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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To hope whoever buys it is the neighbour from hell?

97 replies

MrsTiffin · 23/02/2021 21:20

We viewed a house today I was really excited about. Really quirky, loads of potential and the vendor was looking to sell it to a young family so was all looking good.

Next thing the next door neighbour (house is a big old semi attached to his) started burning things in his garden in a bin right next to the fence. So much smoke in the garden and just made it all a bit unpleasant. Had our young DD with us too (5 months) who they clearly would have seen.

The estate agent told us that this has happened every time someone came to view, back story is that the guy who owns next door wanted to buy it, but vendor wants it to go to a family to renovate for themselves. So he's clearly trying to make it as uncomfortable as possible for anyone viewing.

I'm gutted because the house is great, but obviously not going to make an offer, AIBU to hope whoever buys it will be the neighbour from hell for him?

OP posts:
TangerineGenie · 23/02/2021 22:08

Tbh, the fact that they won't sell to the neighbour makes it sound like there's some sort of backstory there.

HelloThereMeHearties · 23/02/2021 22:08

Something doesn't ring true here.

TangerineGenie · 23/02/2021 22:11

Or equally the neighbour has always been an antisocial sod and the estate agent is trying to pretend it's not an ongoing issue by making up a story

ArosGartref · 23/02/2021 22:11

It may be lockdown getting to me but I'm on crazy bonfire man's side.

If the story is true, I don't understand why the vendor wouldn't sell it to the neighbour.

Original poster
MrsTiffin · 23/02/2021 22:12

@Kollin we don't know how much they offered though, maybe it was way under asking price and he's acting like this to drive the price down?

I do definitely think there's more gone on in the past we've not been told

OP posts:
FunTimes2020 · 23/02/2021 22:14

@FossilisedFanny

I’m surprised the estate agent hasn’t tried to sort this out if it happens with every viewing , they’ll really struggle to sell it and will be wanting their commission.
Agreed. Estate agents nowadays don't seem to have proper credentials or any gumption.
Jet888 · 23/02/2021 22:14

Do not buy the house or even consider it! We bought above a woman who had problems with previous owners and we thought it was just issues between them. She was absolutely horrible and insane and made lives and subsequent house sale a total nightmare. Dont be tempted to change you mind and make an offer. Unreasonable, horrible people like their neighbour don't change...

Original poster
MrsTiffin · 23/02/2021 22:15

@moanieleminx I think he wants to make it back into one big house, there's a few round here still like that.

OP posts:
PanamaPattie · 23/02/2021 22:18

Maybe the vendor knows the asshole neighbour or the AHN upset his brother in some way. Perhaps the deceased will states "don't sell my house to the AH next door".

SnackSizeRaisin · 23/02/2021 22:22

That sounds odd. Most people would probably be happy to sell to a neighbour, you already know them, they want that specific house so not goin to mess about, not in a chain etc....unless they really hate the neighbour...or it just isn't true if course. Why would they care about selling to a young family, they won't be living there themselves so it won't affect them.
I would speak to the bonfire neighbour and find out what is going on. May as well know before you commit yourselves. (Or walk away if you can stand not knowing!)

NoParticularPattern · 23/02/2021 22:26

Sounds to me like there’s some history or ongoing dispute that the vendors are trying to cover up. In fact the way they are just totally ignoring it and telling people who view that he’s done this every time suggests they’re probably not lily white in the situation either. I expect they’re refusing to sell to him because of the dispute rather than because of the family situation and he’s making life as miserable as possible for viewers so that eventually he can gather it up for a bargain price. At the end of the day a house is only worth what someone is willing to pay and if the only person willing to pay anything is the neighbour then they’ll find they have no choice eventually. Especially as a probate sale. They’re shooting themselves in the foot (and not to mention acting illegally) really by not disclosing whatever it is that’s gone on between them!

toocold54 · 23/02/2021 22:27

I’d buy it out of pure spite and enjoy rubbing the unpleasant arseholes nose in it.

Me too! And I’d never worry about my DCs or washing machine etc being too loud it would be lovely.

