A long-running battle between two neighbours has come to an end, costing one of them a small fortune. Cheltenham-based Martin Charalambous had been cross with his neighbour Robert Welding, who he said was growing a hedge on his land (not the one on the right which is completely unrelated but quite cool).

The two men fell out, and it went to court. In the first case Martin spent £70,000 and lost. Not content to let it lie, he took it to appeal, and after losing there was told to pay the full cost of the case - said to be around £160,000.

Neither of the two men has plans to move. Presumably they can't afford it.

But it goes to show how falling out could cost you dear. So what are your arguments costing you?

Falling out can cost in every part of your life.

Neighbour disputes don't always come to court, but they could cost you a house sale. Within the documentation you have to reveal disputes with neighbours, If you have been at loggerheads for years, and you fail to disclose it, you could face comeback from the buyers. More to the point, a long running argument in the one place you are meant to feel relaxed and safe isn't going to be good for your sanity or your health.

Disputes at work can be toxic. A public falling-out with any colleague will reflect badly on you. That doesn't mean you have to accept appalling behaviour, bullying or discrimination. But if you just don't like someone, falling out could cost you dear in your career.

But perhaps the most expensive falling out is when relationships fall apart. The problem is that the cost isn't entirely clear-cut. If you are reasonable and agree a sensible settlement that works for both of you, you both come out of it with your finances relatively intact. However, if you fall out and one or more of you is unreasonable, you will end up in court. At that stage, if you are relatively wealthy one of you may do very well, and the other very badly. Alternatively you could both spend most of the assets of the marriage on court costs, and you'll both end up worse off.

So how do you avoid this trap?

Your best bet is always to keep a clear head and be reasonable.

If this fails, the answer may lie in arbitration. At work this can be arranged through HR, while elsewhere you can have a solicitor acting as a go-between. There is a cost attached, but it is far cheaper than court. You can sit in a room together and talk things out, with the professional acting as an impartial third party able to advice on the ins and outs of the case. If you can't bear the sight of each other, the same thing can be done in two rooms, with the solicitor shuttling between.

You're not going to get on with everyone in life, but it pays to try, because the alternatives are never cheap.