What is Mediation?
Mediation is a voluntary, confidential, process that uses a neutral third party to help the parties in dispute come to a mutually agreed solution without having to go to court. The process allows disputants to work out their solution assisted by the mediators. Mediation is widely recognised as a cost-effective way of dealing with neighbour disputes.

Neighbour mediation is a way of resolving disputes between those who live in the same locality of neighbourhood. Disputes may involve issues such as noise, anti-social behaviour, boundary problems or verbal abuse, amongst other things. Mediation is not about deciding who is right or wrong, nor about what should or should not have happened in the past. Its main aim is to simply find some way of improving the present situation.

How Does Mediation Work?
We will arrange to visit you and listen to your problems. Then, if they are willing, we will visit the other person/s involved and listen to theirs. Then, if both the mediators and disputants agree, a joint meeting can be agreed. This meeting will be held at a neutral place with three of our mediators present. Each household has a chance to say what they need to without interruption.

Our job is to help those present to find a way forward. Usually a solution will be found which everyone is happy with which we will write down to remind everyone what was agreed. However, this is not a legally binding document.

Sitting down and talking to the people who you are in dispute with may seem odd at first, but most people find it okay, once it gets started and our experience proves that it does work. However, if anyone is not willing to meet, we will revisit each party in turn. Quite often this too can lead to agreement.