To not disclose neighbour dispute when selling

[Bonnieisadiva]

This is a genuine question.

From my neighbours point of view I'm the problem neighbour. Over the last 20 years they have made numerous complaints about me and my family over noise to both social services and environmental health.

It all started over parking. I inadvertently parked in front of their house on a public road 20 years ago and went to Spain for 2 weeks. My bad.

I'm really sorry this is long but I think it's relevant information.

From this point we noticed hostilities. NDN parking his car and van spaced out to take up as possible.

Around 2007 he met his wife who was only to happy to add her own car to the "parking wars". Between them they were now using 3 vehicles to take up 4-5 spaces.

November 2007 I gave birth to my youngest child.

2008: They complained to to Social services over my baby crying. They contacted me and my health visitor and the complaint was dismissed. My NDN then announced herself as a Police Officer to Environmental Health and made another complaint which was referred to Social Services again. Because it was a complaint from another government agency this time they were duty bound to investigate further. Which they did. They spoke to my 6 year old twins school, my babies childminder, my health visitor, did a home visit and spoke to me and my twins separately. The social worker wrote a report saying "no concerns" the children were all well cared for, lived in a home that was "maintained to an excellent high standard" there was evidence of age appropriate craft equipment, toys, books etc and if any more complaints were to come from the same source they should be dismissed as malicious. The social worker sent me a copy of this report which included the initial source of the complaint with the NDN "announcing" herself on duty as a police officer. I used this report to complain about her to IPCC who found in my favour and disciplined her.

2009: NDN decided to create off road parking. I could see exactly how this was going to go if I didn't do the same. NDN just needed a bit of tarmac and a dropped kerb. Our front though needed about 8 tons of soil moving, the services dropping which involved the gas pipe moving by British gas, the front brickwork that was previously underground needed refacing, we needed rails putting up around the steps to prevent people falling down a now 8 foot drop. But we did the work anyway and gained 2 off road spots whereas no NDN only gained 1. Plus we didn't get an H bar put in front of our double width dropped kerb unlike NDN. So we gained 2 spaces off road and 2 spaces along the dropped kerb to our drive. NDN only gained 1 space because no-one can park on an H bar, not even the owners of the space behind the H bar. So this resolved our parking issues. Not so much no NDN who had previously been taking up 4/5 spaces with their 3 cars but now only had 1.

After all this drama I spent YEARS walking on eggshells. "Sushing" visitors to my home. Turning music down, turning the tv down to avoid any more complaints from NDN

2017/8 - a whole month of INSANE noise when NDN were getting ties put in place around the time they put up their extension right up to the boundary. I did not object and even allowed scaffolding on my property and overlooked the lack of a party wall agreement.
Around this time no NDN also moved their rear and side boundary to claim adverse possession of the shared back lane and some land at the side that I believe is owned by Council.

2020 - MONTHS AND MONTHS of NDN grinding stones for his patio every single weekend. This was during lockdown so we couldn't even get out of the house to escape this incessant noise. The dust went everywhere. All over mine and the neighbours cars, our washing, inside our homes. Again I did not complain.

2023 - repeated complaints from NDN over "darts noise". Literally every time anyone played darts in the basement she was straight round hammering on the door. We built an oche to stop the complaints.

February 2025 - we adopted a Poochon dog. I do accept that the noise from her barking was a noise nuisance and a valid complaint. NDN have obviously gone straight to the council and raised a noise complaint. The council are taking it seriously and 100% on their side which I'm not challenging. My dog cannot be left alone, I accept that. In response I've arranged doggy daycare 2 days per week, one day she's with my mum and the other 2 days I WFH. I'm not challenging this complaint, I accept it's valid and I've taken steps to prevent the barking and believe this matter now resolved. I installed cameras and could see that even leaving her alone for half an hour was distrssing for her. I 100% am not challenging this and have made this clear to the council and have taken responsibility for resolving this situation.

