent disputes.
For more information about how Palmers can help, please contact us at enquiries@palmerslaw.co.uk.