Is There Anything You Can Do if Your Neighbors Are Terrible?

 Posted on July 07, 2022 in Real Estate

You searched high and low for the ideal home for your family, and you spent a significant amount of money making it yours. You believed you had considered every factor that could make the property a terrible investment, but you neglected to factor in the one unknown: the unpleasant neighbor.

Neighbors can be nasty, but there are those that are worse than others. There are certain little annoyances, such as barking dogs and loud music, that are innocuous but irritating. But if you find yourself in a scenario where you have to deal with property loss or bodily harm, you will need to find a solution.

What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

In the worst-case situation, a bad neighbor might inflict harm or death to you or a member of your family, whether on purpose or by mistake. Fortunately, these kinds of situations are rare.

Damage to property, such as a fence, on the other hand, occurs far more frequently. An argument that starts off as a friendly spat can quickly escalate into a full-fledged conflict. The neighboring property owner's ways of asserting their so-called rights may also become increasingly detrimental over time.

What To Do in the Case of an Awful Neighbor?

Don't get into a fight with your neighbor, even if you think you are right. Engaging them more or acting in retaliation is almost always a bad idea. Ask your neighbor to stop their annoying conduct. Consider involving the law if they ignore or decline your request.

Make a police report if your neighbor does something that puts your property or safety in jeopardy. In most cases, this will end the behavior, but it may sometimes make things worse. Get a copy of every police report that is filed.

If you're still not sure what your legal alternatives are, take your police reports to a real estate attorney. You may be able to discover a solution to your problem by learning about Illinois real estate and neighbor issues.

How To Avoid Having a Troublesome Neighbor?

There are a few things that can be done in order to try and avoid having a troublesome neighbor. One of the most important is to do your research before buying the property. Make sure to look into the surrounding neighborhood and see if there are any potential problems. If you already own the property, consider connecting with a Glenview real estate attorney to help you write up a solid contract with your neighbor that will outline what is and is not allowed on each property. This can help to avoid any future disputes.

The Livingston Law Office

The Livingston Law Office has a team of experienced Illinois real estate attorneys. We help people who want to buy a new property, want to sell a property, or need help resolving a legal dispute related to real estate.

We are also happy to help clients do research that looks into the property's deed, zoning ordinances, and other regulations that may affect how the property can be used. Additionally, we may be able to help research the backgrounds of potential future neighbors in order to get an idea of what kind of people they will be.

Contact us with the specifics of your case and we’ll be happy to get started on it.