Since then, however they have now made a separate complaint through Environmental Health about "amplified noise". I genuinely do not know what they are referring to. I've asked the Council but they can't be arsed to reply either. Is my tv on too loud? Is it my daughter's weekly guitar lesson? Is it when I listen to music whilst cleaning? I'm actually hearing impaired so most of the time I rely on sub titles when watching TV or have ear phones in when listening to music. I can't believe really that I'm louder than them.

I just can't stand living next door to them anymore. It's constant. They have no consideration of the fact noise travels both ways. The husband constantly shouts, bangs, screams at their kids (who incidentally also cried as babies), they bang about, drill, play their music, CONSTANT diy, and yet I'm the one walking on eggshells worried about every single sound. Maybe I am a noisy bastard I don't know? I can't live here anymore though.

Anyway if you've got through all that amazing!

My question though is, given I'm the source of all the complaints, would I need to disclose this if I sell?

Have you made any complaints?

You need a conveyancing solicitor to advise you - and you need to be completely honest with them about everything that’s gone on - but I really can’t see how you could get away with not declaring a neighbour dispute with all that history. You know that any buyer of your house could try to sue you, if you don’t disclose, right?

I'd think that you are "the problem" and therefore the neighbours should be fine when you leave, as the neighbours wouldn't have you to complain about. I also think that the reality would be different.

Some of those issues genuinely will be resolved by you leaving as the dog will go with you and the new owners probably won't play darts. But the weirder issues just make the neighbours sound bat shit.

No. Other than the IPCC complaint I've not made any other complaints.

Yes, I'm not ready to sell yet, but I'm worried if I have to disclose this no-one would buy. I'm just gathering advice before I sell really. Once I'm in a position to sell I'd of course speak to a solicitor. This kinda affects my decision to sell though. If it's something I'd need to disclose I may be better waiting for them to move first.

If you haven’t made any official complaints against the neighbour you don’t have to declare it. I wouldn’t if I were you.

When we moved into our house I discovered the couple we bought from had had an ongoing feud with the neighbours but we got fine with them

Yes of course you have to disclose it! It's irrelevant who is the cause of the problem and who is making the complaints. It's a dispute. You could get yourself into a lot of trouble if you don't.

We had an awful neighbour. We took off record legal advice about selling and were told it’s only a dispute if you are in dispute (ie. You disagree). So if the neighbour complains your dog is too loud and you say yes it is; then that’s not a dispute. If they say ‘you are shit’ and you say yes sir I am. Then it’s not a dispute. What’s the dispute?

So we very much took this tone and embraced acknowledgement of our ‘fault’ willingly. And declared nothing.

Not sure if you can do that with the IPCC complaint though. Here you were in dispute actively and on record.

No, it’s clear these people aren’t reasonable. You have a problem neighbour with a history / long standing disputes over the noise. I really do feel for you, however you will be shooting yourself in the foot by not declaring it and also not a decent person (I get that the neighbour is the dick here, but don’t sink to their level)

Maybe see if you can make a one off appointment with a conveyancing solicitor to get their advice? You’re not going to get informed legal opinion from random posters on Mumsnet.

The house will sell - you’ll just have to lower the price. A lovely house with nightmare neighbours isn’t worth the same as a lovely house with all lovely neighbours.

Yeah that's my logic. The complaints are all about my noisy baby, my noisy darts (that I don't play anymore), my noisy dog (I don't disagree with this complaint and have 100% stopped this), so on the face of it the "dispute" is all my unreasonable behaviour. So if a new person buys the house they may not have the same issues. As long as they don't have babies.

Quick google has a few solicitors doing FAQ

https://www.netlawman.co.uk/ia/neighbour-dispute-selling-house?srsltid=AfmBOorbQpkJsd5bI60HkXUNHsypoj0B5WVXX7AqGrCPIVlyu_Zdn3Ys

How to declare neighbour disputes in the seller's property information form
When selling your home, in the property information form (TA6), you must disclose any existing disputes. This includes both resolved and ongoing issues with neighbours. The legal requirement here is clear: you must inform the buyers of past and present conflicts.
This could be anything from formal complaints to local authorities about nuisance neighbours to documented incidents of anti-social behaviour. The aim is to provide detailed information to the buyer, setting the stage for a transparent and honest transaction.
Local council's role in neighbour disputes
Local councils play an important role in handling neighbour disputes. They are often the first point of contact for complaints relating to noise, anti-social behaviour, and other neighbourhood issues. If you've involved the local council in your dispute, this needs to be declared when selling your property.
Documentation from the council can provide the buyer with insight into the specific circumstances and history of the dispute. The council's involvement can also serve as an official record, proving that efforts were made to resolve matters, which can be reassuring to an interested buyer.

