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Original poster

Seller trooubled by aircraft noise, what to do!

46 replies

WickyStizard · 11/08/2020 16:10

We are in process of buying a house that sits under a holding stack for a major airport. The stack is used when the airport is busy. At the moment, the airport is not busy.
It is therefore very difficult to get a sense of how noisy the aircraft might be during a stack situation. Our due dil on local area, by asking a couple of hundred locals is that 98% have never considered aircraft noise to be an issue. However, research shows our seller has in the past considered it an issue to the point of complaining to local press.

OP posts:
CatherinedeBourgh · 11/08/2020 16:13

People get used to aircraft noise, so don’t see it as an issue. That doesn’t mean it’s not there or that it wouldn’t be an issue for you.

Original poster
WickyStizard · 11/08/2020 16:13

Obviously this set off alarm bells, but also is potentially down to sellers individual needs and concerns for peaceful living. We are comfortable that the aircraft noise will not adverseley impact on our life.
However, I'm not sure how to approach this with solicitor - should we be asking the seller if Aircraft noise impacts the property, knowing that if here response is negative, that she is lying? Or should we just leave it as we have decided it shouldn't cause us issue. How would you approach the situation! Thanks.

OP posts:
minnieok · 11/08/2020 16:21

If you are aware of the possibility of noise and it doesn't bother you then there's nothing to do. The house should be priced to take account of the location. I lived under the flight path to Heathrow (6 miles out) Concorde shook the house each time! Planes have got quieter thankfully

CatherinedeBourgh · 11/08/2020 16:24

I think given that there is a stack above the property and anyone can find that out (it’s not specific to the property, it affects the whole area!) it would be weird if the said it wasn’t, but they may say ‘no more than any other property in the area).

Fwiw, when I was house hunting near London I had lots of owners who told me they were under a stack, they’d rather I knew before I made the decision than twig later and pull out.

SussexBonfireViking · 11/08/2020 16:26

I grew up under the Gatwick flight path, and seriously you don't hear them after a while - to the extent i was on the phone with someone and they said "is that a plane?" i couldnt hear it

tara66 · 11/08/2020 16:27

Triple glazing is very good for noise but expensive but do you want to stay indoors all the time? Not only the noise, there is the pollution from the planes. More difficult to resell especially if airport gets bigger and busier. Not for me.

Scrumptiousbears · 11/08/2020 16:34

We aware on a flight path for a busy airport and you honestly don't really acknowledge the noise once you get used it.

JoJoSM2 · 11/08/2020 16:34

If you aren’t bothered, then you should just go ahead as it seems there’s little point in trying to catch the owner out.

Unfortunately, in London and the commuter belt there’s nowhere that doesn’t get planes (I did analyse this as the noise bothers me massively). It’s just a case of just how bad it is. Probably not too awful as the stacks tend to be higher up?

Julmust · 11/08/2020 16:41

I'd go by the 98%. The seller might just be a complaining type. My parents complained about helicopters going over. It wouldn't bother me but my parents are the type to get their knickers in a twist about all sorts of things that wouldn't bother most people

NaturalStudy · 11/08/2020 16:43

I dont understand what you expect to achieve by asking the seller? You know what the issue is and can assess it yourself.

Fuss · 11/08/2020 16:44

I live next to a dual carriageway. There is a bit of a wood between us and it, but it's still audible road noise.

When we viewed this house the tenant (who didn't want to leave) had every window and door open wide to try and exacerbate the noise Grin. It didn't work.

You get used to the sound, and to be perfectly honest it's more noticeable when it's not there, days like Christmas day or if the carriageway is closed. We cant hear it at all with the windows closed.

GU24Mum · 11/08/2020 16:45

OP, do you mean that your own due diligence has been to ask a question to a couple of hundred of the potential neighbours - that's some level of DD!!!

BigusBumus · 11/08/2020 16:47

I live 2 miles from an RAF fighter jet base and also used to live under the flightpath to LHR in West London. You get used to the noise extremely quickly!

Shmithecat2 · 11/08/2020 16:48

You sound like all you want to do is catch the seller out. Hmm. What are you trying to achieve?

