Renfrewshire Council

What mediation is

Mediation can help you resolve disputes with your neighbours. 

It helps you make practical agreements that work for both you and your neighbour.

The service is free, and our mediation officers are specially trained and impartial. 

The mediation process gives you a way to reach agreement with your neighbour and provides a safe environment for you to discuss your concerns.

Mediation needs you and your neighbour to be willing to talk and find a solution.

How to ask for mediation

If you would like us to mediate for you:

• call us on 0300 300 0380
• select option 1
• ask for Mediation

You can also email our Renfrewshire Community Safety Partnership team at rcsp@renfrewshire.gov.uk.

What happens next

One of our Mediation Service Team will contact you as soon as possible. We'll contact you to arrange a suitable appointment at your home.

We'll listen to your view of the situation, ask you what you would like for the future and discuss how we can help.

If we think mediation is right for you and you agree to proceed, we'll contact your neighbour.

If they are also willing to try mediation, we'll arrange an appointment to visit them at their home. 

How mediation works

Mediation is an equal process so that everyone is treated fairly. Each person is listened to and gets the chance to hear the other person's point of view.

If both you and your neighbour agree to mediation, we'll arrange either joint mediation or shuttle mediation.

Joint mediation

Our Mediation Officers will meet you and your neighbour together at a neutral venue.

At the meeting, the mediation officer will help you and your neighbour share information and hopefully reach a solution.

Shuttle mediation

If appropriate, the mediation officers will arrange shuttle mediation instead of joint mediation.

This is where we help you and your neighbour exchange information without having to meet each other. 

The mediation officer will communicate between you and your neighbour to help resolve the situation.

Mediation for noise issues

Sometimes neighbours are unaware that the noise from their home is causing an issue.

We can work with you and your neighbours to find a level of volume for television, music or games equipment that is acceptable to both of you. 

We may ask our Noise Enforcement Team to help us. They can measure the noise level at each property to see if it's above or below the permitted level for the time of day.

We will not decide what level of noise is acceptable, you and your neighbour will need to agree this.

For noise issues with dog barking, children, burglar alarms, industrial or commercial noise, see our noise nuisance page.

For concerns about shouting, swearing, fighting or verbal abuse, see our antisocial behaviour page.

If mediation doesn't work

If you and your neighbour do not reach an agreement following mediation, you can get advice from Citizens Advice Scotland about neighbour disputes, including noise, antisocial behaviour, boundary and garden disputes or damage and repairs.