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AIBU?

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Original poster

Why wouldn't you research an area before you move?

191 replies

GlitterGiraffe13 · 13/04/2021 19:37

This popped up on facebook earlier.. A woman bought a house next to the A446 and is now complaining about the noise from the road..For those who aren't really familiar with the A446 it's a really busy road in Birmingham and is used as an alternative route whenever theres a crash/traffic on both the M42 and M6...

She says;
"Before we moved in we had several viewings that all took place on a Saturday morning which all meant that the road was relatively quiet. We absolutely fell in love with the house,"

There was also another article which says she didn't research the area before she moved?

We're relocating soon and we've spent ages researching the new area, good and bad locations to move to and we're going to go and stay for a few days as soon as we can to get a feel for it? Which I thought was normal behaviour?

Even if that was the only time the estate agent could do (unlikely but how else would they sell the house) why wouldn't you drive past it yourself at different times of day to get a feel for the traffic? She's moved from Kings Heath in Birmingham so it's not exactly far for her to go and scope the place out?

I feel like i've missed something here? Confused

Link:
www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/property/couple-forced-wear-earplugs-bed-20350434

OP posts:
Drunkenmonkey · 13/04/2021 21:42

I feel sorry for her. Yes she made a massive error not checking it out at different times of day but it isn't unusual for someone to be willing to make a compromise to get their dream house.
I have family that live right next to a very busy road and the noise is there consistently but it's not excessive or life ruining.
Her house is just downright dangerous in my opinion and should never have been built. Yes maybe she is a bit stupid, but lots of people are a bit stupid and planning regulations should be there partly to protect people from this kind of situation. We are normally so protected in the UK by legislation and regulations and health and safety that people do (clearly wrongly) assume a situation this bad couldn't happen.

waitingforthenextseason · 13/04/2021 21:43

She's spectacularly dim. Anyone with even an ounce of smarts would have noticed the A road behind her garden fence.

Oblomov21 · 13/04/2021 21:43

Seller? Got rid.
There's no seller. It's a newbuild?

torquewench · 13/04/2021 21:43

Someone in Twitter has posted a screenshot of the aerial view from Google maps. Guess which A road she has to drive along to get to her house?🤦🏼‍♀️

maddiemookins16mum · 13/04/2021 21:45

I’m loving the folded arms too, surely this has shown up on APILN?

Standrewsschool · 13/04/2021 21:51

When I read the op, I presumed the house was in the vicinity of the busy road. Then I saw the photo!

When we moved to our present house, we made sure we visited it at different times, weekends, evenings etc. Surely if she’s from that area, she would know about that road also.

Ariela · 13/04/2021 21:57

Pahahaha My friend showed me her local FB page, where someone on the 650 home new estate, marketed on the house builder's website as a lovely RURAL estate, was sounding off about horse poo on the road past the estate!
The horse poo is from the local riding school that's been going past for over 60 years!

480Widdio · 13/04/2021 22:03

That road is a feeder road for the M42 and M6.For me it is a good way to get to and from the NEC and Airport without going on the Motorway.
I am surprised planning permission was given for those houses,you would be taking your life in your hands every time you come out of that road,straight onto that racetrack!

She really was dim to have bought that house! I feel sorry for her,will be difficult to sell.

abw94 · 13/04/2021 22:12

What an advertisement for when she comes to sell the house...

WeavingWandering · 13/04/2021 22:13

Could it be time of year? I’ve discovered (after moving in !) that on cold days the traffic noise is really obvious in the garden , but you hear nothing when it’s nice- apparently noise travels further on cold days? I’d viewed the house multiple times from putting in the offer but not in the middle of winter since the sale had gone through by then.

Tbh it doesn’t actually impact me as much as I panic’d it would the first time it happened since I’m unlikely to be out in the garden unless it’s nice but it was a surprise the first time- despite multiple visits.

Jaxhog · 13/04/2021 22:14

I'm not surprised. Apparently, most people spend more time choosing a car than they do in choosing a house. Crazy really.

WeavingWandering · 13/04/2021 22:16

Photos didn’t load the first time I looked at the article ... that is definitely not a weather fluke!

Siepie · 13/04/2021 22:20

I've never gone to extreme lengths to check out an area when moving, but you don't even need to visit to see it's next to a massive A road.

I used to live behind a railway line, about 5 mins from a major station. A new neighbour moved in and started writing noise complaints to the station and all the train operators because he could hear trains Confused He didn't understand why the rest of us weren't furious about it too.

Jaxhog · 13/04/2021 22:20

Wow! Just watched the clip. You'd think she'd have noticed a great big dual carriageway behind her fence! Bit of a clue.

