Information and Advice | Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria

About us
About us
- Mediation
  Mediation
  
  Mediation is a free, voluntary and confidential process where parties try to resolve their issues with the help of a trained, impartial mediator.
- Fast Track Mediation and Hearing Program
  Fast Track Mediation and Hearing Program
  
  DSCV and VCAT are operating in partnership to deliver alternative dispute resolution processes to all Victorians.
- Personal Safety Intervention Order (PSIO) program
  Personal Safety Intervention Order (PSIO) program
  
  DSCV have partnered with the Magistrates' Court of Victoria to bring mediation services to certain clients who are involved in a PSIO application.
- Policies and complaints
  Policies and complaints
  
  Read DSCV's policies on client privacy, our client charter, and how to make a complaint about the service.
- Contact us
  Contact us
  
  The Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria (DSCV) can help you resolve a dispute without having to resort to taking legal action.
- How and when we can help
  How and when we can help
  
  Read about how we assess if our services are right for you.
I want to...
- Learn about our mediator training courses
Information and advice
Information and advice
- Fencing
  Fencing
  
  Issues around repairing or replacing a shared fence, damage to fences and boundary issues can all contribute to disputes between neighbours.
- Trees
  Trees
  
  Overhanging branches, dropped foliage and damage from tree roots can cause issues between neighbours. Find out what to do about it.
- Starting the conversation
  Starting the conversation
  
  These tips may help you start the conversation off on the right foot when you are trying to resolve a dispute.
- Solving problems
  Solving problems
  
  If things don't go well immediately, don't panic! Think about some of the following strategies when trying to resolve an issue with a neighbour.
- Reaching an agreement
  Reaching an agreement
  
  Most agreements you make will not require a formal acknowledgement. However, many people find that writing things down can help ensure that further disputes don't occur in the future.
- Obtaining legal advice
  Obtaining legal advice
  
  In any dispute, you may find it necessary to obtain legal advice from an independent, licensed practitioner. This can help you clarify your rights and responsibilities.
- Retirement village disputes
  Retirement village disputes
  
  Information and guidance on what to do when things go wrong between residents or residents and the operators of a retirement village.
Training
Training
- Community Engagement Workshops
  Community Engagement Workshops
  
  We work with community groups to teach skills in conflict management and dispute prevention.
- Mediation training
  Mediation training
  
  We run nationally accredited mediation training courses, providing professional qualifications for a career in the mediation profession.

The Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria has temporarily closed its phone line to provide a mediation service for residential tenancies disputes lodged with the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) during increased demand for VCAT’s services.

You can still contact us using our online form and we will respond to your query. You can also find detailed advice about trees, noise and fences on this website.

The DSCV deals with many different dispute types and can offer information and advice for those seeking to resolve an issue.

The Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria deals with a wide range of dispute types and also offers general advice to help if you are in a dispute.

Currently, this service is not available by phone, but our web pages provide information to help guide you through common dispute topics.

In this section

Trees in Victoria

Trees in Victoria

Overhanging branches, dropped foliage and damage from tree roots can cause issues between neighbours. Find out what to do about it.

Fencing in Victoria

a neighbourhood fence with ivy growing

Fencing in Victoria

Issues around repairing or replacing a shared fence, damage to fences and boundary issues can all contribute to disputes between neighbours.

Starting the conversation

two people having a conversation about their shared fence

Starting the conversation

These tips may help you start the conversation off on the right foot when you are trying to resolve a dispute.

Solving problems

a fence being repaired

Solving problems

If things don't go well immediately, don't panic! Think about some of the following strategies when trying to resolve an issue with a neighbour.

Reaching an agreement

two men happy and shaking hands after agreement

Reaching an agreement

Most agreements you make will not require a formal acknowledgement. However, many people find that writing things down can help ensure that further disputes don't occur in the future.

Obtaining legal advice

legal advice

Obtaining legal advice

In any dispute, you may find it necessary to obtain legal advice from an independent, licensed practitioner. This can help you clarify your rights and responsibilities.

Retirement village disputes

Retirement village disputes

Information and guidance on what to do when things go wrong between residents or residents and the operators of a retirement village.