Most Florida residents like to be in good standing with their neighbors. That often becomes difficult if a disagreement arises regarding property lines. A real estate dispute can be complex and challenging. For instance, two homeowners in another state are currently entangled in a legal battle over a child’s treehouse that one family built along their property line.
The parents hired a company to erect a treehouse in their yard and say they never wanted to cause contention with neighbors. In fact, they said, they did not think there was a problem pertaining to the treehouse because no one complained or said anything to them while it was being built. The couple says they simply wanted to give their 9-year-old son a nice place to play in their backyard.
Next door neighbors took municipal action
A couple who lives next door filed a complaint with the city that the location and size of the treehouse is not in compliance with zoning codes. Most communities have zoning regulations about what can be built on or near a property line. They object to the treehouse because its size is reportedly “imposing” and has blocked the view from their own property.
City officials have ordered the parents to move the treehouse
The city has ruled that the parents must move the treehouse at least eight feet away from the property line to comply with zoning codes. Right now, the relationship between the neighbors is strained; the owners of the treehouse say they do not see what good it will do to move the structure eight feet, and the neighbors who filed the complaint say they never would have bought their house has they known such a large structure would be placed along the property line. Any Florida homeowner facing similar property line disputes may request a meeting with an experienced real estate law attorney for guidance and support.
