9 Tips for Managing Neighbour Disputes.
Neighbour disputes can quickly become a property management problem, even when the agency did not cause them. The key is to separate facts from frustration, understand what the agency can actually influence and avoid becoming the referee in a dispute that sits outside the tenancy.
Neighbour disputes can become surprisingly time-consuming.
Noise, parking, pets, fences, rubbish, shared areas, trees, access and personal disagreements can all find their way into the property manager’s inbox.
The challenge is working out what actually requires action from the agency and what does not.
1. Find out exactly what has happened.
Avoid relying on statements such as:
The neighbour is constantly causing problems.
Get the detail.
Ask:
What happened?
When did it happen?
How often has it occurred?
Is there any evidence?
Has the neighbour been contacted directly?
Has anybody else been involved?
The clearer the facts, the easier it is to decide whether the agency has a role.
2. Separate the tenancy issue from the neighbour dispute.
Not every disagreement between neighbours is a property management matter.
Ask whether the issue involves:
the renter’s obligations
the condition or use of the property
common property
landlord responsibility
possible damage
safety
a possible breach
access to the property
If none of these apply, the agency may have limited ability to intervene.
3. Avoid becoming the messenger between neighbours.
It can be tempting to pass every complaint from one side to the other.
That can quickly turn the PM into the centre of an ongoing argument.
Where appropriate, encourage direct and reasonable communication between neighbours rather than relaying every comment through the agency.
The PM should step in where there is a genuine property management issue, not become the referee for every disagreement.
4. Keep the conversation factual.
Neighbour disputes can become emotional very quickly.
Avoid adopting language such as:
They are impossible.
or:
They are deliberately causing trouble.
Focus on what can be established.
For example:
There have been three reported incidents of loud music after midnight this week.
Facts are much easier to manage than accusations.
5. Ask for useful evidence.
Where the complaint is ongoing, ask for information that can help clarify what is happening.
That might include:
dates and times
photos
video where appropriate
written descriptions
correspondence
incident numbers
details of any involvement by building management, council or other authorities
The aim is not to build a case against somebody.
It is to understand whether there is a pattern that requires action.
6. Be clear about what the agency can do.
Do not promise an outcome the agency cannot deliver.
Depending on the situation, the PM may be able to:
speak with the renter
remind them of relevant tenancy obligations
notify the landlord
contact strata or owners corporation management
address property damage
deal with an access issue
escalate a possible tenancy breach
The agency may not be able to control the behaviour of somebody living next door.
Setting that expectation early can prevent further frustration.
7. Know when another organisation needs to be involved.
Some neighbour issues sit outside the agency’s role.
Depending on the circumstances, the appropriate contact may be:
strata or owners corporation management
council
building management
police
a relevant dispute resolution service
another property manager
a specialist adviser
If there are threats, violence, immediate safety concerns or suspected criminal behaviour, the matter should not be treated as an ordinary neighbour complaint.
8. Check the legal position before taking formal action.
If the agency is considering breach action or another formal tenancy response, check the relevant legislation in your state or territory first.
Do not assume that a neighbour complaint automatically proves a tenancy breach.
Consider:
what obligation may have been breached
what evidence exists
whether the issue is ongoing
whether the correct notice or process applies
whether the matter should be reviewed internally before action is taken
Where strata, owners corporation or body corporate rules are involved, those requirements may also need to be checked.
9. Keep good records.
Neighbour disputes often involve different versions of the same event.
Record:
complaints received
dates and times
evidence provided
conversations with the renter
landlord instructions
discussions with building management or other parties
action taken
follow-up dates
the final outcome
Good notes make it much easier to manage the issue if it continues.
Do not let the dispute take over the portfolio.
Some neighbour disputes can generate enormous amounts of communication without much progress.
Keep asking:
What part of this can the agency actually influence?
Deal properly with the parts that fall within property management.
Document what has happened.
Escalate where necessary.
But avoid allowing the agency to become permanently caught between two neighbours who are unlikely to agree.