Neighbour disputes can escalate

Nothing disrupts peaceful home life like neighbour disputes. Whether about noise or parking, property lines or general antisocial behaviour, these types of situations can escalate quickly, sometimes even ending up in court. Neighbourhood mediation entirely avoids that route.

The benefits of neighbourhood mediation

Community mediation and neighbourhood mediation offer instant and tangible benefits for participants.

First and foremost, neighbourhood mediation avoids court cases that can prove costly and time consuming and which are often covered by the press. Such community mediation eliminates any potentially embarrassing public coverage while also reducing cost and time.

Most importantly, neighbourhood mediation avoids language like “defendant” or “aggressor.” All parties come to the table as equals, working together to facilitate a sustainable and mutually satisfactory outcome.

How does it work?

Rather than having both sides hire opposing lawyers, one trained professional runs community mediation and neighbourhood mediation sessions. This person remains impartial and nonjudgmental as both sides air their grievances.

By paraphrasing and reframing the matters, the mediator can help participants find common ground in neighbour disputes, restoring civility and communication, even when one party exhibits antisocial behavior.

By being more personally involved in the discussion, and thus the solution, participants leave neighbourhood mediation feeling happier and more invested in the result. They are therefore more likely to normalise relations with their neighbours, a development that makes domestic life far more enjoyable.