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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To buy a dream house with a crazy neighbour next door?

193 replies

Friedeggs9876 · 13/05/2025 19:51

Would you buy the house of your dreams if there was an ongoing issue with the neighbour? The house is in the cotswolds, lovely garden in a beautiful area with great community, schools and shops. The only issue is that the house apparently has a neighbour that has harassed the owners in the past, instances like putting up notices around their property boundary about “around the clock 24hr surveillance” and “trespassers will be prosecuted” I’ve heard the neighbour also seems to think the owners are Russian spies and working with Putin. Would this be enough to put you off buying an otherwise lovely home?

OP posts:
purpleme12 · 14/05/2025 19:38

Our old neighbours harassed us for years. Many different ways. Police involved etc. Finally they sold the property (yay!) They CLAIMED we were the problem. So really they must have lied and said there no neighbour problems. They could be lovely to whoever they wanted to be lovely to. But all the other neighbours knew they were the problem ones.

Yourcatisnotsorry · 14/05/2025 19:50

I’d knock on and talk to the crazy neighbour to get their side of the story/judge the crazy. If I thought the issues would continue and it would impact me I probably wouldn’t buy. If you do go ahead ask for a large discount to asking price as they’ll be very keen to move I imagine.

OnePearlOtter · 14/05/2025 20:00

Don't do it. We had nightmare neighbours. They moved out 3 months ago and we still are struggling with the trauma from them

laraitopbanana · 14/05/2025 20:01

Nope nope nope…

this isn’t a dream house at all. Find yours elsewhere.

OhcantthInkofaname · 14/05/2025 20:24

I'd buy it. They think the current owners are Russian spies so how would that carry over to you? To me they aren't dangerous but ditzy!

anon666 · 14/05/2025 20:31

Don't do it.

No house can compensate for living with harassment or a dispute.

Avoid like the plague, just be thankful you know.

Matsukaze · 14/05/2025 20:53

I wouldn't touch with a barge pole no matter how lovely the house is. I've unfortunately experienced harassment from a neighbour before and it was a nightmare.

carchi · 14/05/2025 21:08

The main problem here is that whatever crazy he is getting up to is probably not actually illegal or a reason to contact the police/ council / environmental health etc. It seems that the sellers have complained about him and therefore have to state the problems in the sales documentation. Maybe try and find out a bit more information about whether or not he has been told to stop the behaviour and has resisted in which case you might be able to keep complaining until something is done. If not and he just acts crazy with no consequences then no way would I personally move in.

SmoothRoads · 14/05/2025 21:19

Definitely not. I have experienced minor harassment in the past and was stressed for weeks. This sounds much worse. It's awful not to feel safe in your own home.

Furthermore, I do not believe that there is such a thing as a "dream home". All houses have their good and bad characteristics and you will become very familiar with the bad ones, once the rose-tinted goggles fall off.

Londonrach1 · 14/05/2025 21:20

Yabu...ran not walk...never ever ever buy a house with an ongoing neighbour issue...

Shotokan101 · 14/05/2025 21:48

....maybe they ARE Russian Spies....... 🤣

Flopsy145 · 14/05/2025 22:17

I would knock and say hello before buying, just say you wanted to say hi and introduce yourselves as a new potential owner. Then read the vibe, they might just be kooky or they might be real trouble

Mantissatopower4 · 14/05/2025 22:36

Judging by the responses here it’s un likely anyone would want to buy the house. The estate agent couldn’t afford to keep potential purchasers in the dark about this problem. The house is unsaleable. So your chance of bagging a real bargain.

assuming you have a sense of humour sufficient to cope with the personality of the neighbour, I’m sure lots of people could let this ‘wash over them’. Then go for it and grab a bargain.

also are you likely to outlive the neighbour? You might enjoy discussing conspiracy theories.

Wooky073 · 14/05/2025 23:42

Ive heard horror stories of something similar in a rural area with lovely houses but a nightmare elderly neighbour who didnt like anyone not born and bred in that locality and who's suspicious nature caused no end of issues. Coming out of the house and shouting at them when putting out the bins, shouting and threatening when visitors cars arrived. In short they behaved like they owned the area and were hostile to the new neighbours to the point of causing them stress related illnesses. Best stay away.

VK456 · 15/05/2025 06:01

Please don’t do it.
it’s too outing to go into details, but I feel so trapped by the actions and ‘well-meant’ interference by my neighbour.

pollymere · 15/05/2025 12:29

Actually I would. It could be that the neighbour has issue with the current occupiers. And if they need sectioning, the house will be empty...

Wednesdayisme · 15/05/2025 16:03

That dream sounds like it will become a complete nightmare . But then it depends how you feel about putting up with a bonkers neighbour like that for a house you love.

Hopingtobeaparent · 15/05/2025 19:27

Hmmm.. an interesting one. For the right home, I’d consider it, but it would be subject to the balance of a few things. Now, obviously dream neighbours are great, but they are not the be all and end all most of the time, unless they really are a problem, in which case, massive headache!! Only you’ll know what you’re willing to accept and tolerate and for what cost. For me though, the things I would consider are….

-How old are they? (As in, will they live a long time? Sounds like they’re there to stay, as in not likely to move).

-How much would it actually impact on me in practical terms day to day? They sound paranoid so therefore very private etc., Now, personally this is probably a flavour of crazy that I would prefer over others. I initially thought not very much impact really, but saw your follow up post about screaming at the people 🤷‍♀️ obviously, again, is that rare? It could just be paranoia tipping, and we don’t really know the context.

-They may well not feel this way about you OP as new neighbours, however, I suspect they’ll still be suspicious, private, and eventually develop their own paranoid crazy against you, you’d just have to wait and see.

-Are you going to have to deal with them much over anything like a shared driveway or fence or anything?

If it’s a detached house, space, no real reason to interact, and just need to tolerate hostility, and signs being put up, I think I’d probably be able to laugh that off and enjoy my new lovely home. Nothing is perfect, you’ve got to pick your compromises 🤷‍♀️

Maybe get security cameras or something if you do though, just so you can back up any nonsense claims against you. Let them be crazy in their own space. At least they probably aren’t going to be parking in your drive way!!! 😂

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