So, this is a long one. Will try to summarise:
Bought an ex-local authority flat in a block of 8 flats, 10 years ago, lived there very happily for seven years. Three years ago, a new tenant of the council moved into the flat beneath me, to cut a long story short, music all night and day, so loud that my furniture was vibrating (she had speakers in every room so this was in every room of my flat, I couldn't escape it); police involved, ASBO unit involved, she ignored all their letters to desist, but would go quiet over the winter period for a few months (I have a theory why but not relevant here as I can't prove it). I was commuting 3 hours a day and because I had to get up so early to do this was getting about 2 hours sleep a night for months. Mental health starting to suffer. During the last quiet period at the end of last year I thought I can't take any more of this, rented the flat out (hoping that she had finally stopped for good) while I am now renting a room in a shared house nearer work.
Needless to say, she started up again about a month after my poor tenant moved in. Back to the ASBO unit, who served her with a noise abatement notice in July (they move sloooooowly) and then in December a possession notice as she had ignored that as well. My tenant has now - more than understandably - handed her notice in to leave end of March. In the meantime, I have now been served with a major works notice, £28k for my share of work to the building's roof, windows, doors, balconies and communal areas. I have been referred to therapy by my dr because of the stress of this so there is no way I can move back to that flat. However, my mortgage, my own rent and this major works sum is more than my take home pay. If you were in this situation, would you:
a) try to sell now, with the declaration about the noise issues but that a possession notice has been served and of course the major works issue (my thoughts is I wouldn't get the benefit of the work, but is a big chunk of change so would adjust the price accordingly. However, I am more than aware that the housing market is rapidly going down the pan (am in London if that gives any context).
b) try to rent it out again, but know this might situation never get resolved as the neighbour has a daughter and the council are unlikely to actually get an eviction, so I might never be shot of it (for background it was always my intention to sell after 10 years (e.g i would have done it last year) but the noise issues put paid to that. (I also believe there are massive safeguarding issues with the poor daughter - one occasion we called the police because on going round there at 4 in the morning to beg her to turn the music down, we discovered that she had left her FOUR-YEAR-OLD daughter there on her own! We think the mother had the music on loud so that would everyone would think she was there. The council don't seem to be able to manage the situation at all. Apologies if I sound so brusque about the daughter, but I have been through hell these past few years with this woman) So the place might be unrentable as well....
I literally have no idea what to do and I need to decide now. But I don't know what to do! Any advice?