Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To accept a huge loss on my house

295 replies

CurlyHairMare1 · 29/10/2025 18:33

I live in a semi detached house in a quiet cul de sac. I’ve spent a lot of money doing it up and making it lovely. Early this year my neighbours (the ones I’m attached to) sold their house incredibly cheaply as it needed an awful lot of work doing to it.

A man bought it to do up and rent out, I understood he had a property business so assumed he’d be the landlord.

Fast forward to now and he’s actually turned it in to an HMO. He has a number of them across the city.

I put my house on the market in Spring and I just can not sell it due to the HMO. I’ve had a number of offers accepted and they have all pulled out when they have found out what I’m attached to so I’m now declaring it up front.

Would I be unreasonable to sell my house for way under asking price just so I can get rid of it? The estate agent has suggested it would need to go for nearly 100k less to even get any kind of interest.

I’m exhausted with the whole situation.

OP posts:
Original poster
CurlyHairMare1 · 29/10/2025 23:05

ThisHeartyJadeBird · 29/10/2025 22:43

Not in all areas no it depends if the council has issued an Article 4 direction. Many have.

I dont know how many times I have to say this but Issuing a HMO licence and planning permission are two separate activities.

Show quote history

We do have article 4 direction in this area.

OP posts:
PurpleCyclamen · 29/10/2025 23:00

I’m glad you are declaring it upfront now OP - it’s only fair on prospective buyers to know.

Grammarnut · 29/10/2025 22:58

FastTurtle · 29/10/2025 22:41

There only needs to be a kitchen and a bathroom.

Show quote history

It needs to be large enough to accommodate all the residents. And most HMOs now require en suite bathroom facilities, not a joint bathroom.

ThisHeartyJadeBird · 29/10/2025 22:53

R.e. selling the house. A large part of the problem is that it has been recently converted to a HMO and now the OP wants to move. Everyone will think the HMO is causing issues.

Yellowshirt · 29/10/2025 22:48

CurlyHairMare1 · 29/10/2025 20:00

It definitely has a licence.

I don’t know for definite but there isn’t much coming and going next door as if the occupants have jobs.

Show quote history

I live in a Hmo.
Some people work from home and never really leave the house.
You only see them occasionally collecting their takeaways from the Diliveroo guy.
I've lived in a Hmo for 7 years.
Recently more and more Indians are moving to the country.

They don't generally have cars and stay medium term in the house as the plan is usually to move the family over ASAP and get a house

ThisHeartyJadeBird · 29/10/2025 22:47

Also no councils don't always check if it has planning permission before granting a HMO licence.

They are different departments. HMO licences are about meeting a minimum standard - fire safety etc.

ThisHeartyJadeBird · 29/10/2025 22:43

Sunshineandoranges · 29/10/2025 22:28

Smaller hmos come under permitted development.

Not in all areas no it depends if the council has issued an Article 4 direction. Many have.

I dont know how many times I have to say this but Issuing a HMO licence and planning permission are two separate activities.

FastTurtle · 29/10/2025 22:41

Grammarnut · 29/10/2025 22:37

Generally there has to be communal living space i.e. a kitchen/dining room. If the tenants are ok - and what landlord wants tenants who trash the place and annoy the neighbours? - what is the problem?

Show quote history

There only needs to be a kitchen and a bathroom.

Grammarnut · 29/10/2025 22:37

FastTurtle · 29/10/2025 22:18

It’s likely to be one in the living room, one in the dining room, one in two of the bedrooms and two in one bedroom.

Generally there has to be communal living space i.e. a kitchen/dining room. If the tenants are ok - and what landlord wants tenants who trash the place and annoy the neighbours? - what is the problem?

Grammarnut · 29/10/2025 22:35

Why do you want to move?

Sunshineandoranges · 29/10/2025 22:28

Smaller hmos come under permitted development.

Original poster
CurlyHairMare1 · 29/10/2025 22:28

FastTurtle · 29/10/2025 22:18

It’s likely to be one in the living room, one in the dining room, one in two of the bedrooms and two in one bedroom.

I think he’s turned it in to 3 up, 3 down

OP posts:
Bluecrystal2 · 29/10/2025 22:20

This is the stuff of nightmares and is happening more frequently than people realise. I'm looking into part-exchange at the moment with new build developers as I've got a difficult to sell house.

Several possible solutions above OP, so don't give up yet.

FastTurtle · 29/10/2025 22:18

It’s likely to be one in the living room, one in the dining room, one in two of the bedrooms and two in one bedroom.

