Private Owners & Residents
We assist with disputes over boundaries, plants, noise and shared access. Your position as owner, tenant or user is established first. Valid claims and possible duties to tolerate interference are assessed together.
PROPERTY · BOUNDARIES · LIVING TOGETHER
Neighbour law
Clarifying boundaries.
Enabling use.
Neighbour issues affect daily life, a property's value and its future use. We support private owners, businesses and institutions with interference, rights of use and binding agreements.
Discuss your matterOwnership. Consideration. Reliable rules.
YOUR MATTER
Your own rights.
Neighbouring interests.
Someone seeking to prevent interference faces different questions from someone wishing to use or develop their land. We assess each position by reference to ownership, agreements and the actual circumstances. We consider both a workable settlement and any necessary legal protection.
Businesses & Landholders
We support businesses and owners in using and developing their land. We assess the legal position of access routes, utilities and operational effects. Where neighbours make claims, we assess and represent your position.
Institutions & Facilities
We advise on neighbour issues concerning schools, administrative buildings and other properties. Access, boundary enclosures and use disputes are aligned with the institution's functions and addressed through suitable agreements.
OUR SERVICES
From the property boundary
to daily use.
Private-law claims, public building law and state neighbour-law rules may all be relevant. We establish the appropriate framework rather than drawing conclusions about the entire legal position from a permit or long-standing use alone.
Property Boundaries and Enclosures
Clarifying the line of the shared boundary.
We support owners with boundary lines, fences and other enclosures. We review documents, existing arrangements and possible obligations of the respective neighbours. Installation, maintenance and costs are assessed separately. Where the actual boundary is unclear, existing cadastral and survey records are considered and any further specialist input is agreed.
Boundary Construction and Setback Distances
Assessing building plans alongside the neighbour's position.
We help developers assess the legal position of projects close to a boundary and any necessary agreements. We advise affected neighbours on possible objections and claims. We review plans, construction progress and existing consents. Public-law setback distances, private-law limits and possible building encroachments follow different rules and are considered separately.
Trees, Hedges and Encroaching Growth
Assessing interference and protection requirements together.
We advise affected neighbours on overhanging branches, roots and planting disputes. We help property owners assess claims made against them. We establish the type, location and specific effects of the plants and the course of events. Neighbour-law claims, possible deadlines and public-law protection rules are assessed together before changes are made.
Noise, Odours and Other Interference
Establishing the nature and extent of the disturbance.
We help residents and owners assess interference from neighbouring uses. We advise businesses and institutions on their own position and possible adjustments. The source, duration and effects are documented. Contractual obligations, private-law claims and requirements imposed by authorities are distinguished according to the particular setting.
Rights of Way, Driveways and Access
Establishing rights of use reliably.
We support rights holders with access, the scope of a right of way and its enforcement. We advise owners of burdened land on limits and obligations. We review the land register, underlying agreements and actual exercise of the right. Maintenance, costs and changed use are assessed separately. An alleged right of way of necessity requires a separate assessment of its conditions.
Utility Lines and Supply
Defining routes, access and responsibility.
We support owners and rights holders with utility lines crossing neighbouring land. We review existing rights, agreements and planned changes. Installation, maintenance, access and costs are distinguished. Where faults or relocation arise, we clarify the legal positions affected and coordinate technical findings with the relevant specialists.
Drainage and Water
Understanding causes and effects.
We advise affected property owners on water inflow, changes to drainage and resulting damage. We help neighbours or operators of installations facing claims assess their responsibility. The terrain, measures taken and existing drainage records are considered. Technical causes, private-law claims and water-law issues are examined separately.
Privacy and Temporary Use
Managing proximity through clear agreements.
We support owners and residents with privacy screens, windows and questions about cameras near boundaries. For construction and maintenance work, we assess whether and on what terms neighbouring land may be entered or used. Purpose, extent, protection and reinstatement are defined specifically. Data protection, property rights and, where applicable, condominium-law issues are distinguished.
WORKING TOGETHER
From your concern
to your next decision.
We first establish the properties, the parties and the actual dispute. On that basis, we assess the legal position, evidence and the appropriate form of resolution.
Clarifying the Situation and Urgency
We establish the properties, uses and specific interference. Ongoing work, deadlines and planned changes are considered first.
Assessing Rights and Evidence
We review plans, land register entries and the documented course of events. We discuss legal options, necessary specialist input and costs.
Pursuing an Agreement or Legal Protection
We negotiate clear arrangements and assist with any required conciliation. Where necessary, we represent your interests in the agreed court proceedings.
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Initial
Guidance.
An initial guide to common questions. Your legal position, the documents and the facts determine the assessment of your individual case.
Legal information: 1 November 2026
Can every interference by a neighbour be prohibited?
A claim for removal or an injunction requires the relevant legal conditions to be met. The law excludes such a claim to the extent that a duty to tolerate the interference exists. The nature of the interference, entitlement, agreements and specific neighbour-law rules must therefore be assessed together.
Can overhanging branches simply be cut off?
The German Civil Code (BGB) imposes conditions, in particular interference with the use of the land and, for branches, generally the unsuccessful expiry of a reasonable period allowed for removal. Protection rules may also apply. The particular situation and further legal requirements should therefore be clarified before cutting.
Is a more convenient driveway enough to establish a right of way of necessity?
A right of way of necessity concerns the absence of a necessary connection for the proper use of land. A mere preference for a more convenient connection is not automatically sufficient. The conditions, route, extent and possible grounds for exclusion are assessed separately.
Must conciliation take place first?
That depends on the federal state and the specific subject of the dispute. Before taking court action, we check whether a preliminary procedure is required. Independently of this, a contractual settlement may be useful if it clearly defines rights, use and future arrangements.
Do you also represent the party against whom a complaint is made?
Yes. We assess claims made against you as well as your own claims. Operators, owners and residents are advised according to their respective legal positions. Potential conflicts of interest are checked before accepting the engagement.
Are disputes within a condominium owners' association also covered?
We first assess whether neighbour law, tenancy law or condominium law applies. Individually and jointly owned property, resolutions and the parties' positions may determine the appropriate claim and procedural route. The work is connected with the relevant practice area.
Do you also handle matters concerning business and institutional properties?
Yes. We assist with matters including access routes, utility lines, drainage and effects of land use. We assess the legal position of the business or institutional functions and the neighbours' legitimate interests.