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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think someone will buy my house?

68 replies

Pettypettyneighbour · 02/04/2023 17:25

So my neighbours are awful - scum essentially. And I know that's mean, however it's true.

Their garden is full of moldy clothes left out over winter, rubbish, array of terribly built buildings and a gross hottub.

I also have a complaint made against them as they were noisy last year I was so anxious (as my baby was incredibly poorly so I didn't have any energy to speak to them about it). I known i have to disclose - I complained about a preteen shouting in the garden at night, rather than any music, so I can word the dispute as resolved as the preteen is now a teen and less likely to be screaming). I haven't complained about music they play, though I'm aware neighbours have..

I really want to move, it was going to be in a few years but realistically I don't think my anxiety will cope so I need to move ASAP.

But who's going to buy my house?! I wouldn't if they were there when I bought it (the moved in after the last council tenants were evicted for subletting).

Surely somebody will buy it?

(I don't want to hear lots of 'I wouldn't buy it's I know) I'm more looking to hear of if anyone - at all - would buy it?! Would a landlord buy it? How do I find someone to buy it?

OP posts:
Binfluencer · 02/04/2023 17:27

A landlord will buy it and stick students or similar in. Can you afford to sell below market value?

iLovee · 02/04/2023 17:29

If you live in a student area I'm sure a landlord would snap it up! Hopefully your neighbours get a taste of their own medicine too! I hope everything works out for you OP

Original poster
Pettypettyneighbour · 02/04/2023 17:29

Binfluencer · 02/04/2023 17:27

A landlord will buy it and stick students or similar in. Can you afford to sell below market value?

It's not a student town, it's a small suburb ex council 3 bed house. Nearest uni is about 20 miles away.

Not massively if I'm honest, unless I move back home with my parents for a while and risk getting priced out the market :(

OP posts:
DancingWithBroccoli · 02/04/2023 17:30

Well, people might not know the neighbours are bad. (How would they know?) Plus, some people might like noisy neighbours especially if they r also noisy! Every house has its price - so if it doesn't sell for what you want, it will for less if you are prepared/able to take a knock.

AHugeTinyMistake · 02/04/2023 17:32

Could you try environmental health about the mouldy clothes/rubbish? Would that count as a dispute?

We had to get onto the council about the house backing on to us last year - they piled up renovation rubbish against our back fence and broke it - it was old roof tiles, plasterboard and so on. It was unsightly rather than dangerous but they did deal with it, I didn't expect them to but the owner of the house was forced to remove it all.

If next door are council tenants, ultimately it's their responsibility. Is it encouraging rats? That might be a useful angle.

Emigratingimmigrant · 02/04/2023 17:33

Check with your council if they are actively buying properties. They can do if there is a big backlog of people waiting.

Original poster
Pettypettyneighbour · 02/04/2023 17:34

AHugeTinyMistake · 02/04/2023 17:32

Could you try environmental health about the mouldy clothes/rubbish? Would that count as a dispute?

We had to get onto the council about the house backing on to us last year - they piled up renovation rubbish against our back fence and broke it - it was old roof tiles, plasterboard and so on. It was unsightly rather than dangerous but they did deal with it, I didn't expect them to but the owner of the house was forced to remove it all.

If next door are council tenants, ultimately it's their responsibility. Is it encouraging rats? That might be a useful angle.

Any record with the council is classified as a dispute I believe - we already have 1, i don't particularly want more as technically the screaming child issue is resolved!

OP posts:
Ponoka7 · 02/04/2023 17:35

If it's cheaper than equivalent houses in the area, but with better neighbours then it will sell. Likewise some people don't care what's in the neighbours gardens. In what other ways are they scum? It depends on if any potential buyers ask other neighbours. I moved in to a not great area because my Mum lived close by and I couldn't afford anything else.

Schnooze · 02/04/2023 17:36

Could you offer to pay for a skip and tidy up their outside yourself? Might be worth a try?

wantmorenow · 02/04/2023 17:37

friends had the neighbours from hell with official disputes on record - they chose to part ex for a new build. Had no problems and their lives improved exponentially. Could that be an option?

