As cost margins become tighter and held property assets more important, so disputes between landlord and tenant, and between property owners, tend to increase in number.

When parties can not agree to a settlement, the usual route is to appoint an arbitrator or instigate court proceedings. But this can be very costly, time-consuming and with the real possibility that the end result is not to the satisfaction of either party.

As an alternative, property disputes can be resolved through mediation. Cluttons in Maidstone is one of the first in the county to offer Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) accredited mediation services to resolve property disputes.

As the recession continues to bite, so more and more people are turning to mediation, which offers one of the fastest and most cost-effective routes to settling a dispute. Mediation can still be used in conjunction with litigation and many courts now advocate that parties try to mediate a solution. The parties retain control as the process is voluntary and confidential; and any settlement agreement reached is their decision and not imposed upon them.

Although he is a qualified arbitrator, Tony Meire at Cluttons is trained to get the disagreeing parties to focus on the main issues and reach potential solutions. He said: “I am always happy to discuss what may be the best possible course of action with anyone seeking advice in relation to property related disputes, prior to them incurring any expense. I can let them know how mediation works and the general procedures followed.”