If it is noisy neighbors who are
bothering you, go to your local library or town hall and get a copy of your
town’s noise ordinance. Are your
neighbors violating it in any way? A
violation of an ordinance means that a phone call to the police is warranted.
The police may not be able to do
anything other than knocking on the neighbor’s door to let them know a noise
complaint was lodged against them, but surely a few repeats will be more than
enough to get even the most decibel-loving person to turn it down a few
notches.
If the Issue is Tresspassing
If your neighbors are intruding on
your property, this is trespassing on private property and this is also
something you can report to the police. Are their numerous kids running around
on your yard? Are they letting their
dog go to the bathroom on your front lawn?
Take a video of the behavior whenever you notice it and keep that as
your record. In time, this may be a useful piece of evidence to show to local
officials.
If the Issue is Who-Owns-What
The neighbors want to cut down the
old oak tree on the border of your properties and you can’t bear to see the
thing – which you believe is legally yours – go. The neighbors want to build a fence and you don’t think that they
actually own the land on which they plan to do it. This is a game of who-owns-what and you need to figure out
exactly where your property lines are drawn.
Most likely, this will be hard to
eye-ball and you’re likely to have more success with your argument the more
certain you can be. You have to go back
and find the deed to your property and clearly measure things out. In cases
like these, clarifying the property line can make a world of difference.
If you go ahead and dig up your
deed, be aware that you may not find things to be in your favor. So be prepared
for things not to go your way. If your
neighbor wants to put up that fence or cut down that tree and it turns out
that, legally, they are allowed to do so, you will just have to learn to live
with it.