On this page you will find useful material for your use, as well as policies to help in conflicts to find out. Our Centre Handbook is aimed specifically at property managers and housing advisers, but is generally suitable for anyone interested in deconfronting housing. The mediation approach can be used as a tool to help resolve conflict in the settlement, even if you are not a professional mediator.
From this page you can also download Recommendations for real estate companies on how to deal with nuisance reports -instructions. The way in which nuisance reports are handled can have a significant impact on how co-existence with neighbours continues despite the nuisance experienced and caused. The way in which housing disturbances are handled can significantly reduce or improve the comfort and atmosphere in the home - usually the worst disputes have started small.
Recommendations for real estate companies to promote good neighbourly relations -The guide discusses how fostering aspects of functional relationships can promote independent problem-solving and a functioning community among residents.
Handbook of the Centre for Neighbourhood Mediation
The Neighbourhood Mediation Handbook is a guide to dealing with housing conflicts and disturbances in accordance with the principles of mediation. It is designed to be a guide and a resource for anyone whose job involves dealing with problems between people in neighbourhoods: landlords, housing advisers, maintenance workers, and professionals in regional social work, community, environmental and neighbourhood work.
You can download the free Neighbourhood Mediation Handbook (pdf).
Recommendations for real estate companies
You can download the free Recommendations for property companies on how to deal with nuisance reports (pdf).
You can download the free Recommendations for real estate companies to promote good neighbourly relations (pdf).
What to help in a conflict to solve the problem?
How to approach your neighbour as a resident
using the principles of mediation
1. First calm your mind and then approach your neighbour. Ask him if he has a moment to talk. Avoid written messages.
2. State your case calmly and present your request for a follow-up in a friendly and clear manner. Your neighbour may not be aware of your experience. It is usually more useful to make a simple request than to refer to the rules.
3. Give your neighbour the opportunity to share his or her point of view.
4. If you don't agree on the situation, listen to your neighbour anyway. You may find that you disagree. Avoid having a drunken no-no discussion.
If the situation remains unresolved, you can contact the Centre for Residential Peace for advice or directly submit a mediation initiative. If you think the disturbance is widespread, you can also ask your neighbours to contact the Centre for Residential Peace. If the situation is taken further in the mediation process, the involvement of all parties involved would be important and helpful in resolving the conflict.
How to approach a disruption as a host
using the principles of mediation
Disorderly conduct is usually governed by rules of order. Sometimes it is difficult to intervene because there is no evidence of a breach of the rules. Sometimes it is difficult to intervene because it is a case of word against word. In both cases, it is useful to encourage constructive dialogue between neighbours.
Every conflict is different. Some come to the host's attention immediately after the first disruptive experience, others only after the dispute has dragged on. In some cases, the management/housing adviser/other property company representative is first informed by one of the parties to the dispute, while in other cases the neighbours in dispute are reported by a third party who does not feel involved in the conflict. In all initial situations, it must be remembered that the first contact person's perspective is only one interpretation of the situation and acting on the basis of only one perspective is always risky.
1 Give your working time to the case. Spending time in the early stages will save the total time required for the case. Call each party.
2 Calm the situation by saying that the matter has been taken up and that everyone can put forward their point of view.
3 Listen to each party's point of view. Avoid making interpretations.
4 Take the necessary steps. These may include a request for the parties to discuss the matter on their own, a joint meeting at the office, a warning or a reprimand.
Sometimes the property manager is also perceived as a party to the conflict and is not trusted. This happens in situations where the host intervenes with a disturbance report based on the first point of view (the report is perceived as unjustified because the point of view of the recipient of the report has not been heard) or, conversely, in situations where the host does not react with a disturbance report (the party affected feels that the host is not carrying out its tasks in an appropriate manner). The only way to help resolve the conflict to solve the problem is contribute in a sustainable way to maintaining their own neutrality in the eyes of the parties and guide them towards reaching agreement among themselves.
The Centre for Residential Peace recommends enabling and opening communication between the parties as a first option in all situations. The sooner the dialogue can be opened, the better the chances of resolving the conflict. The possibility of misinterpretations and misunderstandings is reduced. Although consultation may seem laborious, it is worthwhile to invest in it. This approach will reduce the number of contacts with the host in relation to the conflict and will enable the parties to resolve less serious problems in the future without the help of the host, provided that communication between the parties works and is supported by the host. Consultation and joint discussion between the parties are also good tools for situations that are mild from the host's point of view and do not violate the rules of order.
Opening a dialogue at an early stage is useful because it can prevent confrontation from taking root and escalating the conflict. So do not expect flagrant excesses, but rather lower the threshold for supporting communication. If the situation has become very difficult or if hosting is perceived as biased, the staff of the Centre for Peace in Housing offer assistance in the places of action and consult with housing providers throughout the country.