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Original poster

Regret buying a stupid house

116 replies

Starman2409 · 02/11/2020 19:55

Hi,

About 7 years ago, which now I massively regret, we bought a house. Essentially it's a big 4 bedroom house which is an end terrace.

Running literally about 12 / 15 feet down the side of my garden are 3 terraces which overlook directly in my garden as they are built round the corner / bend of the road.

They can see everything as well as parts of my living room and my bedroom. As well as this they all have a right of way to access to take their bins out directly across my garden. Its ridiculous. I can't go in my garden at all without bedroom windows staring directly at me. Everyone that has lived in the houses has been lovely but I feel so lived on top of! I bought some tall bamboo for a little bit of screening but one of them complained it was shading her garden for a few hours in the morning!

We paid 200,000 for the house and it's probably worthless now.

Any advice on what to do? I considered a quick buy property firm but can imagine that even they wouldn't touch it with a bargepole!

OP posts:
OnTheBenchOfDoom · 02/11/2020 21:46

@Goldyyy

Aren't most gardens overlooked by neighbours to some extent? How far away are the houses from your garden?
No, and that is the reason we chose this house. Completely offset from the other properties and rotated away from the road so we are not even facing the neighbours.

I completely understand where you are coming from. We have lived in several houses on essentially new build estates but our last house was really overlooked and was as you describe where you are not just overlooked by the neighbours next to you but also from the side.

We moved, obviously. And in your case I would do this. Stop saying your house is worthless because clearly it isn't. Stop thinking about sunken cost fallacy (google it) we ploughed money into our last house and didn't see any profit but it didn't matter because we sold it and moved on.

Bamboo is a grass and therefore does not fall under the high hedges act so your neighbour was completely in the wrong, however, I don't think the bamboo will solve the issues as they still have access through your garden so I would suggest looking on Rightmove at the houses in your area to see the cost comparison. Even if you don't sell this instant, you could look to move next year.

Redcherries · 02/11/2020 21:56

Op, most houses have overlooked gardens and some of the windows of the house. I overlook my neighbours and they’ve just sold for close to 500k.

Queenest · 02/11/2020 21:58

Can you just start to look into what you could afford if you moved? Even like for like pricewise.

Original poster
Starman2409 · 02/11/2020 22:01

Thanks. The pergola is a nice idea but wouldn't make much difference. I actually looked at 14 foot pleached trees but thought it might annoy them as it would block out some of their sun. You're right the access is an issue. They actually just pop it in my garden at the back of their their gate and i take it out for them. It's no bother really. I've actually become a bit worried that 3 houses have access to my garden though and I've got three kids. You never know who might move in. Probably being irrational, but want kids to be safe

OP posts:
ThePluckOfTheCoward · 02/11/2020 22:01

Actually Op I do understand your feelings about your house. I once lived in a house that I grew to hate, for various reasons, none of them major, but, because all I could see were the problems I convinced myself it would be hard to sell, but when I eventually got it valued by several EAs and put in on the market it was valued at about £50k more than I thought it was worth and I got nearly the full asking price.

What I'm trying to say is, someone will like your house and someone will buy it.

Get a couple more valuations, decide on an EA and get it on the market. You will feel better because you are taking action to move on and hopefully find a lovely new home.

DennisTMenace · 02/11/2020 22:02

My garden is overlooked on all angles, same as all my neighbours as we are back to back terrace or semi. Never bothered me or anyone else in the other houses that I know. I don't sun bathe naked or care who sees me in my muddy gardening clothes. You will find someone who doesn't mind it being overlooked.

MaxNormal · 02/11/2020 22:06

To reassure you, our garden is overlooked at least to some extent by every other house in the locale! As is everyone's else's garden, just typical of a new build estate really. I don't find it a big deal and clearly neither does anyone else as there's hundreds of similar houses on this estate and they're still selling like hotcakes at the newly built bit.

Original poster
Starman2409 · 02/11/2020 22:07

One of the neighbors actually sunbathes topless. She's the one that chopped the bamboo. Can't confirm if she was topless though as I wasn't home!

I love this forum, never posted beforeSmile

OP posts:
SleepingStandingUp · 02/11/2020 22:11

Honestly Op i'd just pot it on the market and see if you get any interest. If its sells could you rent for 6 months and then buy?

