Neighbors property sale

[Plannergirl9]

One of my neighbours is selling his house. One of his prospective buyers came to the door at the weekend to ask some questions about the area. She mentioned that neither had told her that the ground behind her house is green belt and will therefore will never be built on.

She wanted to know if we had heard anything about more house building in the area. There is currently a number of new build sites around where we stay.

As for the site being green belt. This isn't true. The land was changed to designated housing land in the last local plan and has recently had planning permission in principle for housing approved. The permission is for up to 300 houses. Where exactly the houses will be is a bit unknown as a detailed planning application has not been submitted. As we were in close proximity to the application site we were all neighbours notified about 6 months ago. This was before the house went up for sale.

I told the prospective buyer that there had been recent planning application for the site and it may be worth her while going to have a look on the council's website for the details. She asked what was the planning application for so I told her it was for housing and it was approved.

She thanked me for letting her know and left shortly afterwards.

Tonight the neighbour selling the house came to the door asking what I had said to the prospective buyer. Had I mentioned the planning application? I said I had only because she had brought up the green belt issue. He said that I had ruined his sale and that I should not have mentioned it to her and that it was none of my business.

I told him she came to my door asking questionsand if you didn't want people asking the neighbours then he should tell them not to come our doors. And he also shouldn't lie on his property listing either as it states the land is green belt. I told him that what I said was a matter of public record and her solicitor would probably look into it and find out anyway.

He said I have no right sticking my nose into his business and should ignore itanybody else coming to the door. He then left in a huff.

Am I being unreasonable to think that if somebody asks you something you tell the truth especially if it's to do with something major like buying a house and what they're asking is a matter of public record?

Sorry it's a bit long, I'm a bit annoyed.

Yanbu at all!

His solicitor would have discovered it anyway! You did nothing wrong!

You did the right thing, and this would come up in searches anyway so in a way you did him a favour as she probably would have pulled out later on anyway. He's an idiot to think he'd get away with it, what else is he lying about on the sale!

I’d have done exactly the same as you OP and been equally as annoyed by the neighbour.

He’s a tool.

It would have definitely become apparent when her solicitor made his searches on the property. So by being honest you have not only salved your own conscience but saved her money. Stupid neighbour to have lied about something so easily proved wrong. You did the right thing.

You did the right thing. She asked, you told her. It's not like you were stood on his property with a banner!

YANBU

Your neighbour sounds like a dishonest, rude idiot

Property Misdescriptions Act!

Your neighbour is a twat 👍

He's a dick. There's permission for 6000 houses to go up on the fields my property overlooks. If I were selling I wouldn't dream of lying about it, since the most basic check would reveal this anyway! You've done nothing wrong.

He is lying and his sale would not go through and purchasers May have damages case for any fees incurred due to his lies.

Your neighbour is a twat. This would have come up in searches as others have said, you didn't ruin his sale, she was going to find out anyway. He's daft if he thinks he can lie and get away with it.

YANBU.

Did he really think he could get away with lying? Good for you for saving the prospective purchasers money on a wasted survey etc for a property they then don't buy because it's obviously an issue for them.

Of course you did the right thing.
Your neighbour is mendacious & unscrupulous

Be glad the neighbour is going - he sounds like a treasure, not!

You saved him money in legal fees!

His solicitor would have done a fair bit of work, only for any buyer to pull out, or possibly negotiate a reduction in purchase price, as soon as the searches came back.

What a bellend.

I don't see what else you can do but tell the truth, your current neighbour expecting you to lie to a potential future neighbour on their behalf is clearly nonsense.

That there is a planning application will come up in the searches and lying to a purchaser could get him sued after the event. You're allowed to omit information if not asked but not to lie. Your neighbour is fooling themselves if they think they can get away hiding this.

If the sales particulars state it is green belt when in fact it isn't, the estate agents may be in breach of the Property Misdescriptions Act.

Your neighbour expected you to lie for him? He's the one who's being unreasonable. You did absolutely the right thing. And you are right as well in that it would have come out in the searches anyway. Your neighbour is an idiot.

If you had lied and then they had bought the house, you could have had many uncomfortable years living next door to them.

Even the most cursory of searches would have brought that up, by which time neighbour would have put in an offer and lost the house because his buyer would have spent hundreds on searches and have discovered the planning for 300 fucking houses in her back garden to be! Your neighbour is an idiot.

Yanbu.

YANBU and the last thing you would want is a new neighbour that you have lied to.

YANBU, it would have come up in the conveyancing surveys anyway.

YANBU is the neighbour using an estate agent. It would be interesting to know whether they have it in the property details or he just says it when they come round.

I hope all the prospective buyers do their homework.

You can sue someone if they fail to disclose important information about a house (e.g. problem neighbours). Outright lying is obviously much worse (although would probably be discovered by the solicitor before the sale anyway).