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Legal matters

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you have any legal concerns we suggest you consult a solicitor.

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Original poster

How to disown a property?

87 replies

Eatcabbage · 21/01/2021 09:54

Due to ongoing problems with a neighbour that are making things unbearable, in order to be free of this and move on with my life, I need to disown my house.
Please could I have some advice on how to do this.
There is a mortgage on the property still, of about 1/4 of its value.
The neighbour has made it impossible for the house to be sold.
I do not want to pass on the house and the associated problems to anyone I know, it would not be fair on them.
Due to the mortgage, which I cannot afford to pay off, I don’t believe that I can gift the house to anyone, for example a charity, or a family in need.
If I default on the mortgage, I believe that the house may be repossessed by the provider, but I assume there would be other consequences.
I would be grateful for any advice.

OP posts:

Family121 · 21/01/2021 15:56

Sell with we buy any house

tinkywinkyshandbag · 21/01/2021 16:02

Can't you rent it out? Or are the neighbours that bad? I agree, sell it to a builder or auction it. Or might a charity be able to buy it off you and use it for something? Like emergency housing?

northbacchus · 21/01/2021 16:06

This question may be best suited for a solicitor, OP! Hopefully, it's not as destitute as you're thinking.

NavyFlask · 21/01/2021 16:18

Someone will take it off your hands- maybe speak to local estate agents- they'll have property developers known to them who don't care about neighbour issues etc.
I hope you get a positive resolution.

Original poster

Eatcabbage · 21/01/2021 18:04

Thank you for your suggestions.
Yes, my neighbour really is that bad, and after years of harassment and problems, I’ve had enough.
I’ve today spoken to local estate agents again about trying to sell with the current problems; I have approached several local developers and have an appointment with we buy any house for tomorrow.
I’m not going to explore the part exchange option, as after my experiences here, I don’t want to buy another house.
I’ll look further into giving the house to a charity that helps with emergency housing for victims of abuse, though I don’t know how the issue of the remaining mortgage would affect that option.
Thanks again.

OP posts:

Ladsladslads · 21/01/2021 18:06

Being a petty twat, I think I'd be tempted to gift it to a cause that I know the neighbour would absolutely hate.

Hoppinggreen · 21/01/2021 18:08

If your neighbour is that bad then it would hardly be fair for abuse survivors to get put next door to him.
We dont know what you have been through but giving away the house is unnecessary and a bit silly (and probably impossible with a mortgage on it) . Just sell it very cheap to one of those companies that buy houses people want to sell in a rush. Even if you get only 50% of the value once you’ve paid the mortgage off you will have something left

pooopypants · 21/01/2021 18:18

Are you the puddle lady OP?

Ideasplease322 · 21/01/2021 18:38

I am really really confused.

Why not sell the house? Am I missing something?§

carly2803 · 21/01/2021 19:15

just do we buy any house!?

they buy under market valuebut you would not lose everything

you are insaine for giving it up like that - your credit rating will be shot, even with renting you wontbe able too easy!

icelollycraving · 21/01/2021 19:19

Would it be cheaper to hire a hitman?
Seriously op, it must be bloody horrific to consider this. Hope you get enough to start again.

BlankTimes · 21/01/2021 19:20

The neighbour has made it impossible for the house to be sold.

No, the neighbour has made you think it is impossible to sell your house, there's a huge difference.

Is it declaring a neighbour dispute that's troubling you?

I'm sure your neighbour is being the Neighbour from Hell to you but that doesn't men they'd carry on being like that with a new purchaser.
Especially if the new purchaser was male.

AppleStars · 21/01/2021 19:23

@pooopypants

Are you the puddle lady OP?

I immediately thought of the puddle lady too! I think those threads were deleted if I'm remembering correctly, but I can't remember why? I thought, and still do, that they were genuine, I would imagine she wouldn't be far off this level of drastic action if they were still putting her through that hell.

JayAlfredPrufrock · 21/01/2021 19:30

Oh was puddle lady deleted.

underneaththeash · 21/01/2021 19:37

@Eatcabbage you can just sell via one of the "we buy any house" people and then at least you get something for your house.

You then also have the option further down the line of suing him for the difference in the price for the house compared to the actual value - if you wanted to.

Plasticfish · 21/01/2021 19:39

If you're giving away a house I'd take it. Desperate to get on the fucking ladder!!!!

Original poster

Eatcabbage · 21/01/2021 19:56

I don’t really want to go into all the detail. I’m pretty broken by it all.
One of the things she has done is to start an apparently unfounded boundary dispute in the hope of getting more space in her garden. This has been going on for years, and despite being given every possible bit of evidence to show that the boundary is where it should be and has been for decades, she will not stop. She has gone as far as having her solicitor write to local estate agents warning them not to try and sell my house.
Meanwhile, she is under police caution for harassment due to her behaviour towards me. However, she has realised that they cannot stop her from contacting me through solicitors, and so is now using this avenue. That’s in addition to the continued letters about the boundary.
I’m on my own here with my young son and it’s not fair on him to see the stress and pressure I’m under and how badly it is affecting me. I’ve had some pretty horrible things happen to me in the past and it’s left me far more vulnerable to the negative effects of stress.
These may not seem like big things, but after years of it, it’s too much to bear, or at least too much for me.

OP posts:

BettyAndVeronica · 21/01/2021 20:04

You are absolutely still able to sell the house.

I wouldn't be able to live their anymore with all that going on either, so I don't blame you for wanting to go. She sounds awful.

But don't give it away! Speak to an estate agent, find out what the issues with her would mean for you selling through the normal route - and if it's too complicated/ frustrating, go down the other route of auction, We Buy Any House or similar. You'll need the money for a better life elsewhere

MadeForThis · 21/01/2021 20:09

Don't give the house away. You deserve to walk away with some/ most of your equity.

MattWanksock · 21/01/2021 20:13

If you're willing to effectively give the house away, why won't you consider "we buy any house" type affairs?

Movinghouseatlast · 21/01/2021 20:24

My heart goes out to you.

I moved house because of exactly the same issue- an unfounded boundary issue where I had absolute proof that the boundary had been in the same place for 30 years. It was hell on earth and it almost broke me. The guy brought it up the day he moved in and would not give in no matter what we did.

I gave in to the neighbour, he got what he wanted and then I sold the house. I declared the boundary dispute on the sellers form, but stated that it was resolved, as it was. I also said that the dispute was personal against us, again the truth.

He was a total psychopath I think, a bully and someone I could not bear to live beside after the things he did.

If it is any help to you at all I am now glad I moved. It pushed me into a big change which has turned out to be really great.

MrsTerryPratchett · 21/01/2021 20:29

I'd look for a charity that houses men coming out of prison and sell it to them very cheaply to recoup losses. Let her bully them if she can.

Ideasplease322 · 21/01/2021 20:37

Rent it out. At market rates. To students.

They don’t care about boundary disputes or nasty neighbours. They also throw loud parties and are hell to live beside

CoffeeRunner · 21/01/2021 20:39

Try PurpleBricks or another online agent?

Set the price realistically for a quick sale. She sounds awful & her solicitor should have advised her she had no case years ago!!

AuntieDolly · 21/01/2021 20:41

Rent it out privately or via the council?

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