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Neighbour

Explained: How to settle disputes without going to court in France

We look at the new ‘amicable’ process for everyday civil claims introduced to find out-of-court solutions

Must I remove ivy growing on my French second home?

Ivy can be attractive but can also be viewed as damaging

Can our neighbour in France force us to replace a hedge with a fence?

Position, height, age are all factors which will need to be considered

practical

Are video doorbells legal in France?

The positioning and the scope of a camera is important

Family may have to move as cannot uproot ‘dangerous’ tree in France

100-year-old cedar could destroy home, says family, but local authority officials at standstill over rules

French village rallies behind farmer told to quieten her chickens

A nearby second-home owner had contacted her lawyer to make the clucking stop

‘Our kind French neighbours have made us feel so welcome’

The French are often portrayed as ‘stand-offish’ but columnist Peter Wyeth has had nothing but generosity - especially with surplus vegetables

French farmer fined €105,000 over ‘ugly’ tractors

Neighbour complained of an ‘open-air dump’ near his upmarket gîte. Farmer says neighbour used misleading images in court

Who must cut overhanging branches in French garden?

France’s civil code is strict and can be confusing to navigate

Explainer: Rights and obligations for shared garden walls in France

What work can you do on your side and what are the shared costs and responsibilities?

Garden magnolia tree in France saved by children’s love letter

Owners of the property next door said tree blocked light to their new extension and wanted it felled

How you must try to resolve neighbour disputes amicably in France

A mediator must always be used before taking certain issues to court

Man fined €6,000 for cutting down neighbour’s tree in northern France

He claimed the 70-year-old tree impaired his sea view

French law: Can I cut an overhanging branch from neighbour’s tree?

France’s Code Civil includes specific rules on encroaching branches and trees

12 things you can do at your mairie in France apart from get married

We highlight fun and serious ways the local mairie keeps your French community running smoothly

Brittany crêperie taken to court... for smelling of crêpes

Tens of thousands of residents sign petition in support of restaurant after neighbour lodges complaint

Who owns the boundary wall of our French property?

Dividing walls are generally shared but be aware of cases where this principle does not apply

Paris puts on friendly face to change city stereotypes

Can the capital ever recreate the community vibe of French villages? Meet the man on a mission to try

What can I do about neighbour’s cat leaving mess in our French garden?

We look at the possible courses of action, from natural deterrents to legal procedures

Illegal cabins tracked, tree dispute: Four French property updates

We also look at the annulment of a house sale because of a lack of access to drinking water and the nightmare of a pensioner unable to leave his flat

Buy or rent debate, checking sales data: Five French property updates

We look at how to see what homes near you recently sold for, the rules around taking fruit from a neighbour’s tree and how the property market is faring

French woman jailed for starting ‘revenge fire’ in neighbour's garden

What can we do about dogs’ early morning barking near our French home?

There are several steps that a resident can take to tackle this situation. We explain

Can I make my neighbour prune trees that overhang my garden in France?

Legally you cannot cut them yourself. We explain your options

What can I do about a neighbour blocking my garage in France?

If the neighbour does not agree to park elsewhere, it is possible to escalate the issue to the authorities

Protests as French farmer fined €100,000 over smelly and noisy cows

The farmer now faces financial difficulties and has hit back at the decision, saying ‘the noise and the smell of my cows are country nuisances, but nothing abnormal’

French man built tower to watch couple building house next door

He also swore at his new neighbours, made rude gestures and repeatedly sounded his car horn in protest. He was taken to court and convicted of harassment

New online initiative in France: to volunteer just one hour a month

The scheme is ideal if you do not want a long term commitment but still want to help out

94-year-old French woman ordered to move after harassing neighbours

The former notaire’s clerk spent eight years carrying out malicious acts against the young family next door. In court she claimed she could not hear the judge’s questions

Scheme lets neighbours earn small fee for receiving parcels in France

A start-up launched in Paris in 2019 but has now expanded to Bordeaux, Lyon, Toulouse, Marseille, Nice, Nantes, Rennes, Montpellier, Toulon and Reims.

What can we do about our neighbour's deafening woodcutter?

When a neighbour situation goes above and beyond 'normal' behaviour, it is best to make contact informally but legal steps can be taken

What hours can builders make noise at our property in France?

