To wonder how I'll sell my house (neighbours)

[Hudhud35]

We want to move - however we cannot afford the £300k price tag of a new build (so we cannot sell to them) nor can we afford to do a 'we buy any house' thing.

Our house is an decent sized 3 (double) bed semi detached in a cheap (poor) area of town. Houses up and down the street sell ok - however our house is next to some really scummy people.

They're currently on the front garden, drinking, with cans of beer and rubbish strewn all over the garden and their back garden would put Steptoe to shame. They don't work so there always there - smoking weed, swearing and generally being antisocial. I'm also pretty sure someone is living on the front garden.

Last year we had an issue with their kids (preteen and 20 something) playing loud music but that seems to have stopped (for now) after numerous complaints from multiple neigbours (so we have to declare a dispute).

I will say they very much keep themselves to themselves but they just look a complete state but they really dont care about the disgusting state they live in.

I for one would never have purchased the house if they lived here when I purchased but the council evicted the tenants before and brought these in.

How am I going to sell it? Would someone buy it - maybe who hasn't got the budget for a nice area but needs a bigger family home?

Not interested in hearing 'I wouldn't buy it' as neither would I! But will someone?

I would wait until Winter until they are inside and you have a better chance of selling.

I'm sorry - I like next to a real scummy person so I know how frustrating it can be.

It’s just not worth what it would be with nicer neighbours. Of course it will sell for a price just not what you want. Sell now, take the cut, buy somewhere cheaper but without the neighbours and work your way back up.

This is a bit of a tax disaster.

Have you got prices from we buy your house type places. If you are having to discount anyway it might not be as unpalatable a price as you imagine.

I would try approaching them and very nicely - take flowers or beer to sweeten them up if you have to - explain that as you’re putting your house on the market you will be getting a gardener to come and tidy up your garden - would they mind if the gardener also does theirs at your expense as it’ll help your house appeal to buyers.

Is there anyway you can get them moved by complaining to the council etc. Or get the council in so that the place could be tidied up? Don't the council check on tenants to ensure there keeping the place in a reasonable condition?

Failing that i would list to sell oct onward and make your house as desirable as possible. Good luck

Why not offer them some cash? £500?

I'd personally sell in the winter, when they'll be indoors. Or sell to a landlord.

i would not offer cash! If there that sort of people the trouble that would start from that.

I would try approaching them and very nicely - take flowers or beer to sweeten them up if you have to - explain that as you’re putting your house on the market you will be getting a gardener to come and tidy up your garden - would they mind if the gardener also does theirs at your expense as it’ll help your house appeal to buyers.

my friend did this in similar circumstances. Also got a massive skip and told the neighbours skip company had delivered wrong skip by mistake and they may as well take advantage and clear their garden. It worked actually. The person she sold to was using it as a buy to let so that eased the conscience somewhat .

Google we buy any house there's several companies who will buy your house I don't think it will be asking price but it will get rid of it

Can you get them evicted, the council have done it once.

It has been suggested but is worth repeating: have you approached the Council or local housing association to see if they would buy it?

The OP has already said she has tried this and they are not buying stock.

Thanks @BirdChirp I missed that post. What a pity, would have been a good solution!

Auction it. Put a minimum price that you are willing for it to go for, and auction it.

I had the police to my neighbour after he twice tried to kill me, so obviously there were records.

If you go to auction, you do not need to declare a dispute. I put a minimum figure on mine and it sold for 40 K over the starting price.

I feel your pain. Unless we have lived next to neighbours from hell, it's hard to appreciate how difficult it is.

Unfortunately I moved next to a neighbour from hell like you described. Loud music at all hours, burning rubbish when our clothes were out on the line.Sitting on the front door step smoking, with loud music blaring from their house and with a scowl on their face. Constantly getting into arguments with the other neighbours who were all intimidated by them. The list was endless. This really affects your mental health.

The council suggested keeping a diary. An officer came out more than once and on one occasion even witnessed the music being really loud. To cut a long story short the council did nothing at all. They said the diary which I'd kept for 6 months was insufficient evidence.

People don't realise that even with all their rules and policies, councils and housing associations do nothing at all. They just turn a blind eye. This has been my personal experience.

Your best bet would be to study your neighbours comings and goings, and do viewings when they're not at home. Or as some have suggested do viewings in winter months and make the front of the house look as tidy as possible.

Other than this you could look at auctions, selling to a housing association or a BTL landlord.

Offering to clear the garden is also a good suggestion as well as giving a gift as an incentive after they've kept the noise down,but that depends on their nature. In my case nothing I did made a difference, some neighbours simply don't care and deliberately want to make your life difficult.

You will move OP, it may just take abit more time.

Not everyone has an issue with neighbours like this. Slightly different as it was council renting, but my parents had huge issues with their neighbours when I was little. They eventually found a house swap and moved. The neighbours they swapped with also didn't get on with their neighbours. Turns out, both sets got on with the neighbours at their new swapped houses!
I think, for selling, be realistic about the asking price and what offers you get. Good luck @Hudhud35

Get into your housing officer at the council complain about state of garden and there behaviour
my friends a housing officer they take no shut if you want to keep there house they have to look after it

they clamp down on antisocial behaviour few warnings and eviction notice

Whilst not great if you buy a House and shit neighbour owns it there going nowhere
at least with ten you can approach the LL

It's an absolute disgrace that people have to put up with this. Can you make an appointment with your MP? If the council has tenants like this, then they should be obliged to buy up your property if you can't sell it for a reasonable price.

It's not ideal, but it's a free world. They're not breaking any laws, people don't have to live by some code of good manners.

(And there's a slight undertone of: the working classes should be grateful to be given a roof and should do what they're told by their betters!)

Contact your council about the untidy land lowering the tone of the area. I think they can serve a section 215 notice.

They are probably confidential but if worried about your details then set up a burner email account and email them that way. Or complain to your councillor and ask them to put the problem forwards.

Nothing you can do about sitting on the wall drinking other than try to schedule viewings for when they might be asleep.

We are in a similar situation, our neighbours (attached) are lovely people but seriously untidy. It's a private rental and the landlord seemingly doesn't care about the deteriorating state of his property. We aren't planning on moving at present, but it's annoying to know that it would devalue our house if we did. It was nice and tidy when we bought, as the previous tenants looked after it

No undertone at all, intended @AuntyBumBum. There are so many people wanting council houses that it pisses me off when people who have them abuse them.

Anyone who rents signs a tenancy agreement. If they break it, that gives grounds for eviction. Councils and housing associations used to enforce these agreements by inspections. Unfortunately, that rarely happens now, and just one household can make a whole neighbourhood suffer by the way they choose to live.

I’ve never heard anyone say how great it is to have neighbours like those next to the OP. Most people would hate to have to live next door.