Aggressive neighbour

[czechout]

Hello, your perspective please.
Some years ago a family moved next door to me, parents with a grown up son, son used a sound system very loud as soon as moved in, made our house shake etc.
I politely asked family to turn music down. The family then arrived very aggressive at door and told us we had no respect for neighbour (pot kettle etc). In that interaction I realised these were not mentally sound people and were completely unable to reason. In the years since this has continued.
Fast forward to last year and I had enough during the summer months as it got a lot worse so 'challenged' the neighbour by turning my tv up to make a point. Whilst the sound system was still blasting, they started to bang on my wall. The irony is not lost on them.
Following this the son jumped into my garden in the middle of the night presumably to intimidate me. I nevertheless went outside and he ran away.
I didn't call the police because in my view these are people with nothing much to lose - none of them work, young and physically healthy but clearly no desire to earn their own way. I am not sure being in prison would be much different to what I can only describe as a 'lock-down' lifestyle. The son gets up, plays his sound system, he then goes and smokes cannabis on the street and returns to his room for more than the same. The concern was that the situation could escalate.
However....I have since put my house up for sale and was determined to sell to a man (unfortunately I believe a lot of the treatment I have received is owing to being a woman). Fast forward to last week and I filled in the seller's form and there is a section on disputes, with neighbouring properties asking about formal disputes. I have no formal dispute with neighbour so couldn't say yes however, I added a note saying I have asked neighbour on some occasions to reduce the level of music. I want to be honest with the buyer if he asks further questions and at the same time I don't think they will dare behave like this with the seller who I have met. Was my description enough?

I wouldn't of put anything. You haven't had an official dispute.

We are in the same situation but we had to make it official sadly. Now we are going on the market we have to state it. We had hoped they would of been evicted by now but then lockdown hit and a ban on evictions (and the landlord is not keen to issue a section 21 or section 8 even though legally she can through lockdown).

Too much if you ask me!
I didn't think you'd need to mention it if you weren't in a formal dispute.
I wouldn't do it again.

God no! You’ve no formal complaint. You put nothing down.

I’d have put nothing. There is nothing formal.

Don't put anything down. It asks about formal complaints. You could be ruining your chance to sell

Don’t mention it. No one can guarantee decent neighbours. And if this buyer won’t stand for it then it won’t be an issue. Just get yourself out.

Is the wording 'formal disputes'? The last time I had to fill in one of those, I agonised over it too and as far as I can recall it asked about any disputes and awareness of anything that might give rise to a dispute - I might be mistaken as to the precise wording or it might have been revised since.

Once it's not formal or reported you should definitely not put anything down. Your house will not sell once anyone sees any issues on the form.

Thank you all for the feedback, I guess I felt a sense of guilt as I know how excited potential buyer (probably former-buyer now!) was about the house and he said he had such a connection with it. I wanted him to make an informed decision and yet the information was minimal. I provided enough for him to be able to ask questions though I think you are right, I can't see him pursuing.
I can't remember the exact wording on the form but when I called my agent he said this referred to formal disputes with the neighbour which I don't have.

Eeyore, I hope they get evicted soon! The system really needs reform.

Oh dear, what on earth made you do that?

I wouldn't have written anything. You only have to refer to official disputes.

Don't put anything down!!!

I would not put anything!

I would never buy a house if there was any sort of issue listed on the form whether formal or not. Sorry OP you may have just shot yourself in the foot. Unless you get asked a direct question like 'do you have any problems with your neighbours' you keep quiet. Hopefully your purchase goes ahead still but brace yourself it may not.

@tenterden a combination of wanting to tell the truth and guilt at the prospect of the buyer's excitement turning to great disappointment if neighbours are unreasonable with him too.
Fair point @R2519 the person probably won't buy it now, I guess I was at some level willing to take that risk. I wouldn't buy a property with a problem like that stated either to be fair

You think they would be sent to prison for playing music loudly, you’re determined to sell to a man and now you’re sabotaging your own sale by writing about an imaginary dispute?

@unmightyBoosh, no I think he could do illegal things to me if I reported to the police or council, GBH or worse.
I hear violence in his home from time to time (pushing each other against walls with great force etc) so I can't see why he wouldn't take extreme measures with me. That is why I mentioned prison.
I haven't said no to a woman buyer I just wouldn't want a woman suffering the way I have and believe he is sexist and will not have as much front with a man. I could be wrong of course.

Should you legally put it down? Yes?

Would I? No comment.

As far as I know complaints that have been made in writing are the only ones you need to put down .

I know someone who had a problem with a shared drive . I warned him not to put anything in writing , but he ignored me . Complained in writing to the neighbour , then the neighbour took it to a solicitor. Then when he wanted to sell he had to declare the dispute . And yes the house was then very hard to sell .

It’s a very grey area of law. If the complaint was formal (police, council etc) you would have no choice as it could be a very costly error of judgement.

Strictly speaking - you should declare this. But if you didn’t - how would they ever prove these disputes happened? That’s all I’m saying.

If I ever leave this property, is there any merit in going to the council and complaining about former neighbours?
The law does not protect those experiencing abuse as they feel trapped as if they complain they have to declare. My neighbours are renting from a housing trust, I think at some point the housing trust should be alerted?

It would be easy to say why I didn't do this previously, quite simply the law works against me and anyone with genuine complaints. The amount of unresolved issues there must be in this country as a result!

You think if you sold to a man there would be no problems, you had a man buyer, but then you put a comment down about the neighbours music even though you said yourself you wouldn't buy a property with a comment like that?

I don't really understand this as it seems like you could have found a solution. What if it ends up sold to a woman now when it could've been sold to a man?

Surely you have to sell it to someone, your buyer sounded like the ideal solution? You said you can't see them daring to behave like that with him? What if the next person who comes along has daughters?

Skybluee, I would try to put them off if a female/all female household.

I'm still wondering if I could complain to the council/this person's housing trust if I do manage to sell and whether my complaint would be taken seriously? The law is very unfair in my view. The law encourages home-owners not to sort problems but to run away and leave someone else to pick up. Very unfair system.

To be clear Skybluee I think the aggressive tactics for example jumping into my garden in the middle of the night, they would be less likely to use with a man. I don't know if they would listen if a male asked them to turn the music down that is why I felt compelled to mention it.