Eyevorbig0ne · 13/04/2021 22:21

If you look along the road. Other estates are shielded by trees etc.
I think her and neighbours have a case for requesting council/highways providing a soundproofing barrier.
It should not have got planning. It's practically on the bloody A road.
Yes she should've done due diligence but nobody should actually be expected to live like that. It's shit

EastWestWhosBest · 13/04/2021 22:28

@WeavingWandering

Could it be time of year? I’ve discovered (after moving in !) that on cold days the traffic noise is really obvious in the garden , but you hear nothing when it’s nice- apparently noise travels further on cold days? I’d viewed the house multiple times from putting in the offer but not in the middle of winter since the sale had gone through by then.

Tbh it doesn’t actually impact me as much as I panic’d it would the first time it happened since I’m unlikely to be out in the garden unless it’s nice but it was a surprise the first time- despite multiple visits.

And the time of year.

I live about 3 miles from a very busy A road that goes over a bridge, causing the sound to carry more. In the summer I can barely hear it. This morning, -3 and no leaves on the trees, it was really noticeable.

As for this lady, well the road was there already. No excuse really.

That said some people moved into my parents village which is a tiny narrow road and my mum mentioned the road noise having got a lot worse in the past few years. They scoffed saying that they were from London and they were used to it. The next week they were agreeing with her. The problem is that there is an abattoir about 2 miles away. They have a shift change at 4 am and every single car comes through the village at top speed to go back to the town or to start their shift.

EastWestWhosBest · 13/04/2021 22:28

And I think it says a lot about the state of the cost of housing that a house costing £350k is right next to a main road like that.

SlobDylan · 13/04/2021 22:35

This story made me roll my eyes this morning! How have they reached their 60s without traversing the major A roads of Britain at various times of the day?

BlackAmericanoNoSugar · 13/04/2021 22:38

I think I would have noticed that there was a huge road over the fence even on a quiet Saturday in lockdown.

Having said that we bought a flat by the river. We bought in about February and everything was fine until summer came and there were party boats going up and down the river. When the first one startled me awake I thought we had made a terrible mistake, but it's surprising how quickly you can get used to things and by the end of the summer the noise didn't bother me at all. I don't think I could have researched it anyway as we already lived on the development, we were renting in a building behind the riverside buildings. We could only see a tiny bit section river from our rental balcony and obviously the position was baffling the noise because I don't remember ever hearing a party boat in the rental flat.

Pericombobulations · 13/04/2021 22:57

I saw that article too, and the map with it being parallel to the M6 toll made it obvious that it would be heavily used. DH works nearby and says he has used that road and it's always busy in the week.

Why didn't she go back at random times like you are advised to when buying a house to review everything, particularly since it wasn't a cheap house.

ClarkeGriffin · 13/04/2021 23:11

@Eyevorbig0ne

If you look along the road. Other estates are shielded by trees etc. I think her and neighbours have a case for requesting council/highways providing a soundproofing barrier. It should not have got planning. It's practically on the bloody A road. Yes she should've done due diligence but nobody should actually be expected to live like that. It's shit
No one had to buy it either. The company didn't force her. They found a gullible moron with money. Its their own fault.
GreyhoundG1rl · 13/04/2021 23:16

nobody should actually be expected to live like that. It's shit
It may well be shit, but somebody voluntarily parted with £350k for the privilege of living there.
There was no force involved. Extreme stupidity, but no force.
Bit rich to suggest they shouldn't be "expected" to put up with it. Their choice.

cheeseandpicklesandie · 13/04/2021 23:32

That is horrible and very dangerous. It must be very quite on a Saturday morning for her to but it, but I see other houses next to hers.

So she bought it as a new build, but got an estate agent was involved in selling it ? She should go back to the developer and ask for some amendments, it's not fit for purpose - triple glazing, a ventilation system. The council should have a barrier in and they should get the developer to pay. Someone in planning has done a poor job. She should be taking to her local councillors. I do really feel for her, it was a mistake, but she is stuck and I can't see them reducing the speed.

BackforGood · 13/04/2021 23:52

I saw this this morning too, and, as everyone else has said, she had to drive along that road to get into the estate. However little research she did, it can't have escaped her notice that it is a very busy road which is alongside her house.

Plus, if you feel you have made a mistake buying a particular house, whoy would you thn think it is a good idea to go public and advertise to the whole world what a terrible idea it was ? Confused

Twofurrycatsagain · 14/04/2021 00:03

How you could fail to notice a dual carriage way at the end of the garden is beyond me. And even if you weren't going to view the house you'd have a wander over at different times?
But I do think that when planning permission was being applied for there should have been some conditions about noise/safety included.