Do I pull out of house purchase.?

[Highfivemum]

Purchasing a new property for our ever increasing family brood. Love the property, location and we have had an offer accepted on it. All going well until this morning when I was chatting ( within distance ) to a friend, Just general lockdown chitchat. She knew our house was on the market and asked how it was all going. I said we had accepted and offer and had placed one on another house. I then told her where it was. She didn’t say much but made her excuse and left rather quickly. She has just called me to say that she has to tell me as she thinks I should know but she knows the people selling the house we are after through a work collegue and they are moving as hey have the neighbours from hell !!!! The house is detached and is near the end of a cul de sac. The so called neighbours from hell are next door and she says that it has involved Police in the past. Apparently it has been going on for years. Loud parties. Damaging their property. Etc. It is the first we have heard. Nothing has been disclosed by the sellers. Not even in the form where it asks is there any issues. I would have thought police being involved would be an issue !!! What would you do ? I have called solicitor who isn’t in work but at home and not available. We are due to exchange by the end of the week and I don’t know the best way forward. I know there are two sides to every story etc. The sellers came across lovely though. Very quiet and in their 60’s. They said they were downsizing. Can we check somewhere of any incidents at the property ?

[SummerDayWinterEvenings]

Don't just speak to the solicitor -make sure you email and have a paper trail. Otherwise it could come back no issues and there is no record. In your circumstances. I would be contacting the estate agent too and saying you have notified your solicitor but you have had information given you by the third party which your solicitor is investigating but it is impertative they go back to the vendors and ask them if there have been any issues with the neighbour, involving or not involving the police during the last 20 years or any disputes that they are aware of and full details. Put in your email that the vendor & estate agent need to complete full disclosure of any issues. Again put in email. Don't do this sort of thing by phone.

[thenamesarealltaken]

I bought a house like that - the seller had a lot of the same issues you described. But I found it ok, yes they had some parties and at times, late, but I got on with them and also having children myself meant they were more tolerant when mine were noisy.
I'm not sure what to advise, because they might be different with you.

[Highfivemum]

Still waiting to hear back. Not sure it will be today. He just said he would let me know the response. Thank you all for your ideas. The renting option was something I hadn’t concerned but is an idea if we do pull out. We have good buyers. I lovely couple and I would hate to let them down. DH and I will be having a long chat tonight on what’s our next move if indeed the neighbours from hell live next door. I feel so blessed that I spoke to my friend today. Not seen her in months due to lockdown and having recently had a baby so was by chance we spoke. How lucky was I. 🤞🤞

[thenamesarealltaken]

Selling and renting is a good idea, its what I'm doing - and of chain and start of chain. Puts you in a good position.
I will research the house I ultimately buy, as thoroughly as I can, including the neighbourhood.

[Highfivemum]

We thought we had done all the background work. Been there at different times of the day. Been to the parks nearby. Got out solictor to do all checks but obviously some checks depend on the honesty of others. I could never sell a house and be dishonest. I mentioned everything to our new buyers even the fact the bin men miss most of our rubbish. !!! Just wish others were the same. Will wait what solictors day and go from there. As we are due to exchange by Friday I was hoping the solicitor would act quickly.

[Amammi]

ClaudiaWankleman using a PI is fairly common practise here where I live ( which is not in the UK) as property is expensive and people don’t tend to move max once in a lifetime. It’s no reflection on the location or property and everything to do with trying to avoid difficult neighbours.

[harriethoyle]

Ask their solicitors via your solicitor as they are both bound by their professional obligations to tell the truth. Whereas the estate agents have skin in the deal...

[Highfivemum]

Just a brief update the solicitor has called to say they have spoken to their solicitor who has no knowledge of any disputes. He is going to speak to his clients. He said how did I want to proceed if there are problems ? I have said it depends on the issues really. I would hate to pull out if it is minor and both parties are too blame. Will have to to wait to see what comes back. I have said I will not be agreeing to exchange though until we have more information. Thx all for your comments.

[lidoshuffle]

I would give the community safety officer the council a quick call OP. They have their ear to the ground and know their patch and would be able to tell you something straight away.

[ItsNotAGameOfSubbuteoMatthew]

I looked at a house in our village and knew a friend of a friend backed onto it and its neighbour. I got permission to have her number and when I texted her to ask about neighbours she called straight away to say DON'T. She ended up moving to a different country due to the problem neighbour and the people who did move in got a mouthful of abuse literally from the minute the removal van arrived. Awful for the couple who bought it. I'm so pleased I listened.

[MaddieElla]

I wouldn’t bother with the EA. They are just wanting the sale to happen especially this close to completion.

