Our buyers saying we didn't disclose neighbours.

[ihateconfrontation]

So we sold our house and exchanged and completed a few weeks ago.
Moving as we had to move area for work.
On solicitors forms it asked if we had any neighbourhood disputes, we answered no, which was true.
We were one of the middle houses in a terrace. One side had 4 teenage boys and parents and the other side is a multi occupancy let.
Both properties had noise coming from them which was to be expected, multi occupancy house had people smoking outside and chatting in normal volume voices until maybe 10pm, other side the teenage boys bickered occasionally and slammed doors when in a strop.
Both houses played music, but never past 10pm and not loud, just at music listening volume!
I've got noisy pre schoolers, so guessed that we made noise of our own.
Anyway, our buyers ended up with my email address and we've been getting constant emails saying we should have disclosed the neighbours and how loud they were on solicitors forms.
They are threatening to sue us and say that the noise is at an unacceptable level and I should have told them.
I feel awful as they've spend half a million pounds on a property that they clearly aren't happy in, but we lived there happily for 6 years and classed it just as neighbour noise.
What can I do? Can they sue?

I’m having a bit of a chuckle with this. We have been in our house for years and years. My youngest was just 4 when we moved in plus an 8 yr old and 17. We had the rugby team around regularly for our 17 year old until he was 18 and went to uni. Then it was trampoline fir the younger two. Years later, from around age 14 we had lots of “gatherings” and a few “parties” with loads of kids and loud music. One dummer just about every Saturday night was a “gathering” (I’m still not sure when a “gathering” becomes a “party“). Youngest is now 21. Last “gathering” was a year ago and not many in the last 3 years as they were at uni but prior to that, lots of noise.

We didn’t get complaints but I’m sure it wasn't pleasant for anyone with young children nearby.

So any neighbours who may have suffered mouse from us would not have done o DF the last 3 years but we’re still the same neighbours. Different noise through the years as the children grow and go through various stages in life.

Two down from us are an Italian family. My god did they had loud rows with lots of shouting and screaming when their kids were teens. All quiet now as they must’ve grown out of that phase.

My point - the same neighbours can change over time with their noise output. Not your fault and not your problem what your buyers are experiencing now.

My point - the same neighbours can change over time with their noise output. Not your fault and not your problem what your buyers are experiencing now.

No one could have predicted lockdown - the lack of traffic noise to hide the increase in general living noise plus working from home noise plus stupid idiot people taking up playing the banjo or whatever.

@ihateconfrontation it might be worth removing the postcode/location details in some of your posts. I apologise if I'm sounding precious but the newspapers (DM) would love this and I could see your buyers sending you even more emails quoting things that have been written. It could get really annoying (for you).

Oh gosh I never thought of that.
Although BA postcodes are a huge area, from Bath to Glastonbury to Yeovil so hopefully that makes it a little harder to trace.

Ahh ok. Well I wish you well. It must be frustrating because you can't simply relax and enjoy your new home without being drawn back into having to think about your old property.

We had this, but the other way round. The person we bought from said no neighbour disputes. He had actually successfully applied for an ASBO against the next door neighbour and had successfully closed down a local pub for playing music without a license.

The issue with the noise from next door was proof that the soundproofing was very poor.

Our solicitor said that it wouldn't be worth sueing as the cost and stress would be so great.

Sounds like a lazy solicitor!

i would ignore them !! there's no chance & they will give up eventually!not sure if you can block email addresses?maybe you could do that

Calling the police for a domestic abuse incident is not a noise disbute

They can’t sue you.
They might be a bit over sensitive.
Why buy a terrace if you can’t deal with neighbours?!
I would email them and say you are sorry to hear they aren’t happy, that you never experienced problems or disputes and you would prefer them not to contact you again unless via a solicitor. Then say that no further emails will be responded to and will result in their address being blocked.

They have no grounds to sue you and I wouldn’t engage with emails any more. Any response from you will be read by them as accepting that it’s somehow still your responsibility.

However I would add that your description of what you feel was a perfectly acceptable amount of noise, sounds like a bloody nightmare! I would be well hacked off to pay half a million for a house and have the kind of disturbance you put up with as ‘normal’

So I understand their frustration but they don’t have a case against you. Makes you think though... it sounds like it ought to be such a lovely location but really unpleasant to live in

OP I would google 'surrey couple noise dispute' and click first daily mail article. Sounds much worse than yours and they didn't have a case.

I can't get past paying half a million pounds to live there. Sorry op it sounds like a shithole.