Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Money matters

Find financial and money-saving discussions including debt and pension chat on our Money forum. If you're looking for ways to make your money to go further, sign up to our Moneysaver emails here.

Flip

Original poster

ADVICE NEEDED re: wanting to sell house when had problems with NEIGHBOURS which we have to declare by law!

25 replies

HellyBelly · 29/07/2005 18:10

For the last 2 years we've had to call the police countless times due to incidents with the neighbours. We've been wanting to move for some time but haven't been able to financially. We are getting nearer our goal but are now worried sick that we may not even be able to sell the house due to having to declare these problems.

We are trying our best to get the neighbours evicted (as we are shared ownership - part council part owned) but we're not sure if this is possible and if so, how long it would take.

Has anyone else had problems selling due to the new law saying to have to declare these problems? Anyone got any advice?

OP posts:

Donbean · 29/07/2005 18:18

I dont have any advice for you but just wanted to say that i have sympathies for you with this problem.
We also had horrendous neighbours and when we sold we didnt have to comment on them as we had not complained about them officially to any one.
Good luck with your endeavours, we only realised how much they effected us when we moved, it was like a weight lifted. It was making me ill.
Bumping up for some one with something constructive for you.

Original poster

HellyBelly · 29/07/2005 18:40

Thanks Donbean. It's horrible isn't it, I'm just scared we'll never be able to move and not only do we want to get away, we also want a bigger house (one day I'd like to add to my family, dh is 44 and I don't want to be waiting forever!!)

As for making you ill, can understand that as my husband has quite bad alopecia as a result (we thought was just loosing hair due to age but it soon became very clear this was not the case!! It's started to grow back but it's growing back white so when it's finished, it will be one big white patch - thanks a bunch you horrible neighbours!!

We've got a meeting with our MP on 12th August so we'll know more than. Just hope something can be done as I can't stand this anymore!!

OP posts:

sparklymieow · 29/07/2005 18:44

No advice, just sympathies. We are also going through it with our neighbours, they have threatened us, imtimidated us, thrown things at us, thrown things over the garden, messed about with my car, Dh refuses to leave the house now, though he really wants to,
Luckily?? for us, we have two disabled kids so I used their disabilities to get max. medical points and we are moving between october-december. I will be so glad to get away from here, its making us ill

chicagomum · 29/07/2005 18:47

sorry to hear this, are your problems with the neighbours a personal thing (ie would any new owners have reason to have problems with them) if so you could say that you personally don't get on with them, but i'm sure they would have no reason to worry (has the law changed, as i thought you only had to disclose that information if they asked rather than you volounteering it)

Donbean · 29/07/2005 18:48

After we moved i was very jumpy. Every sound i heard, any one driving passed with music playing from the car, the hair on the back of my neck stood on end.
I was standoffish with our new neighbours, didnt want to speak to them or get involved with them.
I knew that we were unhappy in those circumstances but never did i realise just how badly i was affected.
I never wanted to go home after work, i couldnt bear to sit in my own front room. I dreaded the summer, putting washing out,windows open. Just things we take for granted really.
I have never spoken to any one (except you now) about it.

sparklymieow · 29/07/2005 18:58

onbean this is what we are going through atm, we don't like leaving the house but when we do we hate coming home, My windows are closed, my garden is overgrown because I can't bear to go out and cut it in fear of abuse over the fence, everything I hear them my body tenses, Dh said that we are not to get involved with the new neighbours as he fears it will happen again. I hate putting my bins out.
I have to take Misdee home soon and I am dreading it............

Donbean · 29/07/2005 19:02

I feel for you i really do.
You have a light at the end of the tunnel though dont you with your new house to look forward to.
Just getting the plans must have made your week!

I wonder how people can be like that, i wonder how i lived for as long as i did like that.

Are you taking Misdee home via Pizza hut?????

Love to her BTW xx

sparklymieow · 29/07/2005 19:05

I know I am lucky in the fact that I was able to get a huge amount of medical points and get moved fast. Yes having the plans did make my week and everyone that comes in has to see them, I even photographed them to email to my SIL
I am dreading the actual move though, going out there and facing them will be horrible. I don't understand why people are like this either, there is no need for it.

No, I will take Misdee straight home.

Donbean · 29/07/2005 19:10

Are they just loud or argumentative or what Sparkly?

Original poster

HellyBelly · 29/07/2005 19:16

Sparklymieow - It's awful isn't it, why should we have to suffer like this? We've not had things thrown or anything but intimidated yes. I'm glad you've managed to get yourself sorted re: moving and hope you have better neighbours next time! My dh goes to work and comes back in a right mood. He should be looking forward to seeing his family after being at work but instead, he gets stressed as soon as he's approaching our road wondering what could happen tonight, how late with the noise go on for etc!! It's affected our marriage too

Chicagomum - a bit of both. It's a bit of bikes up and down at night (worse since summer started) making lots of noise until late and a lot more personal stuff. My dh has lived here 15 years and he had a lodger years ago who stupidly had a thing with the neighbour. She's been very bitter since he ditched her and took it out on dh ever since. Lots of weird things she's said/done and now her son has been brought up to cause hell (he's now 17!). The past often gets mentioned in passing comments but what's that got to do with us??? So yes, could say personal but worried this may not be so easy as we couldn't prove it's all personal - if that makes sense??!!

