Scotland offers a unique view at the benefits and effectiveness of mediation for neighbour disputes. Though commonplace there today, mediation didn't become popular in Scotland until the late 1990s, long after the practice was already well tested in England. As the landmark 1999 Sheffield University study showed, the impact was immediate: police and city councils began recommending mediation, freeing up court time and offering opposing parties a new way to resolve their differences.

What Is Mediation for Neighbour Disputes?

Mediation is generally defined as an alternative form of conflict resolution. More specifically, it's a form of direct communication in which a trained mediator helps both sides come to a mutually beneficial solution, and it can be applied to an array of disputes, from educational conflicts to church discord.

More than simply “talking it through”, workplace mediation finds the core of a problem, solving communication problems and streamlining complaint resolution to help you and your team work through workplace disputes and stay focused on your organisation’s mission.

But mediation is particularly powerful in neighbourhood disputes because mediation brings people together, rather than pitting them against one another in a court of law. Yes, mediation can be recommended by a court, but mediation is not the same as a court proceeding.

In other words, there are no winners and losers in mediation — only winners!

Why Scotland?

Scotland is unique for a few reasons. First, conflict mediation is relatively new there, providing practitioners a good view of how effective mediation can be, especially in terms of neighbour disputes.

Though neighbour disputes in Scotland and England are much the same, the aforementioned study notes higher incidences of neighbour disputes in Scotland. This trend is partially due to a higher concentration of tenement housing, where shared spaces, such as stairways, laundry rooms, or outdoor spaces, can be sites of conflict. Additionally, the study suggests a higher preponderance of such disputes in high density, low income areas.

Another difference between Scotland and England is that in Scotland noise complaints can be treated as criminal offense, while this approach is less likely in England. In fact, the Sheffield University study shows that noise complaints are one of the most common neighbour disputes in Scotland, and that mediation is an effective route toward resolution.

How Mediation for Neighbour Disputes Works

Mediation is completely different than court. In court parties are represented by barristers and a judge decides who's right and who's wrong. In mediation, the parties are brought together as equals. There are no "defendants" or "aggressors." There aren't even traditional barristers; there is solely a trained mediator who helps facilitate dialogue and communication.

Impartial and nonjudgmental, the mediator brings people together to facilitate friendly and frank conversations. They use paraphrasing and argument framing to clarify misconceptions and find common ground to restore civility, so that participants can move forward together.

There is no "verdict" in mediation for neighbour disputes, just a road map for more civil existence and, we hope, a more tranquil neighbourhood.

Why Choose Mediation for
Neighbour Disputes?

Mediation has many benefits over traditional court proceedings.

As the Sheffield University study shows and as our trained mediators' experience supports, mediation is more cost effective than traditional court proceedings. Similarly, mediation is often more accessible than court, which can require paying for outside council, a hurdle for many low income citizens.

Another benefit is that mediation for neighbour disputes are also confidential. There is no public record of the events or results.

Most importantly, mediation is more flexible. While courts have set procedures, mediation lets participants write their own rules. Participants, therefore, have more control over the process and outcome, allowing them to reach a resolution that is mutually beneficial. As active players in the mediation, participants are more likely to feel personally invested in and honour a mutually amendable agreement.

This collective process makes mediation more effective than court, where a decision is handed down without consulting the participants, often leading to further resentment and violations of the "verdict". Mediation doesn't have such defined "right" and "wrong". Everyone is equal here.

The flexibility of mediation makes it more adaptable to a diverse mix of scenarios, from arguments over barking dogs to disagreements on property lines, and almost any other non-criminal, nonviolent neighbourhood dispute.

Whether resolving a recent rift or long simmering tensions, mediation for neighbour disputes offers tangible, enduring results.

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