People’s homes can represent a lot of things. Whether a home something they’ve worked or saved a long time to buy or simply a place where they can get some reprieve from the stresses of daily life, for many Ohioans, their homes (no matter how large or small) really are their castles.
That’s one reason disputes with neighbors can be so stressful and often volatile. Even homes in exclusive areas are often close enough for neighbors to disturb one another – or at least for issues around their boundaries to occur.
Frequent sources of dispute
Among the most common neighbor disputes that cause people to take legal action are the following:
- Noise: Anything from loud music and parties to lawn equipment to dogs and kids can disturb the peace – particularly if a concern is ongoing and/or occurs during the late night or early morning hours.
- Shared fences and walls: These can pose all kinds of problems – from maintenance issues to height issues to whether they’re located inside one homeowner’s boundary lines or not.
- Trees: Trees can be the cause of all kinds of issues when they’re on or near a property line. Branches and leaves might extend into someone else’s yard. Fruit might fall on to neighboring property.
- Garbage and other eyesores: There always seems to be one house in a neighborhood where the residents put out random furniture or old appliances with the garbage or never mow the lawn. These things can affect the ambiance of the neighborhood – and even property values.
- Attractive nuisances: Concerns can include anything from swimming pools to tools and other equipment that can be tempting for kids to get into and dangerous if they aren’t properly fenced in (as with a pool) or supervised.
Some of these issues are addressed under local law (for example, noise ordinances). Others are covered under homeowners’ association (HOA) regulations. If you’re having a problem with one of them, it’s wise to find out what laws or regulations support your rights before addressing it.
Options for settling a dispute
Certainly, something can be hard to live with that doesn’t violate laws or codified rules. Whether it does or not, it’s smart to try to address it in as neighborly a fashion as possible with the offender.
If a civil action seems the only way to resolve a dispute, it’s often worthwhile to first consider mediation. This can help keep things civil while still allowing you and the other party to work toward a resolution under the guidance of a neutral third party. Seeking personalized guidance to learn more is always an option.