DespairingHomeowner · 23/02/2021 22:31

@WineInTheWillows

You could probably get it at a much reduced price, OP, if you're interested. As a professional person, he's unlikely to persist in anything that could get him any sort of record. I think he'd get over it.
^ this. He’s angry with them, not you (at this point Grin)
Original poster
MrsTiffin · 23/02/2021 22:32

@NoParticularPattern

Sounds to me like there’s some history or ongoing dispute that the vendors are trying to cover up. In fact the way they are just totally ignoring it and telling people who view that he’s done this every time suggests they’re probably not lily white in the situation either. I expect they’re refusing to sell to him because of the dispute rather than because of the family situation and he’s making life as miserable as possible for viewers so that eventually he can gather it up for a bargain price. At the end of the day a house is only worth what someone is willing to pay and if the only person willing to pay anything is the neighbour then they’ll find they have no choice eventually. Especially as a probate sale. They’re shooting themselves in the foot (and not to mention acting illegally) really by not disclosing whatever it is that’s gone on between them!
I think you've hit the nail on the head with this!
OP posts:
EineReiseDurchDieZeit · 23/02/2021 22:34

The reason given for why they wouldn't sell to the neighbour is bull.

Most odd, all around.

PurpleWh1teGreen · 23/02/2021 22:35

@Bandino

Do people really seek out a particular demographic to sell to? No wonder he's cross.
Quite.
Goldieloxx · 23/02/2021 22:40

When I sell my house I specifically want it to be to really noisy people to get back at my neighbours

Bubblyliquid · 23/02/2021 22:50

A few years ago myself and a friend went to view a rented house in a not so nice area but passable for what we wanted.

The next door neighbour was absolutely barmy.

He literally greeted us and asked us about our cars as while we had two parking spaces one we weren’t allowed to use. Apparently he had set up residential management company having bimonthly groups (it was just him) and had it in writing we weren’t allowed to park in our potential spot.

It ended up he chased off everyone as essentially he didn’t want any neighbours -and was probably a hobby of his-.

CeibaTree · 23/02/2021 22:50

@Bandino

Do people really seek out a particular demographic to sell to? No wonder he's cross.
We just sold my late parents house and we did actually sell it to a young family who offered £3k less than an investor who wanted to buy it. So it can happen! Not in the OPs case obviously - there is something very strange going in and I would bet the estate agent knows exactly what it is..
toocold54 · 23/02/2021 22:53

next door wanted to buy it, but vendor wants it to go to a family to renovate for themselves.

I have an extremely elderly, frail family member who has a neighbour who wants their house (it’s not for sale). For the past 10 years when someone new came to visit he would do things like the neighbour but often a lot worse all to stop people potentially buying it.
We’ve all agreed when the time comes to never sell it to him, so I can see why the neighbours may not want him to buy it too.

BoomBoomsCousin · 23/02/2021 23:02

If they are looking for a young family, surely that's age discrimination and illegal?

I agree with NoParticularPattern that it sounds like there is more too it than they have let on. And the vendor may well be as much of a dick as the neighbour.

Heyha · 23/02/2021 23:02

My mum sold my grandparents' house to a young family rather than a buy to let person so it does happen. I reckon I'd go back and speak to the neighbour tbh to suss out if he's angry with the family or just bonkers. If he's angry he'd have to give up eventually as if he doesn't get the house himself that's the end of the game? If he's bonkers then it's a run away fast job isn't it

Bandino · 23/02/2021 23:04

@ceiba It seems quite discriminatory though. But I must admit I was glad our old house went to a family rather than the builder who offered, especially as he'd pissed us off in the past. Yes there's more going on here for sure.

RedLlama · 23/02/2021 23:08

@ArosGartref

It may be lockdown getting to me but I'm on crazy bonfire man's side.

If the story is true, I don't understand why the vendor wouldn't sell it to the neighbour.

Would you act in the same way as the neighbour in this situation?
yoyo1234 · 23/02/2021 23:13

Please OP which profession?

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