And yes, it's law to declare it now. We've spoken to our local estate agent today who also confirmed this and is trying to get advice from their solicitors!

OP posts:

spursmum · 29/07/2005 19:19

Of course sparkly's going to have better neighbours. She'll be near me!!

Original poster

HellyBelly · 29/07/2005 19:21

sparklymieow - I had to put my bins out this am and the mother came out - I felt sick!! I had to walk to a friends with the pushchair earlier and when I arrived back to our road, I went from feeling happy with my days to wishing I had my shades on so could sort of hide from any stares!! There's so much more I could say but got to put ds to bed.

I just hope we can sell our house with no problems as I don't know what we'd do otherwise

OP posts:

astonished · 29/07/2005 19:23

Hi, sorry to hear of your problem. I am quite sure but not certain that you only have to declare if asked, so make sure you are not there at the viewings. Hope you move soon

Donbean · 29/07/2005 19:27

If i remember rightly, you have to sign a document which asks you if you have had problems with the neighbours, if you have then you have to detail the problems.
Is this right?

Original poster

HellyBelly · 29/07/2005 19:28

It's the law I'm afraid, have to declare on a form

OP posts:

Donbean · 29/07/2005 19:28

Sorry HellyBelly, i realize that i hyjacked your thread with my mutterings,sorry if i caused offence.

Original poster

HellyBelly · 29/07/2005 19:29

It's a reasonably recent(ish) change

Right, must go get ds ready for bed now (I'm always saying that but get into mumsnet and end up delaying!)

OP posts:

Donbean · 29/07/2005 19:32

We moved 5 years ago and had to sign the form. As i said, we had not actually reported them to any one officially except anonymously to social services.

Original poster

HellyBelly · 29/07/2005 19:32

Donbean - no problem whatsoever!!! Although I didn't want anyone else to have had problems, it's sort of nice to be able to relate to things like this as my friends and family get fed up of hearing about it (unless you've been there you don't quite understand how bad it is do you!)

I'm pleased you've been able to discuss this for once and hope things never become that bad for you again!

See what I mean about getting hooked on mumsnet - always check for new messages before I go and then just have to send a quick reply

OP posts:

Original poster

HellyBelly · 29/07/2005 19:35

Gosh, has it been a requirement for that long!!! Shows how long we've been wanting to get out of here!!!

Let's hope they don't kick off tonight (Friday's always the worst) - they purposely try and wake my ds (2 yrs) up and he's been really poorly this week, we've only get a few hours sleep a night so could really do without this.

Fingers crossed for some peace!! Going to have a nice big glass of wine when dh gets back with it and try and think positive!

OP posts:

Donbean · 29/07/2005 19:36

Oh its so nice. As you rightly say, people just do not understand unless they have lived with it and family and friends do get fed up with hearing about it because it can go on for so long.
I havent been able to put it into words with any one and have never met any one who had such problems.
You just understand. Thats what is so nice.

Donbean · 29/07/2005 19:39

sorry! im holding you up now from bath and bed for your little one.
I could go on all night about this but we are going out.
I will catch up with this and hopefully have a proper chat and exchange of notes with you another day.
Fingers crossed for a peaceful night for you.
Thanks for the chat x

Original poster

HellyBelly · 29/07/2005 20:09

Have a good night out and chat again soon!

If it kicks off again I'll be having a good old moan on here so you'll be kept up to date

Speak soon x

OP posts:

sparklymieow · 29/07/2005 21:55

Sorry for the hijack as well, I took Misdee home and he was outside, luckily with his dad so he didn't say anything, BTW this is a 25yr old man who is causing the trouble, not the parents. Still crpped myself coming home, in case he was waiting for me to come back, luckily he wasn't there, we had music playing loud till 9pm, when they know the kids are asleep and DD2's room backs onto their wall........ and the cheeky bastrds banged on the wall when DH had his music on at 3pm.......
I hope you are ok, and things get sorted soon. I can't give any advice on the legal side, but I'm here as a shoulder to cry on if you want, sounds like we are in the same situation (but we will be out of it soon)
Donbean, they have threatened my mum and my DH, with my Dh they actually pushed their way into our house and held DH up against a wall and threatened to kill him, the police did nothing

Mirage · 30/07/2005 22:45

Hellybelly,you have my sympathy-bad neighbours can make your life a misery.You are right,when you sell your house,you have to disclose any disputes or complaints you have had with or about your neighbours.

BUT,this won't neccesarily put buyers off.The guy who lived opposite me years ago was an alcoholic & his neighbours had to get an injunction out on him due to harrassment,threats ect.When the neighbours sold their house,they told the buyers that it was a personal thing & that he just seemed to take a dislike to them,but was fine with other people.They sold up & moved on with no problems & the alcoholic never bothered the new people at all.

I hope it works out for you.

Flip

Swipe left for the next trending thread