Unkempt garden next door

[Herewego83]

Hi all, hoping for some advice/perspective please! DH and I are planning to make an offer on a house at closing date tomorrow. We are first time buyers, currently renting in London and looking to move to Scotland. It's a large detached house in a beautiful location with lots of things going for it, but one drawback is the next door garden which is completely overgrown. We asked the owners about the neighbour - he is apparently very quiet and friendly but in poor health and so his house and garden have become unkempt over time. I am getting cold feet I think because I'm worried the situation may worsen over time and cause unnecessary stress for us, particularly if we try to sell the house in future. I also worry that having to look at a messy garden every day might get me down/irritate me. On the other hand the house and location are great and I wasn't worried about the neighbour until tonight, so wondering if it's just cold feet? I have form for getting anxious ahead of making big decisions...

What do people think? Am I overthinking this or should we walk away?

I would be concerned as well. If this person's house and garden continue to deteriorate, which it probably will, it might make it hard to sell your home in the future. Sorry, it's a tough call.

If he’s a nice chap , maybe do a bit of tidying for him , that way everybody is happy.

I don't think it matters so much if it's a large detached house in its own gardens. If it was a terraced or a semi it would matter more. I agree you could offer to do a bit of gardening once you get to know him. I might suspect the owners would say he was nice even if he's really a total horror so there is that to consider.

Thanks. Yes true that they could have lied, although I thought they had to be honest about any issues like that if asked directly? Perhaps I'm being naive

Would you be willing to do his garden for him? (I would)
But I would speak to him and satisfy myself BEFORE pulling the trigger on the purchase

Yeah we'd certainly be willing to help cut it back for him. We have to make a decision tomorrow unfortunately and we're in London so no time to speak to him.

This is so sad that people are judging this on the state of a next door garden. Sad that looking at an unkempt garden would affect you so much.

Fair enough, I'm not sure how much it would bother me tbh. When we saw it originally we thought it wasn't an issue, it's only now my anxious side is taking over so I'm starting to worry...

I can think of loads to worry about, but next doors garden wouldn’t even figure - it’s detached from your property

If he’s in poor health he may need to move himself/you could pay for a tidy up if your house on market

I think it’s v natural to worry about a big decision, but house buying is fraught with risk and this seems not particularly major to me

God, you sound really uptight. I’d rather not have you as a neighbour. Messy gardens ate better tor wildlife anyway so he is doing a good thing. You manicured astroturf, weedkiller and decking types are the ones who need to change your ways. I bet you also have a hot tub don’t you?

Btw, move in & get friendly before offering to tidy garden : patronising/controlling vs kind otherwise as it’s obviously about your own agenda not helping a neighbour out

Don't look at his garden?

Sure we do - hot tub, pool and loadsa astroturf

Thanks for being understanding! You're right, this didn't even factor as a concern until this evening. Knowing myself I think I'm just fretting because it's a big decision

@Mistymonday Your garden is overgrown isn't it?

MistyMonday that's not kind, OP has said she gets anxious!
I agree with DespairingHomeowner. OP your head is looking for things to be anxious about because moving from London to Scotland is a big deal - but I don't think this warrants that worry.

I would need a photo to opineI let my garden grow quite wild because I want to attract wild life. I don’t like very manicured gardens. How bad is it?

It put me off a property once but that was in a terraced house

@Herewego83: when I bought my place I was worried it was a wreck, I did so much (needed ) work that I’ve half rebuilt it

Now I’m selling : every hairline crack has me thinking it’s falling down.... moving is v anxiety provoking

Thank you. I think you might be right. If it wasn't this I'd probably worry about something else. We've made a lot of big decisions lately - new jobs, big move etc and it's all a bit overwhelming!

I hate wildlife in the garden , pigeons shitting everywhere, nosey squirrels looking in the French doors, foxes burying half eaten birds in the planters , Dead stray cat in the bushes !!!!!!! The other day a kite brought a pigeon down in the garden ( was great to watch ). But it left feathers all over the place after it finished ripping it up 😀.

I live in an area where astro turf is getting really popular. And front gardens are completely paved over for cars. I hate it. We need insects; we need plants. If you are lucky enough to own/rent land, there should be a responsibility for biodiversity. I'm increasing the wild in my garden to compensate for what my neighbours do. I'm fully expecting one of these messy garden posts to be about me some time!

@BrassicaRabbit ok, just to be totally clear - I was joking about AstroTurf. I don't currently have a garden at all as we rent a one bed flat in London and have done for years. We're buying our first place, I'm nervous and the garden next door is a bit of a state to the point that it's quite noticeable to someone (me) with pretty low standards about this stuff! I am in no way the manicured garden Nazi being portrayed here

@BrassicaRabbit

If yours gardens getting overgrown !!!! Do your neighbours a favour and tidy it up a little.

Chances are, if he's in ill health he may not live as many years as you in your house before you wish to sell.

Then you may have different neighbour 'problems'