15
Talked to a small claims mediator in San Jose that changed how I handle neighbor disputes
Last week I had coffee with a guy who mediates small claims cases in Santa Clara County. He told me most fence and tree disputes boil down to people sending angry texts instead of certified letters. He said one case over a $300 tree trimming bill escalated to $6,000 in court fees because nobody documented anything. That really hit different for me because I've been guilty of just texting my neighbor when their sprinklers soak my patio. I started taking photos and writing down dates after that conversation. Has anyone else had a small issue blow up because you didn't keep records?
2 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In2 Comments
rileyb6125d ago
Why not both? A quick talk and a paper trail.
8
mason.brian26d ago
Right, but certified letters don't exactly build goodwill with a neighbor. Most people escalate things because they skip the simple face to face talk and go straight to legal threats. I've had neighbors for 15 years, and a quick conversation over the fence solved more than any documentation ever would. The $6,000 bill sounds like both sides were stubborn and refused to just split the cost early on. Putting a paper trail together before you've even tried talking feels like you're assuming the worst about someone. Sometimes a little trust goes a lot further than a stack of photos and dates.
4