There are several laws covering excessive noise nuisance from building work or other ' chantiers' (worksites) in France. We explain

French property: Who is responsible for the upkeep of a shared wall?

Partner article: Shared wall upkeep should be split fairly with neighbours, unless it has been damaged by one of the parties or one of the people wants to sell it off

France's regulations on noisy neighbours

Last week my neighbour began what he envisages to be a three-month project converting his garage into an extra bedroom. He has been working late into the evening on it, and at weekends, and the noise is dreadful. Are there rules restricting the hours when he can do noisy work? G.S

Are there any laws for having a garden barbecue in France?

Sarah Bright-Thomas of Bright Avocats answers a reader query in the August edition of Connexion .

What to do if your neighbours are burning garden waste

In our monthly column Legal Notes, reader questions are answered and explained.

Owner of French chateau blocks access to walkers

A row over the closure of a footpath by the new American owner of a chateau in south-west France illustrates the often touchy relationship between property owners and walkers over access to their land.

We’re so lucky!

Many readers write about the problems and difficulties of life in France so we are highlighting a pleasant experience.

French village is a real-life Advent calendar

Each year a tiny village turns itself into a real-life Advent calendar, with residents opening their doors on a different evening from December 1 to 24 to welcome visitors with drinks and snacks.

French court fines farmer €8,000 over cow farm stench

A farmer in central France has been ordered to pay €8,000 after neighbours complained about the intense and “unbearable” smell of his cow farm.

So just how much do the French neighbours earn?

You can find out what your neighbours earn, more or less, with a new website offered by national statistics agency Insee.

French village split as mayor sparks woodpile battle

A village is split over its mayor’s determination to remove a woodpile from the front of a house.

Rouen Cathedral acts to stop visitors spying

Rouen Cathedral has been forced to alter the angle of its new telescopic devices after it emerged that some people were using them to spy on the neighbours.

Stickers lend hand to good neighbours

If you do not use it, lend it... this could be the motto of a service which provides free letterbox stickers for people to “advertise” household items, such as tools or games, which they are happy to share (for free) with neighbours.

France rules sellers must reveal nightmare neighbours

House sellers in France who do not let potential buyers know about noisy or problematic neighbours now face cancellation of the sale completely.

French couple angry as neighbour’s wall blocks sun

A couple have filed a legal complaint against a neighbour who built a wall 6m high and 17m in length along one edge of their property.

Good neighbours mark France's 20th Fête des Voisins

A plaque has been unveiled on the Paris building where the first "Neighbours' Day" was held in 1999.

Neighbours trees near french home are too large

My neighbours have several very large trees just over one metre from our property boundary, but they hang far over our property and block the view. I believe that we can ask them to trim back the tree – at least the part that overhangs our property – can you explain what we can do? M.T.

Do I have to put up with eyesore mast?

My neighbour has put up a radio mast that is an eyesore – do I have to put up with it? G.F.

Leaves are falling – so get busy now

Autumn means leaf fall and it can quickly lead to a problem with a neighbour if leaves from your trees are ending up in their garden or in their gutters and you do nothing about it.

Summer stress of life next to a holiday home

We all winced when holiday visitors demanded that church bells be silenced. But this is just the tip of an iceberg.

Need a small repair? Looking for a little job?

Think of a Lulu!

Toilet noise can disturb

Advice on proper cleaning practices may help

Woman told to demolish extension built in 2011

Neighbour interferes with house construction plans

Do not let leaves cause problems

Dead leaves falling from a neighbour’s tree can be more than a pest, they can cause damage from rising damp, block gutters and even cause flooding as they block drains

Neighbour stops match to protest footballs in garden

A woman who lives next to a football stadium in the Haute-Pyrénées was so fed up of footballs coming into her garden that she interrupted a match and refused to leave.

Dog barks all day and night

We have a neighbour who lets his dog bark all night and most of the day. He has been written to by the mayor, myself and a conciliation officer. I confronted him after he had been away all weekend leaving the dog unattended but he suggested I go back to the UK.

Letting neighbour use my field

I own a field and am contemplating allowing a neighbour to use it without payment. Are there any loopholes to beware of? SC