Original poster
WickyStizard · 11/08/2020 16:48

@GU24Mum

OP, do you mean that your own due diligence has been to ask a question to a couple of hundred of the potential neighbours - that's some level of DD!!!
Social media makes this kind of research a little easier than it used to be [Grin]

Thanks all for your comments, I suppose I was thinking that by asking, and seller denying or confirming the case then if, in future it does cause an issue ie. if trying to sell etc. or airport traffic changes to such an extent that we are majorly disturbed then we would have covered ourselves by asking and having statement from previous owner.

As you may be able to tell I watch too many detective / courtroom dramas and love to have a gotcha moment in my back pocket at all times Wink

OP posts:
ClaudiaWankleman · 11/08/2020 16:49

OP, do you mean that your own due diligence has been to ask a question to a couple of hundred of the potential neighbours - that's some level of DD

@GU24Mum I am assuming (hoping?) that OP posted on a local facebook group or something rather than knocking on doors!

Original poster
WickyStizard · 11/08/2020 16:50

@Shmithecat2

You sound like all you want to do is catch the seller out. Hmm. What are you trying to achieve?
We are unable to assess the noise for ourselves due to COVID. We are trying to use any opportunity we may have to cover our back should we make the decision and it actually be unbearable.

If that includes 'catching the seller out' then, hmm, maybe...

OP posts:
Original poster
WickyStizard · 11/08/2020 16:51

@ClaudiaWankleman

OP, do you mean that your own due diligence has been to ask a question to a couple of hundred of the potential neighbours - that's some level of DD

@GU24Mum I am assuming (hoping?) that OP posted on a local facebook group or something rather than knocking on doors!

Yes @ClaudiaWankleman, I didn't doorstep the poor neighbours with my decibel meter and a clipboard.
OP posts:
Original poster
WickyStizard · 11/08/2020 16:52

@NaturalStudy

I dont understand what you expect to achieve by asking the seller? You know what the issue is and can assess it yourself.
Sadly not to the extent that I would like due to limited flights going in and out of said airport.
OP posts:
ComtesseDeSpair · 11/08/2020 17:05

People have different mouse tolerances - there’s no reason this seller is more correct than the 98% who don’t find it an issue. They could even have ASD or a sensory processing disorder or just particular acute hearing, for all you know.

I live almost literally underneath the helipad for the Royal London Hospital. It just becomes background noise after a month or so.

Marmaladey · 11/08/2020 17:09

A lot will depend on the flight corridor too. I live in an area that gets airplanes. If you live right under the corridor you are really aware of it. People who live a street away don’t understand what the issue is. Social media might bias towards the people who aren’t actually directly under the path.

newtb · 11/08/2020 17:24

We used to live 12 miles from an airport that had an additional runway built. You couldn't hear someone on the phone when a plane went over. Half term and end of school holidays were the worst - as soon as the noise of one faded the next was coming.

When we sold only 1 viewer commented on the noise.

As pp have said you can't double glaze outside.

MarkRuffaloCrumble · 11/08/2020 17:29

I don’t understand why you’d want it on record that you were concerned about it in case you sell again in future? Surely you’d want to pretend like it wasnt an issue as well?!

ChicCroissant · 11/08/2020 17:32

As you may be able to tell I watch too many detective / courtroom dramas and love to have a gotcha moment in my back pocket at all times

This is real life though. You know it's under a stack. If you are worried about it, it's not the house for you.

If to buy the house - and feel good about it - you need to set a sting to catch the previous owner out in a lie that's really daft and a total waste of your time (and potentially your money).

I don't think this is the house for you.

cautiouscovidity · 11/08/2020 17:33

@minnieok

If you are aware of the possibility of noise and it doesn't bother you then there's nothing to do. The house should be priced to take account of the location. I lived under the flight path to Heathrow (6 miles out) Concorde shook the house each time! Planes have got quieter thankfully
We live in Cornwall and were under the flight path for Concord. She shook the house each evening as she broke the sound barrier coming back towards London. You could set your watch by listening for the sonic boom 😂
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