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please help - potential home purchase - red flag NDN

7 replies

SpringLinnett · 10/01/2026 22:52

I don't know if I am being OTT due to horrible neighbours who were really scary, about 20 years ago or if I am just being cautious.
Am about to make an offer on a ground-floor maisonette. Is in a row of maisonettes, each set of 4 are semi-detatched but all quite close together. There is a non-boundaried path up between each unit of 4 maisonettes so essentially 4 homes sharing 1 path.

Really liked the place but next door / opposite (not touching but shared path as doors on sides of building) and also ground floor has tons of signs saying there is CCTV. One in the plants growing up the side of the house. One in the front room / living room window. One on the 'front' door. They also have a Ring-type doorbell (obviously loads of people have these but just adding as this would add to being recorded every time I leave!). I don't know how much of a red flag this is. Maybe it isn't one?

I've never bought a house by myself before so got nobody to mull it over with!!
It'll be me, DS12 and DD8 living there. I am worried as teenage boys get a bad rep and although DS and his friends are lovely, if someone takes a dislike to him on sight due to him being a teenage boy then it could be very unpleasant. Also DD8 is ND and has meltdowns sometimes. These are mercifully quite rare but she can really kick off, and also will just sit on the ground and refuse to move. I hate the idea of this being captured on CCTV, or mean neighbours being dicks about it.
Next door had put lights up the outside of their garden wall, the ground floors have the garden nearest so they can step out onto it so not sure why they were there, I guess to deter burglars? They kind of lit the path, quite brightly, for the person above to get to their back garden. Maybe they have had burglaries in the past and are just being normal and I am totally overthinking.
Looked at the car parked in front and it looked totally normal, rosary round rear view mirror but my family and I all do this too so kind of then felt stupidly reassured.

...And might not have been their car anyway. It was all looking very nice, spick and span, a few pots and hanging pots.

Any advice please let me know. The area is nice, close to school and my work.

Previous occupants of 'my' maisonette were an elderly couple.

Aside from the signs for CCTV I have no hesitation for buying it but I know how much misery bad neighbours can cause and it's not like I can change my mind once bought.

Also crossed my mind maybe upstairs to me, or upstairs to NDN are nightmare neighbours hence the need for so much signage about CCTV.

I just want a quiet life, no feuding or weirdness.

OP posts:
FuzzyWolf · 10/01/2026 22:58

I can see why you are concerned.

Have you thought of going round and introducing yourself? Explain you are thinking of making an offer and asking them what the area is like and if there are any issues. Ask another neighbour as well just in case your instinct is right.

NewYear2026NewName · 10/01/2026 23:13

If you have a car drive over park up for a while see comings and going’s

SpringLinnett · 12/01/2026 18:28

Thank you for the advice.
It might be completely innocent but it just seems like such overkill to have that many CCTV signs.
I am going to have a second viewing tomorrow and will knock on these people's door and also upstairs from them and also upstairs from "my" maisonette.
And then i will post here!!

OP posts:
Saz12 · 12/01/2026 18:36

I'd be tempted to go round on a Saturday evening, see what it's like at night - say 9pm, and later once pubs have shut. Maybe check out what it's like early weekday evenings too.
And definitely try to speak to neighbours!

nuffinkdoing · 12/01/2026 18:51

I work for the LA supporting people with LD and visit a few places that have been purchased by HA and are rented out for people to live in the community and the support goes into them.

Always yellow CCTV signs up.

Could be that kind of set up.

SpringLinnett · 12/01/2026 18:53

nuffinkdoing · 12/01/2026 18:51

I work for the LA supporting people with LD and visit a few places that have been purchased by HA and are rented out for people to live in the community and the support goes into them.

Always yellow CCTV signs up.

Could be that kind of set up.

Oh that's a good point.
I will see if there is a keysafe. Thanks for the suggestion.

OP posts:
SpringLinnett · 12/01/2026 18:54

Saz12 · 12/01/2026 18:36

I'd be tempted to go round on a Saturday evening, see what it's like at night - say 9pm, and later once pubs have shut. Maybe check out what it's like early weekday evenings too.
And definitely try to speak to neighbours!

Yes that would be interesting.

All the estate agent said was that mostly the neighbourhood is "privately owned and privately rented"

OP posts:
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