When moving into a property, new owners or occupiers are frequently unaware of who their neighbours or landlord will be until after finalising the move. By then, it is far too late to avoid a bad neighbour or landlord. Using our experience at P&B lawyers, we recommend these four key steps before hiring property dispute lawyers. By attempting these steps early, many people may never need a lawyer, or only require limited services.
- Don’t Escalate too quickly
While it might seem contrary for a law firm to recommend not escalating quickly, often clients can resolve property disputes without resorting to litigation. Frequently cases simply require a little common sense. If you think that both parties cannot be reasonable, then it might be wise to consider hiring a lawyer as a neutral third party.
- Don’t seek revenge
While it might be tempting, now is not the time to attempt to get revenge on the other party. If initial negotiations have failed, it is time to seek legal advice instead. The lawyer will inform you of any interim actions that will not affect your standing in court. Courts do not look favourably on revenge, and ultimately it can seriously hurt your case – even if it felt good at the time.
- Document, Document, Document
Like most legal services, property dispute lawyers require large amounts of documentation to create a compelling case for court. To avoid situations turning into a “he said/she said”, the best step is to gather as much evidence as possible supporting your side of the case. As property disputes are tangible, there are more opportunities to create documented evidence than many other dispute cases.
- Figure out your end game
Property dispute lawyers are only as good as your end goal, so it is important that you are clear about your settling goal. To determine what you are satisfied settling for, one way is to ask yourself what is the best compensation for the dispute. What would your position be if the dispute had never happened? With this clear end goal, you and your lawyer can then determine what legal steps will get you to that position.
At P&B Lawyers, our experienced solicitors can help you with property disputes & legal issues, regardless of which stage you are at. Call us today and speak to one of our friendly team for legal advice tailored to your situation.