Most people take a certain amount of personal pride in their property's appearance. That's what makes it so frustrating if you have a neighbor who doesn't share your sense of community pride. It's also financially painful - one blighted property on the street can devalue every other piece of property close by. What can you do if you're stuck with a neighbor who is neglectful of his or her property to the point where it causing you problems?

1.) Call city hall.

Sometimes your local government can help with the neighborhood eyesore. Local zoning codes often have regulations that restrict certain activities or try to limit problems.

For example, if you have a neighbor who is running an unlicensed auto repair shop out of his or her garage, zoning regulations may put a stop to it unless the property is zoned for commercial use. If your neighbors have decided that a living room couch makes great lawn furniture, there may be a rule in place that will force them to reconsider their choice of decor.

Keep in mind that city or subdivision officials may be aware of regulations that will address the nuisance - but they may not enforce them unless someone makes a complaint. If you don't want your neighbor to know who made the complaint, ask if you can make your report anonymously.

2.) Call the police.

If your neighbor is creating a more serious problem - like blaring the stereo at 3 AM or operating a drug business out of the driveway - you may consider getting the police involved.

If the property is a rental and you know who the landlord is, you can try to contact the property owner about the problem. Sometimes a conversation with the landlord is all it takes to get the situation resolved. A rental property is an investment, so that gives the landlord a strong incentive to clean up any "people problems" with renters, rather than let the property (or neighborhood) devalue.

3.) File a lawsuit.

Another option is filing a lawsuit against your neighbor. 

For example, there are situations where good fences do not make good neighbors. In some cases, neighbors have erected fences that have encroached on another's property and refused to move them. Or, you might have a situation where an old iron fence has rusted out and turned into an eyesore (and a hazard) but your neighbor refuses to remove or replace it. Even worse, what if your neighbor has erected a spite fence (or some other structure) that is excessively tall and serves no purpose except to aggravate you and the rest of the neighborhood?

In that case, if you take your case to court, you may be able to force your neighbor to remove the structure and recover for any damages (especially if there's been any loss of the value of your property) that you've suffered.

Neighborhood conflicts are never fun, and nobody wants to get into court over one. However, if the neighborhood situation has you at a loss and you've been unable to work things out any other way, consider contacting an attorney like those at Morgan Law PLLC to help you with your situation.