Equi-Vision

• Building disputes. – Your builder has built a defective extension to your house and you believe you are entitled to compensation.

• Professional negligence – Your solicitor has made an error in your property transaction causing you loss.

• Landlord/Tenant – You are the leaseholder of a flat and the freeholder is refusing to carry out external works to the property.

• Land and boundary/right of way – A neighbour has built an extension affecting your right to light, or encroaching on your land.

• Company/shareholder/partnership -. You are a shareholder of a private company and believe dividend payments are not being made fairly.

• Contracts - A window company has fitted defective windows which they are unwilling to replace.

• Wills/Probate and Inheritance – You are involved in a family dispute about the distribution of the estate.

• Employment – You have a compensation claim for unfair dismissal.

Advantages can include:

• It is likely to be considerably cheaper, because although both parties share the cost of the mediator,  there are no court fees, and your own lawyers will probably spend much less time on the matter than if they have to prepare for a court trial;

• The arrangements for the mediation can be informal and flexible, and even by telephone if that is what the parties wish;

• All negotiations and the settlement are private, unless you agree otherwise, unlike Court hearings which are usually public;

• You don’t have to meet your opponent if you don’t want to;

• A settlement can include things that a Court cannot order, for example an apology;

• The focus is on reaching an agreement acceptable to both parties, rather than on legal issues, evidence, and other technicalities;

• It is likely to be considerably quicker and less stressful than the Court process;

• You and the other party are in control of the solution to your dispute, which can be better than giving control to a Judge whose decision you may not like.