How do I handle this property dispute with my neighbor?

Question

I bought a house two months ago. One day while mowing the grass, my neighbor came out and asked why I was mowing his grass. I explained that I was under the impression that the grass in question was on my property. So, I showed him my survey. The neighbor said, "yeah, your survey says that its yours, but my survey says its mine."

Naturally, I asked to see his survey. He said he'd have to find it, and he'd get back to me. Two weeks later, I looked out my back window and my neighbor was pulling out one of my bushes. I went right outside and asked what he was doing. He said he was building a fence. I said that didn't explain why he was ripping out my bush. He said he was ripping out his bush. I asked him again to produce his survey, and again, I got nothing. I demanded that he stop destroying my property, and that he needed to produce a survey to make any further claims. Then, he came back a week later and took out 2 more bushes. The police won't do anything. Help!

Answer 1

You need to get a lawyer quickly. If you want restitution for the shrubs, you can get that in small claims court without a lawyer, but if you want a permanent solution, you need a lawyer. Once you've gotten a judgement on the property line, the police will back you up, but without the judgement, they may be looking at it as your word against his.

Without harassing anyone, can you find out from other neighbors if the previous owner of the house had problems with this issue? If your neighbor approaches you again, you could ask him this question, too. Be really nice to all your neighbors so that no one will believe you're harassing the one who is ruining your landscaping.

One other piece of advice: if you bought the home using the services of a realtor, and you had a good relationship with him/her, you might email your realtor and let them know what has happened and ask them if they have any advice for you. Realtors want to maintain good relationships with former clients because they know that word of mouth is important in their business, so your realtor might be inclined to assist you with this situation. At the very least, they might refer you to a lawyer who'll discount their fees.

Answer 2

Your property should be marked with a metal rod at each corner.This is called a survey rod, is marks the boundary of your property. If you can't find them, go to your court house and look up your property. it will tell you were the boundary or markers are. If there are no marker you will have to have a survey done by the city or county. And if in fact you neighbor did destroy part of you property after marker are found or survey is done, he will have to pay damages.If he refuses to pay, you can take him to small clams court.

Answer 3

There must be a record at your local town hall or with your local authority. Often people who been on a property for some time just assume ownership of land adjacent to theirs.

Answer 4

Legally, you could positioned up a fence on the valuables line. in terms of neighborly peace, it is messier. All you could attempt and do is be honest and straightforward. practice her the survey, there could desire to be no % for her to have HER belongings surveyed, considering that your survey practice the legal line between the residences. yet whilst she desires to be obstinate.... I incredibly have a similar subject. My domicile and the neighbor as quickly as shared a double extensive driveway. the previous proprietor of my domicile positioned up a brick driveway positioned up actual in the midst of this driveway. regrettably, that placed it 5 ft onto my (as quickly as his) belongings, so he effectively gave up 5 ft. could % to get rid of this positioned up and pass it to the valuables line, yet to realize this could make my neighbor's driveway unusable (besides the certainty that they do have 2). i could % to, I legally can, even though it won't be able to make relatives with the neighbor ordinary, so it stands unresolved...