I would pull out, no hesitation, if it looks like it’s an ongoing thing. I have lived with horrible neighbours and it really is the worst kind of stress.

[Puzzledandpissedoff]

Glad the solicitor's treated this with haste, OP, and that they're doing what they can
I still maintain, though, that you may never get the full story, especially if the vendors were economical with the truth in the first place - and that's without the issue of anything else they've failed to disclose
As you say, it was lucky that you saw your friend, and at least you've had fair warning now

[R2519]

OP, it is likely they will come back and say there are no disputes or play down the situation. An old neighbour who moved or something like that. It may not necessarily be something they have had an issue with themselves. For example, a roudy neighbour who throws parties and has the police involved but actually gets on with your sellers.

I would tread very very carefully and treat what is being said with suspicion. Perhaps you could also contact the local police and ask if information relating to call outs to an address is something you can get with a FOI request. Im am not sure it is, but it maybe worth a call non-the-less.

[SunbathingDragon]

Unless you can get something reassuring to confirm otherwise, I would pull out. Nightmare neighbours are just not worth it and if your buyers already haven’t been honest, I wouldn’t trust them to give the full story now either.

[Puzzledandpissedoff]

For those saying it may have been someone else who called the police, remember OP's friend told her the vendors "are moving as they have the neighbours from hell"

That doesn't sound to me like something to do because someone else was upset

[ECBC]

Ask any pertinent questions through your solicitor not your EA as previously suggested. However I would definitely not want to move to a house with iffy neighbours

[Fcukthisshit]

I’d seriously consider pulling out. We had an awful neighbour for a few years and it was awful - so stressful.

[luckylavender]

You can't really go round knocking on doors in this climate. I also doubt whether the agent or the vendor would tell you the truth IF they've covered up so far. Make sure it is absolutely that house & if so I'd pull out.

[highmarkingsnowbile]

I could never sell a house and be dishonest. I mentioned everything to our new buyers even the fact the bin men miss most of our rubbish. !!! Just wish others were the same.

But they aren't. Plenty are not. And that goes for your EA, too, you can't trust them as they want to make money. We learned from renting next to neighbours from hell to do extensive research on any property we considered buying including hiring a PI. You'd be amazed what people don't disclose and how many people are truly willing to make the purchase of their lives with less research than they do to buy a phone or a car. Using a PI you get a bigger picture, including how many times they've tried to sell the place and it's failed, things they don't have to disclose that have occurred on the property, etc.

If this is a close friend, I think I'd be inclined to pull out. I'd hire someone to check it, though.

Money well spent! The UK has very lax disclosure laws.

[highmarkingsnowbile]

The sellers came across lovely though. Very quiet and in their 60’s. They said they were downsizing.

Of course they do, they're trying to flog the house and get out.

[Soulstirring]

So not worth the heart ache in the long run...defer the exchange date until you’re satisfied. Most expensive purchase you’ll make and it’s your HOME. You need to feel safe and secure and comfortable

[rwalker]

You could get them sent a solicitors letter reminding them of the liability to disclose all disputes and they will pursue legal action it found to be untrue.

[Puzzledandpissedoff]

You could get them sent a solicitors letter reminding them of the liability to disclose all disputes and they will pursue legal action it found to be untrue

The relevant forms already say all that, rwalker; as in so many cases, it's not so much about what vendors are obliged to do as what they actually choose to do

It's true in theory that buyers can sue if the vendor's found to have lied, but good luck with that unless they've got very deep pockets. For a start they'd need to prove the lie, and if police and councils won't divulge details they're up the proverbial creek

Frankly, who needs the stress when a warning's already there in six foot, flashing letters? A lovely new home's supposed to bring joy, not the endless angst of wondering if the worst's going to happen

[Suze1621]

There have been many problem neighbour threads on here and overwhelmingly the advice has been not to do anything official as it would have to be declared in the event of selling. Definitely proceed with caution.

[doctorboo]

@highmarkingsnowbile So true! I have a family member who purchased a property last year without doing more than the basic checks, let alone looking into what the neighbours were like.
This is after they’d pooh poohed other properties where they’d had an experienced buyer and builder at their side who’d been very helpful re: pointing out potential issues and costs. They’re regretting it big time as the house has structural issues and a very difficult neighbour who is generally awful but has ramped up x1000 while they’ve tried to get it all sorted (chimney issues, sagging floors etc). The neighbour is almost worse than the ££££ they’re having to spend.

OP I really hope it all turns out ok for you I’ve got my finger crossed 🤞 I’m glad you bumped into your friend with time to get it looked into.