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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Do I pull out of house purchase.?

248 replies

Highfivemum · 01/06/2020 12:51

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 ?

OP posts:
FeelinFagin · 02/06/2020 13:49

It's worth looking into. In my current house the neighbour had been arrested a couple of times due to a neighbour feud. The arrests involved him making threats of violence I believe. However we're in a small town and the problem neighbours were actually the ones leaving. Neighbour's threats of violence were down to the fact that they were harassing him and his family constantly. Both occupants here were in their late teens with too many dogs and cats. They had loud parties constantly and they and their friends were hurling abuse daily.
When I spoke to the couple they came across as lovely young people though.

We moved in, completely ripped the filthy house to bits and reappeared everything. The neighbours are fantastic.

You never know what the situation is. The fall out could indeed be due to loud parties and bad behaviour. It could also be animosity stemming from one incident that wouldn't apply to you. Your best bet is to demand the sellers comply with the rules on declaring neighbour disputes. Find out what happened if you can. You could even pop round to speak to the neighbours. It's pretty easy to get the measure of aggressive bad neighbours quickly.

swimster01 · 02/06/2020 13:50

As anyone who has experienced serious neighbour/house issues will attest, it can devastate your mental health, relationships and financial position.

Please never trust an estate agent and even treat the solicitors with caution - request and obtain advice in writing from them. Local solicitors do a lot of work with local estate agents.

highmarkingsnowbile · 02/06/2020 13:52

Your best bet is to demand the sellers comply with the rules on declaring neighbour disputes.

They've already proven themselves liars.

swimster01 · 02/06/2020 13:53

@Puzzled, the estate agent is now required to disclose material information known to them that would affect a sale. The rules changed in October 2013.

espressoontap · 02/06/2020 13:55

I'd pull out.

CheshireCats · 02/06/2020 13:55

Op, what good will it do, your DH going round for a general chat with the other neighbours? They are hardly likely to spill the beans to a total stranger/ risk being overheard by the horrible neighbours or someone else/ thereby angering the horrible ones...
DH going round is a pointless exercise- you will still not know for sure - even more so if he doesn't even directly ask them...
Having had nightmare neighbours which affected my sleep, mental health and even marriage ( I was SAHM, husband worked long hours/ was away with work- didn't fully understand the constant nature of the problem for a very long time) I can honestly tell you it is better to pull out and walk away than even take a tiny risk of this happening to you and your family.

SecretMillionaire · 02/06/2020 14:00

I’d rather lose a few pounds than take the risk of having nightmare neighbours and a house I couldn’t then sell.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 02/06/2020 14:00

the estate agent is now required to disclose material information known to them that would affect a sale. The rules changed in October 2013

If you're sure then I totally accept I'm mistaken

However I still wouldn't trust them as far as I could throw them ... especially since they'd almost certainly claim that such-and-such wasn't "known to them"

Highfivemum · 02/06/2020 14:29

Well that was an eye opener 😳 DH called round to a few of the neighbours. Just introduced himself and general chit chat. Most were in so the lockdown has its advantages. Didn’t learn anything until he knocked on the one two doors down From the hellish neighbours. . They were lovely and said they were so sad to see our sellers go. In convo he mentioned what a lovely road it was and did they get together often as neighbours. The lady said mostly they all got on but the neighbours Two doors down ( the one next to where we would be ) never bothers which they are all happy about 😳😳😳!!! . She said there was just the two of them but they have lots of friends around a lot of the time. The other thing she said which set an alarm bells off was she mentioned that parking on the drive was best as the seller has had her car hit twice by the neighbours from hell. Though she said it was accidentally.
We are pulling out. I have called solictor and PIL and we will stay with them and put stuff in storage until we can find a rental. I am gutted I really am. We did all the right things. Sadly it’s lesson learnt. Don’t trust everyone. Thank you for all ur comments ladies

OP posts:
highmarkingsnowbile · 02/06/2020 14:32

It's the best decision. You've dodged a bullet. Next time, do a lot more research.

helpmum2003 · 02/06/2020 14:32

Thank goodness you found that out. A shame but you'll be strong buyers with no house to sell.

BBCONEANDTWO · 02/06/2020 14:34

Pull out - we moved into a house and we had the neighbours from hell and moved on after only 8 months. It's really not worth it.

GU24Mum · 02/06/2020 14:35

Sounds like your next task will be sending flowers to your work colleague who has managed to save you from a potential nightmare!

Splitsunrise · 02/06/2020 14:35

Well done, best decision I think. Not worth the drama.

ShanYoungMum · 02/06/2020 14:38

I always say: 'if you are asking the question,you already know the answer'. It sounds like you are worried,panicking and nervous. If so,yes,pull out. I would personally investigate the matter further and find out the full truth,what exactly happened,and why it happened. Could the neighbours be nicer to you as you are different people and have not done anything wrong to them? Could you speak to the sellers and ask them for a full story? I would then make a decision based on the answers I got from looking at it further. My biggest piece of advice would be to not move until you are 100% satisfied with the situation. All in all,it is your call and you know yourself best. I wish you the best of luck in moving property,and congratulations on your growing family! 💗

BeenHereForAges · 02/06/2020 14:39

Good dodge op! The wrong neighbours can make your life hell.

MsScarlettOHara · 02/06/2020 14:39

Im very ignorant when it comes to house sales but is there no grounds for you to pursue the house owners who did not disclose the legally required info, for your fees and survey costs? Its their fault after all.

Gitfeatures · 02/06/2020 14:41

Do you have any recourse on fees etc. given that you are pulling out as a result of the sellers dishonesty?

cstaff · 02/06/2020 14:43

Just be glad that found out now rather than after the sale had gone through. Disappointing but relief i would presume. You definitely owe your friend a few of whatever she's having.

If you are going ahead with another purchase ask your solicitor if you will have to pay the full amount twice. A lot of solicitors would give you a large discount on one of files. It would be worth a shot.

Lottapianos · 02/06/2020 14:46

Good call OP. Really horrible situation but so lucky that you found out now. I would be buying your friend a bottle of something very nice! Very decent of you to go ahead with the sale, your buyers would have been gutted

Annoyance · 02/06/2020 14:49

@Highfivemum I'm sure the estate agents will have a massive go at you and blame you for everything. Needless to say, don't take any crap from them and make it very, very clear you've pulled out because you've been lied to! You've made the right decision.

AnotherBoredOne · 02/06/2020 14:52

Glad you found some more info, sorry you have to pull out. It's the right thing to do.

TwistyHair · 02/06/2020 15:02

Thank god you found out.

Tombero · 02/06/2020 15:08

I feel so sorry for you, although in the long run I’m sure you’ll be glad.

PepeSkunk · 02/06/2020 15:23

You are doing the right thing.

The house next door to us was involved in a major organised crime robbery last summer and the people never back in and sold it after it had been empty for months. The new people moved in just before lockdown and they definitely don't know about it.