Residential property

Disputes in relation to residential property can arise in a number of ways. This section provides practical and clear guidance, as well as helpful documents, to help you understand the key legal issues involved and take the right steps to resolving them. For example, where a residential property is rented, both landlord and tenants will have rights and obligations. To find out what these are, the starting point is to look at the tenancy agreement between them. If either of them has broken the terms of this tenancy agreement, the other can take action to remedy the situation and/or to get compensation.

If you’re a landlord, you ultimately have several potential methods available to you to take back possession of the property. There are strict rules around how you can do this lawfully, otherwise your tenant can challenge you. Landlord and tenant disagreements aren’t the only possible disputes concerning property.

Owners of residential properties may find themselves involved in property-related disputes with neighbours, for example. Typically, these types of disagreement concern the boundaries of both properties or certain legal rights connected to one of the properties, such as rights of way or rights to light. The materials here will give you an excellent head-start on understanding your options and what you may need to do, or avoid doing, next.