To withdraw offer on house because of crazy neighbour?

[inapropertyquandry]

Perfect position - amazing views.
Knock down and rebuild project.
All Proceeding beautifully until last week when we learn one of the neighbours had had a visit from the police because he was caught armed with chainsaw and weed killer on the property cutting down a tree and killing a hedge. Our solicitors informed us because the buyers' solicitor had contacted him.
Seems the neighbour (whose property overlooks the one we want to buy) felt the trees and hedge were obscuring his view. So he took the path of trespass and criminal damage by chopping down a tree and pouring weed killer over extensive areas of the garden.
Now clearly a visit from the police may put him back in his box. Bit would you buy this property now? We are seriously out off given we'd have to Apply for planning permission and he overlooks us. I don't mind being overlooked by a decent person. But that's crazy behavior isn't it?
Just want a sense check on all this!

Would you want to live either side of that ?

I know I wouldn't

YANBU

We have horrible neighbours, awful when the kids were small. Imagine explaining to a 7year old 'in the event of an accident or if you're scared NEVER go next door'.

He died, but she has turned out to still be a horrible person. I wish 15years down the line we'd sold up straight away. Life is too short.

I've not read the whole thread but I can tell you that I had horrific neighbours move in. We all celebrated when they left. Absolutely awful, nasty people. They sold their house on the quiet because they knew that complaints would cause the loss of the sale. We now have absolutely lovely neighbours. I would not buy a house if I found out the neighbours were shit. It's miserable and not worth it.

As part of the queries solicitors have to go through

Are you in the U.K.? I found that here people in overall are quite decent but the bad neighbours can get away with a lot. I will not buy this house which is frustrating but better safe than sorry.

I’d do this too. You have nothing to lose if you’re about to pull out anyway.

You need to knock on his door and speak to him.

This has planning nightmare written all over it. A crazy neighbour who freaks out about some hedging will be even more unhinged about a building project, even if you feel the extension would be lower than what is there now. I wouldn't even go there. He is not going to make your life easy.

I agree major red flag, I would pull out.
One important thing you can’t change is your neighbours and he sounds unhinged!

So this morning I did knock on the door. I apologised for disturbing them but I was the lady who'd offered on the house behind them. i simply asked if they could shine a light on the trespass and damage that had occurred last week - we needed to know more in order to proceed, so we're asking neighbours. Flat denial - she didn't hear anything and her husband was out with the dog. But the body language was all off!
Rather than engage in a pointless row I thanked her and said I'd go and speak to the neighbour who'd reported the incident. And off i went.
I found him and he was happy to tell me that it was both of the people - husband and wife - who live in that property behind the one we want to buy. And he had photos.
So I have concluded they're pretty irredeemable. I'd hoped they'd be full of remorse and say oh gosh I don't know what came over us. But no. Flat denial.

So we've withdrawn, with enormous regret. But I don't think we could have lived with that.

Thanks all - you definitely helped me crystallise my views, and confirmed I ought to check by knocking on the door.

You've made the right decision. Sorry it didn't work out for you. Hopefully you'll look back and think it happened for a reason x

Sorry it's gone that way! Would the support/kindness of the one neighbour outweigh the other?

Fingers crossed you can find somewhere else. You did the right thing and can now be confident in your decision.

I’ve just read through your thread @inapropertyquandry and you’ve definitely made the right decision. I’ve lived in many different houses over the years and twice I’ve had bad (odd, hostile, aggressive) neighbours. They really can make your life a misery, make you not want to even go home. Neutral neighbours are great and friendly neighbours are one of life’s great joys!

You were right to run away.

The fact someone has photo evidence and yet they deny it speaks volumes.

I hope karma strikes and someone now gets planning permission to develop a HUGE tower on the land!

The owner will now have to declare this land dispute with any future purchasers.

It wasn't meant to be, but I'm sure the best property for you is just around the corner. Definitely dodged a bullet with this one

There you go - at least you can let go now knowing that you did everything you could.

Good luck in the search and I hope you find a great plot to build on.

Your solicitor informed you because the buyer's solicitors informed him. I thought you WERE the buyers.

sellers solicitors informed us@Wonkasworld . I may have mis typed.
The sellers have acted correctly throughout. I feel sorry for them because they are now lumbered with a real problem.

Oh, OK thanks for clarifying. Good luck with your new search 😊

Just seen your last post. Yeah you did the right thing.

I'd probably go through with it if it's otherwise ideal and we weren't going to live there while it was being done. Knock the price down and set aside the money to take any legal action which may be necessary.

You have made the right decision.

Make sure you spell out the reason to their solicitor, add the photos of the neighbours doing the criminal damage if you can, and their flat out denial when you called to them.

This will give the sellers additional causation if they sue the neighbours for criminal damage and compensation.

Awful people.

I have been amazed over the years by the stories of land grabs, hedges and trees being interfered with by seemingly decent neighbours, when the opportunity of probate on a property arose.

People can be so ugly and dishonest in the face of an opportunity.

So we've withdrawn, with enormous regret. But I don't think we could have lived with that.

Fair enough.

I wrote a nice email for the sellers via my solicitor outlining our regret for pulling out, and basically reporting everything I knew, as well as thanking them for their transparency. I hope that helps them. I suspect they will lose hundreds of thousands of pounds. It was an expensive plot with one of the best sea views in SW england. A rare gem....