It can be extremely frustrating to deal with a boundary dispute with your neighbor. You may have thought that you owned a certain piece of a property but now a neighbor is claiming that you’re encroaching on their property. You may be infuriated when a neighbor constructs a building on your property or when they allow people to walk through it.
The good news about boundary disputes is that they can be resolved.
One common way to resolve a boundary dispute is by having a land survey done. Having a surveyor perform a boundary survey of your property will provide you with the location of your property boundaries. Knowing the location of your property boundaries is beneficial in determining if a neighbor has encroached on your property or if there are other Deed discrepancies that were not previously known to you, or your neighbor. While the survey of your property may determine the boundaries to be in one location, a survey performed for your neighbor may establish the lines in a different location. Boundary surveys may determine the location of the line; however, they do not establish legal title to the property. Discrepancies in boundary locations often require a decision to be made by a Court.
What can you do if your neighbor did encroach on your property?
If the survey does reveal that your neighbor was encroaching on your property, the first recommended step is to speak with a legal professional with knowledge and experience in handling real estate matters. If you approach the neighbor with the information from the survey, you may be inadvertently giving up certain legal rights. The issue may be resolved after your attorney has spoken with the neighbor regarding the survey. In cases like that, the legal professional will be able to draft the necessary documents to reflect the agreement reached.
If the neighbor isn’t willing to work with you to find a solution, the legal professional can offer guidance on the law and alternate steps. Attorney Rob Davidson is a Pennsylvania licensed land surveyor and has worked to resolved numerous boundary issues both as a surveyor and attorney, and he can answer your questions regarding boundary disputes.
