To hope whoever buys it is the neighbour from hell?

[MrsTiffin]

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?

Okay I get that the vendor can sell to whoever they want. My neighbours did it they chose to sell to a young family over a landlord that wanted to turn it into 2 flats. We live in an ok area full of houses and in a good catchment area. Same will be done with my family home when we sell next year. I think theirs more to the story then letting on. If you decide to buy it just know that if he persists having fires send it to the council and they will in touch. My next door neighbours on the other side burnt garden crap all through lockdown. After 5 times they got a letter from the council as I’d taken pictures and then they did it 3 more times and got a £5k fine. It’s easily sorted.

@Kollin

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

If I put my house up for sale you can bet your arse I'd sell it to whoever was the highest bidder and not hold out on someone who actually wanted it?! Bloody strange.

I thought this was weird too. Presumably NDN has put in an offer and was refused. Why specifically a 'family'? Do single people not count or something?

@JustLyra

This happened in MIL’s street. A neighbour wanted to buy the house for their son and DIL so they turned into the neighbours from hell for every viewing, then once they thought the sellers were desperate they put in a really low offer.

This is wild Who has the time to stalk the neighbours like this ?

@MiddlesexGirl

If I didn't like a potential buyer then I wouldn't sell to them. Wouldn't matter how much they offered.

Yep, I'm the same. When selling one property privately, the guy who offered the most money was just horrid. He started off with a low-ball offer then finally offered top dollar but we said no, waited another couple of weeks to get more money plus a lovely buyer.

I'd buy it and BE his worst nightmare.

You could always buy it and become the neighbour from hell yourself!

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.

I could understand if his offer was too low. But it seem insane to refuse to sell toasemi detached neighbour because you want a family to move in and do months of renovations.

@FredaFlintstone

Yabu purely for believing the story about the neighbour. As if...they're having you on.

Personally I'd go back, alone, and knock the neighbours door. And be friendly but ask if they'd like to tell you why they don't want the house to sell because you're putting an offer in tomorrow...that is more likely to get some truth!

Ha! If she does that she'll get a load of lies! Either that or a load of abuse - or both

Terrible advice

You’re wise to avoid buying next to a bad neighbour,even if you love the house. It’s not worth the endless aggravation.

@toocold54

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.

I can't imagine why the old man would want to buy it at all....

@FredaFlintstone

I can imagine having a preference over who bought my house in some situations...two equal offers on the table, one a family and one a BTL landlord. Sure.

But no one would turn down a reasonable offer when there was only one on the table especially if it was someone selling a relatives house so presumably no emotional attachment etc.

Wait you'd pick between the two instead of just letting them bid it out

I thought for a minute about suggesting knocking on the door of this man and just asking him if he plans on carrying in doing this stuff after the house is sold.

Really though... Its just a house. You can buy another house. Don't risk ending up in a nightmare living situation. You could bitterly, bitterly regret it.

There are laws about rubbish burning and indeed if consistent is it not harassment? The estate agent should be acting on this, whether it is the council or the police being involved.

I don’t think it’s odd to pick who you want to sell to. House buying and selling can be hugely emotional for people. I refused to sell to a buy to let landlord as the market is tough enough for FTB. One landlord was really insistent and wouldn’t go away which just strengthened my resolve. Our current home we bought from an elderly couple who wanted it to go to a young family. They still check in on us from time to time to see how we are, I think they are partly still checking we are true to our words about wanting it to be a family home. We don’t mind, they are very sweet and we understood what a big deal it was for them to sell the house. My friend has a similar situation with a probate sale and is still in touch with the family.

I feel sorry for the vendors of the house OP looked at, whatever the backstory you shouldn’t prevent someone else selling their house. As for the PP with the story of the couple trying to force the vendors to a lowball offer, entirely lacking in decency.

He does sound like a bastard but why don't the vendors just sell to him? I guess he wants a bigger house but likes where he lives

@LemonSwan did you get the full amount off them for hotel & expenses?

@Weebitawks

He does sound like a bastard but why don't the vendors just sell to him? I guess he wants a bigger house but likes where he lives

He's probably put in a low offer and is hoping by putting off everyone else he'll get it at less than market rate. I can see why the vendors are digging their heels in. If they have been at war for years and they are not in a massive rush to sell they don't wan't him to 'win'! OP I agree with pp - the only way to get to the bottom of this is to speak to the neighbour directly.

The thing is, as a probate sale they have an obligation as executor to secure the best price. They literally aren’t allowed to take a lower offer because they like the people more.

Also - bear in mind bored professionals will not be working from home all the time forever (my vote is on lawyer / accountant because doctors are actually out and about at the moment)

Not your circus, not your monkeys.

It's very sad but find another house.

I viewed a house once and all was fine, until we went into the garden and then the neighbour started playing his piano, with his rear French doors open (it was January) and he was not the best pianist fucking awful ...the estate agent's face dropped and admitted this had happened before.

When we went to leave the neighbour was outside the front with a hose pipe, (watering literally nothing, again, this was in January!) gave us death stares and 'accidentally' watered our feet/shoes as we went by.

He'd also moved his car so it was really awkward for us to get out of the drive; I really, really felt like 'accidentally' wholloping his car on the way out but I behaved!

Some people are vile.

If I loved the house I would still put in an offer.
It’s a risk that he’ll stop being an arsehole when you move in though.

There was an interesting case not that far from me where a house was under offer and a relatively new neighbour of the vendor caused the sale to fall through. The vendor took the neighbour to court and won compensation plus costs. www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/courts/circuit-court/man-to-pay-neighbour-50-000-for-cutting-down-his-trees-1.2626373 I did wonder how wise it was to take it to court as all of Dublin now knows that the neighbour is an arsehole and I don't know whether anyone will ever want to buy the house in future.