I think you'll need to declare some of what gone on - but you probably need to talk to a proper solitor with all the relevant information and check you are filling the form out correctly - else the new buyer can hold you liable after the sale.

Here's the TA6 property information form. You don't have to disclose any more than it asks, I believe

(screenshot pending)

My parents had to declare a neighbour dispute on selling (it had gone to court twice as their NDN was a a threatening and abusive man). The declaration knocked about 10% off the sell price

Actually that's a really good idea. Thank you.

I do need to move really. House is too big, it's a horrible situation to be in, and I'm sat here thinking "let's ask the Internet, as if the Internet says I'd need to disclose it maybe I should wait for NDN to move first". That's honestly where I was going with this. You're right though. I just need to speak to a solicitor.

No you don’t have to disclose however you might find their extension and no party wall agreement causes massive issues

If that’s the case then, have you asked chat GTP..!?

I wouldn’t. Is a private matter.

Sorry OP, but the amount of detail you've put in that first message hasn't helped to paint you in the best light...there's loads and loads of information about this online, but this statement "This could be anything from formal complaints to local authorities about nuisance neighbours to documented incidents of anti-social behaviour." sums up everything I've just looked at - it's subjective and when the time comes to sell your solicitor should advise you.

My neighbour called the police about me on at least two occasions I know of, she was a wannabe neighbour from hell, who'd gone through life having collision after collision with just about everyone she came into contact with. The world was totally against her, and yet she never figured out what the common link was. Anyway, I have no idea if she declared anything when she sold, certainly me as the "problem" neighbour has never had a cross word with the people who bought the place, so it could be that even if you don't declare a dispute, it might be alright if the buyers get on with your neighbours.

I've been asking chatgpt to help me with my responses to the council and found it very helpful actually.

My post is not chatgpt unfortunately. This is my life. There's loads I've left out as my initial post was too long. I've left out all the harassment, the mosquito alarms ndn put in, the SAR request I put in with the council, the complete ineptitude from the investigating officer from my coucil, the damage to my car when I parked in ndn spot, the rats that came into my house from next door, the fact ndn extension is slightly over the property line, the damage to my roof caused by their works, the damage to my chimney caused by their works, but yeah accuse me of being a bot. I wish this WAS fake I really do. Unfortunately, this is my life, and the reality is actually worse.

No no, I was suggesting that you asked chat gtp for advice about this and saw what it said.

I'm not saying you're wrong.

I don't agree with the complaint over my crying baby. When they made their complaint they were childless. When they went on to have their own children their first baby at least cried way more than mine. I'm not gonna lie - every time I heard her cry I did think "thank you God for giving them a crying baby!"

The darts noise - agreed. We built an oche and checked with them that they could no longer here the noise.

The dog. Yeah not gonna defend that. I measured the noise myself. She's 106 decibels. That's louder than a fire alarm. I have resolved that though in my defence. We got a dog behaviourist in who trained us and her. She's fine now when we're with her but she can't be left. I don't disagree with the noise complaint. It was valid. I'm not disputing that and I agree that it was a noise nuisance. She's not left alone anymore though so that noise complaint will be closed I assume.

That's not my question though. I'm not asking if I'm being a dick or not. I'm asking if I need to disclose a dispute if I'm the one being accused of being a dick?

Ah sorry! Yeah I have been using chatgpt to help me in my responses to the council but not thought of asking it for this.

Sorry, I thought you were saying I was a bot. I apologise. I wish this was bloody fake though

I think it’s a dispute in relation the the actual property isn’t it?! So it’s not been about the property like a boundary issue or anything, just noise and general not getting on. If so I wouldn’t declare that.