Clutchball · 29/10/2025 22:18

ThisHeartyJadeBird · 29/10/2025 21:24

People only notice the HMOs that are trouble...so selection bias. Neighbours often cause problems.

If anything homeowners are the worst. Bad tenants get evicted.

Try selling a house when your neighbour is running a loud business out of it without planning permission.

Did you miss out a response to the OP’s problem? It sounds like you’re talking about a different situation?

ChaliceinWonderland · 29/10/2025 22:17

Writd to your mp immediately. Ask advice. Invite them round.

Agapornis · 29/10/2025 22:17

CurlyHairMare1 · 29/10/2025 22:00

That was my worry. But I’ve been told that the council would have checked the property before issuing a licence so I guess it must be up to standard.

Show quote history

The council might have checked it before issuing, but not since.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cly9d48lv17o for the various ways HMOs can go wrong.

Do contact your local media.

A woman with a clipboard and lanyard outside a white-painted wooden door.

Inside the unlicensed HMOs housing London's migrant workers

One man says he pays about £600 a month for a small, windowless bedroom on the ground floor.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cly9d48lv17o

SeemedClear · 29/10/2025 22:16

OP offering her house to the HMO owner doesn't really solve it though. What about other neighbours who will be living with two HMO’s.

Not saying they are all bad. I have two near to me, one no bother at all, the other a nightmare. All professional working people. The nightmare one was due to the cars, 4 residents, 4 cars, plus guests with cars, in a house with parking for 1.

Go down the more formal challenge. The council departments do ‘jump’ at councillor and MP involvement.

Original poster
CurlyHairMare1 · 29/10/2025 22:13

Agapornis · 29/10/2025 22:10

Is your local newspaper/BBC aware? I'd contact them about this and kick up a stink. This must be causing problems across your council area.

The HMO licence might be for less than the amount of people there. He's unlikely to have split up the rooms, it's probably 2 to a room or multiple bunk beds. Environmental Health might be interested.

Edited

No they’re not aware. It seems that 90% of the licensed HMOs in this area don’t have planning permission despite most of them needing it.

OP posts:
Netty909 · 29/10/2025 22:12

There are property buying companies who will offer you approximately 80% of the value of the property. Pay your solicitors fees and there are no estate agents fees. Not great but maybe quicker sale and less of a loss? You could always contact and see if they would make an offer as an option? I feel for you - it's such a horrible situation.

ThisHeartyJadeBird · 29/10/2025 22:11

Clutchball · 29/10/2025 21:57

I don’t think OP is responsible for young people’s mental health.

Show quote history

I never said they were...

Agapornis · 29/10/2025 22:10

Is your local newspaper/BBC aware? I'd contact them about this and kick up a stink. This must be causing problems across your council area.

The HMO licence might be for less than the amount of people there. He's unlikely to have split up the rooms, it's probably 2 to a room or multiple bunk beds. Environmental Health might be interested.

ThisHeartyJadeBird · 29/10/2025 22:09

Spoken to the council and got nowhere as the planning department and the licensing department are different apparently!

I'm afraid you are missing the point still OP. IF you want to complain about it not having planning permission you need to make a planning enforcement complaint. Edit - there should be an email address on your council website under "planning".

The HMO owner will then likely make an application for retrospective planning permission, and then you will have a chance to comment (noise, how many people is relevant. house prices isn't). That you share a boundary wall is relevant but no guarantees.

It's a long process and planning permission may be granted. You'd be better off getting an offer from the HMO land owner. You should be able to get his details easy enough, it would be on the HMO licence.

The HMO owner has a strong incentive to buy if he doesn't have planning permission for a semi detached, as a complaint from the neighbour is likely to sour it. Conversely it's a good option for expansion.

NamechangeRugby · 29/10/2025 22:08

Clutchball · 29/10/2025 21:58

I wonder whether the way they have subdivided the rooms is actually safe from a fire safety aspect, particularly because you are joined to them.

Agree. Op, go to MP and get a bit of publicity to start a class action. Hopefully even just the mention of it will wake the council up to abide by the law as too expensive not to.

I have no objection to proper development, but this just strikes me as corrupt, unfair and unsafe.

Kevinbaconsrealwife · 29/10/2025 22:03

Sohelpmegod25 · 29/10/2025 18:35

How about contacting the owner of the HMO next door and asking if he would be interested in yours?
private sale, no fees and he may well be a cash buyer
this could be a plan?

Excellent idea….

Swipe left for the next trending thread