TheyreComingToGetYouBarbara · 02/11/2020 22:12

Some people don't care, OP, but if you do, that's a reason to at least see if anyone's interested in buying.

I'm like you I'd hate to feel watched all the time, and the neighbour chopping away at my plants would infuriate me but someone out there won't mind the neighbours and may even like feeling they're a star on the stage, with a constant audience watching from the windows. Wink

MotherOfDragonite · 02/11/2020 22:14

You should sell! It sounds like all three estate agents felt it would sell for around the 300k mark, so that sounds pretty realistic (definitely not worthless!) and you could find somewhere you're happier with.

Your neighbours sound like a nightmare tbh.

Original poster
Starman2409 · 02/11/2020 22:15

That was plan, try and sell and then rent. The Mrs doesn't want to move though. Its nicer in the summer as we have a couple of big plum trees which provide some.privacy. The kids actually love jumping in the field behind, stroking the horses and playing.with.the next door neighbours grandkids

OP posts:
Original poster
Starman2409 · 02/11/2020 22:20

Neighbour is a nightmare. doesn't work,.never leaves the house, drinks all day. Fella comes home in the afternoon and they're talking at top volume till ten o'clock at night drunk everyday in summer. Then she chops bamboo down..Also had the cheek to burst in my garden in the afternoon and tell my kids to shut the fuck up as they splashing in a paddling pool! I know kids can be loud but it was 2 o'clock in the afternoon.

OP posts:
Tinyhumansurvivalist · 02/11/2020 22:23

@Starman2409 how wide is the garden? Could you build an inner boundary that gave them a path along that side if the garden but leaves you with a secured garden? Get the max height fence you can and then add a trellis to the top maybe to give you back some privacy.

As someone upthread suggested, look into dc fix films they do some very pretty frosted ones. I have amazing neighbours but our kitchen windows face each other and I have a downstairs bathroom, whilst she is blind her male carer/companion (lovely man, genuinely sweet) is not and the number of times I have gone for a shower before bed and then realised my pj's and towel are in my bedroom and had to do a sneaky streak through my kitchen...nets won't work as with the light on you can see straight through so am looking for some film for the kitchen window however, stocks locally are rubbish due to covid.

Original poster
Starman2409 · 02/11/2020 22:27

Thought about a path. Building a corridor then they access through one gate. Just worried that they will start wandering down the corridor to each others back yards if they become.friendly. Loads of weird issues not deal with. Just want a nice, normal house!

OP posts:
Original poster
Starman2409 · 02/11/2020 22:29

Garden is about 25 / 30 feet wide

OP posts:
Strawberrypancakes · 02/11/2020 22:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MessAllOver · 02/11/2020 22:29

Make it clear the corridor is "used" space. Put a slide and some play stuff or something there.

Original poster
Starman2409 · 02/11/2020 22:33

Knew they had right of way. Actually knew them as we lived opposite in a love cottage when we bought it.

Like the idea of used space - can't obstruct though as they d need to take bins down it. Deeds state just for bins, it isn't general access for anything

OP posts:
Tistheseason17 · 02/11/2020 22:33

I'd build the corridor path so your garden is smaller but they have no access. Big high border and Netatmo camera to catch weird neighbour if needed.
Stop fretting. Take action and start living the life you deserve.

Queenest · 02/11/2020 22:38

Ooh yes a diagram please!

MessAllOver · 02/11/2020 22:42

Vote for diagram!

Tinyhumansurvivalist · 02/11/2020 22:43

If access is only for bins then you would have legal recourse if they used it for anything else.

Build the path, high fence and ignore the batshit woman

Original poster
Starman2409 · 02/11/2020 22:43

Just drawn one bit IT illeterate so.dont know how to add it!

My dad actually put some cameras up after bamboo gate. She was watching, she knew they were for her.......

Weird neighbours!

OP posts:
marveloustimeruiningeverything · 02/11/2020 22:48

She cut down your bamboo and burst into your garden to tell your DCs to shut the fuck up while they were in a paddling pool?

I would have massively kicked off at her. That's not what her access through your garden is for; perhaps it can be revoked for such behaviour?

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