Original poster
Pettypettyneighbour · 02/04/2023 17:41

Ponoka7 · 02/04/2023 17:35

If it's cheaper than equivalent houses in the area, but with better neighbours then it will sell. Likewise some people don't care what's in the neighbours gardens. In what other ways are they scum? It depends on if any potential buyers ask other neighbours. I moved in to a not great area because my Mum lived close by and I couldn't afford anything else.

They smoke weed, swear loudly, spit every 25 seconds, their kids are up until early hours, the kids play loud music, their in the garden until 2am chatting relatively loudly, when their kids argue with others it includes alot of threatening 'to batter' people.

OP posts:
Birdsmakingnests · 02/04/2023 17:50

What about a company that buys houses.

it would be a drop in price but might be worth it for a quick sale

determinedtomakethiswork · 02/04/2023 17:51

Do they own their own place or are they renting?

Original poster
Pettypettyneighbour · 02/04/2023 17:53

determinedtomakethiswork · 02/04/2023 17:51

Do they own their own place or are they renting?

Council renting but complaining means you have to record disputes, which I don't want to do any more than I have already

OP posts:
QuillBill · 02/04/2023 17:55

I've part exchanged a house with a new build builder in similar circumstances.

Elsanore · 02/04/2023 17:56

Part Ex for a new build, definitely.

determinedtomakethiswork · 02/04/2023 17:58

The thing is that if a complaint to the council actually gets rid of them then it doesn't matter about the dispute does it? I really really hate it when bad tenants like this get a valuable council tenancy

drpet49 · 02/04/2023 17:59

I wouldn’t buy it OP sorry. The state of the neighbours gardens would put me off

RoseMarigoldViolet · 02/04/2023 18:02

Is there a way that you can make an anonymous complaint to the Council?

Winemygoodenemy · 02/04/2023 18:03

Someone bought my house. My neighbours are nice, but their garden is a mess. Very noisy. Shout and swear lots. Lots of people in and out the house. So loud and no awareness of the noise they make 24 hrs a day. I am moving cause of them.

thankfully the day my buyer came round they were out. They didn’t notice the garden

Original poster
Pettypettyneighbour · 02/04/2023 18:05

determinedtomakethiswork · 02/04/2023 17:58

The thing is that if a complaint to the council actually gets rid of them then it doesn't matter about the dispute does it? I really really hate it when bad tenants like this get a valuable council tenancy

It's a fight that I don't think I'll win though.. they every much have secure tenancy and because they've got a kid under 16 they'd have to rehouse them - so realistically they would just push the issue onto someone else, so I doubt they'd actually do much.

OP posts:
RoseBucket · 02/04/2023 18:05

@Pettypettyneighbour it might be worth speaking to your council, quite a few are buying properties now due to lack of housing plus a long waiting list. They do give market value.

Heronwatcher · 02/04/2023 18:06

Someone will buy it yes, but plenty will be put off so I would imagine you’d have to sell at a heavy discount as it seems to be so obvious. Personally if there was an equivalent house which had a lot of work to be done, I’d choose that over one with dodgy neighbours.

And FWIW I would be completely honest on the SPIF and if anyone asks, the last thing you want is a dispute with the new owners if you’re expecting to live nearby still.

Original poster
Pettypettyneighbour · 02/04/2023 18:06

I did look at the part ex of a new build but I don't think we can realistically afford a decent sized new build. Theyre like £350k - when our current house would be worth £180k if the neighbours weren't a problem - £160k with likely

OP posts:
Im99912 · 02/04/2023 18:06

Council won’t evict them so your right complaining won’t work
most councils are hopeless at evicting ASB neighbours and basically prefer you to move as it’s easier for them

i got a lifetime restraining order against a neighbor at the end of a crown court case which meant he couldn’t return to his council house for ever. The judge was fabulous and very understanding

but that was the only way they he wasn’t coming back the council were not interested despite what he did