Mediation/Neighbors & HOA
Neighbors & HOA disputes
When the dispute is next door.
A fence, a tree, noise, parking, an HOA rule nobody agrees on. These disputes are reaching the courts more and more often, and a court order doesn't change the fact that you still live beside each other. Mediation deals with the problem and leaves the neighbors intact.
Sounds familiar?
The situations this page is for.
- A boundary, fence or tree dispute with a neighbor
- Noise, parking or pets that have turned into a feud
- An HOA rule, fine or assessment a homeowner disputes
- A board and a homeowner who can no longer talk to each other
- A complaint that is heading for court and doesn't need to
- A shared driveway, easement or repair nobody will pay for
How we'd help
A resolution you can live next to.
Neighbor and HOA mediation is voluntary and confidential, and it works because the people in the room are the ones who have to live with the result.
The mediator helps each side say what the problem is (often it is not the fence) and hear the other side of it, then work out an arrangement both can keep to. For HOA matters that can include the board, the homeowner and the manager, so the agreement holds within the association's own rules.
An agreement reached this way is usually faster and far cheaper than a court case, and unlike a judgment it does not leave a winner and a loser living side by side.
one paragraph in the mediator's own voice about this kind of matter — experience, and how a session is run.
Common questions
What people ask before they call.
How do we start?
One person gets in touch. You do not need the other party's agreement to make the first call — part of what we do is help bring the other side to the table.
How do I get the other person to participate?
Mediation is voluntary, so no one can be compelled. What usually works is a neutral invitation from the mediator rather than from the person they are in conflict with.
How long does it take?
Typical number of sessions for a neighbor or HOA matter, and how long each runs.
Does the HOA board have to agree to mediate?
Whether the mediator approaches the board or manager, and how HOA cases usually come in.
Can we mediate before anyone files in court?
Yes, and that is the best time to do it. Mediation can also happen after a case has been filed, if both sides would rather settle.
Is it confidential?
What is said in mediation stays in mediation. Nothing is shared outside the process unless the participants agree to share it.
Who pays?
Who usually pays — the homeowner, the association, or split.
How much does it cost?
Hourly, per session, or per matter? A range, or "quoted after the first conversation" if fees vary.
Can we do this remotely?
Virtual, in person at the Bowie office, or on site — and whether the parties need to be in the same room.