You have rented or bought a beautiful home and it feels like your place. Yet there is one thing that you had not taken into account beforehand: the neighbors. You don't get to choose the neighbors and sometimes small or large things can cause a lot of nuisance and irritation. In this article we discuss the different types of nuisance and how you can arrive at a viable solution.
A neighbor dispute often starts because of something small. Perhaps you have turned the music too loud yourself or you are bothered by the neighbors barking dogs. The irritations can run high, which often means that it is no longer possible to talk. In addition to noise nuisance, odor nuisance and clutter are also a major cause of trouble with the neighbours.
Cause
Whatever the cause and how far the situation has gone, talking is often the key to a solution. Try to sit around the table like adults and dare to admit your mistakes. Make sure that you enter such a conversation calmly and that you do not blame each other, so that the situation can still escalate. After all, you have the same interest: to be able to live comfortably next to each other without nuisance.
Neighborhood mediation
If you do not want to talk to each other, you can use neighborhood mediation. You can often request neighborhood mediation via the website of the municipality where you live. These are volunteers who mediate in your situation. You can also think about calling in the local police officer. In order to start this conversation properly, it may be important to note the moments at which you experience nuisance. When it comes to larger problems such as abuse, drug nuisance or psychiatric problems, it is wise to call in another party.
Punishable
When criminal offenses are committed, you must call the police. It is wise to leave the police out of a simple neighborly dispute. As a result, the tension can rise even higher and it is better to work it out together to keep the mutual atmosphere good.
Police
Is the situation unsustainable? In the event of multiple complaints, the police have the right to confiscate pets or musical equipment, for example. Therefore, check the area to see if there are other neighbors who are also affected by this. They can make a report at the moment of nuisance, so that the police can intervene sooner.
Neighbor Problems
Do these solutions not work or do they not apply to your situation? The voluntary organization neighborhood mediation has the top ten neighbor problems listed. In addition to our general tips, we have explained per situation how you can solve a certain problem.
Noise pollution
Noise nuisance takes many forms. Maybe it's about loud music, screaming children or you can literally listen to the television of the neighbors every night. Vehicles, tools or stamping footsteps can also cause a lot of annoyance. Perhaps the neighbors have no idea at all that they are causing a nuisance. So always have a conversation first. In addition, there are simple measures that you can take together that can limit the nuisance. You can find more about this on the website of the Dutch Noise Pollution Foundation.
Trague
The neighbors are rude or constantly taunting you in any way. You may have received threats or abuse. A conversation doesn't seem possible, but try to start it anyway. Keep in mind that you should not judge too quickly with this form of nuisance. Everyone communicates in a different way and there may be some miscommunication that causes things to be misunderstood.
Garden problems
The garden is one of the biggest causes of neighbor disputes. Perhaps the fence has been removed without consultation or it needs maintenance and this is not negotiable with the neighbors. In this situation it is important that you investigate what the rules are in your situation. You can read more about this at the Juridisch Loket. Do you want to install a new fence, but the neighbors don't want this? Then make sure you place the fence on your own land.
Children
When you are a nuisance from the neighbours' children, you often hit a sensitive chord. Maybe the parents don't realize what their children are doing at all. Children can cause a nuisance by playing in the garden, invading privacy or they may even bully your children. Teenagers can also cause a lot of nuisance. Always try to put yourself in the other person's shoes in this situation. Maybe there are problems you don't know about. Do you think the children are being abused or neglected? Please contact the municipality where you live to report this.
Parking
Do you live next to a household that occupies several parking spaces in the neighbourhood? Or do you invariably suffer from a van that is parked in front of your door, so that you no longer have a view? Perhaps the passage is obstructed or parking spaces are claimed. In short: there are many situations where parking can cause a riot with the neighbours. Try to come to good agreements together. Doesn't this work? Ask the municipality what the parking rules are and what is being done to enforce them.
Animals
Animals can cause noise and odor nuisance. Just think of the barking of a dog or a cat doing its business in your garden. Do you want to keep the animals out of your garden? Check out this website for more information. In case of neglect or too many animals, you can consult the animal police or animal protection.
Clutter
Not everyone is equally hygienic or cleans up their own mess. Especially when you share common areas with the neighbors, this can lead to annoyance. Maybe the neighbors don't keep their appointments or cleaning tasks. In this case, try to arrange a conversation with as many neighbors as possible to work it out together. Put agreements on paper and schedule a follow-up appointment.
Destructions
Boring from children in the neighborhood to aggressive neighbours: it can cause a lot of problems. Is your car scratched or the front yard messed up? See if it was an accident or if it was intentional. Is there no conversation possible? Then call the police and avoid confrontations.
Overpath
Disputes about which land belongs to whom have been going on for years. Right of way is also a well-known situation. At the Kadaster you can inquire about the exact situation.
Renovation
Are the neighbors doing renovations? With a temporary renovation, it is normal that you take this for granted as long as they follow the rules. This means that you should not wake up at four o'clock at night from, for example, a drill. A major renovation for which a building permit must be submitted can also cause nuisance. You may have less daylight due to the renovation. In that case you can lodge an objection against the building permit. Are you going to grow yourself? To avoid a neighborly dispute, it is wise to inform the neighbors in advance about your plans. They can take this into account and know that it is only temporary.
Right
Has all this had no effect? As a last resort, you can choose to engage a specialized lawyer. There are many lawyers who are familiar with neighbor disputes and specialize in this. Such a lawyer will go through the situation with you and see what the options are for solving the problem.
Mediator
Don't want to spend sky-high costs on a lawyer and don't want to take huge measures right away? Then see if you can engage a mediator. A mediator actually does the same as the neighborhood mediation and mediates in the situation. Calling in a mediator or neighborhood mediation is often the best solution for conflicts with neighbours.
Mediator
When you try to solve the problem through the law, often more conflicts and irritations arise on both sides. Always try to talk to each other first and, if necessary, to a third party such as a mediator or an intermediary. When you do this, it's important to meet on neutral ground. So don't meet at your house or at the neighbors house.