Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Original poster

Neighbour’s building work - put off buyer?

38 replies

Hels20 · 28/03/2021 08:22

I am in a dilemma. We live in London where about 4 or 5 basements are done in a 0.75 mile radius every year (maybe more). On our road, I would say one in 8 people have done a basement.

We have had basement plans drawn up for about a year but because of Covid, we put everything on hold and didn’t want to stress people out (or cause noise when people are stuck at home). We now want to proceed, not least because we want it finished by next summer for various personal
Reasons.

Neighbour next door is selling. Had house on for about 8 months. Selling to a single middle aged person who is down sizing. NDN has asked us to wait until exchange happens - but our builder is saying that if we don’t get on with things we will lose our slot and it may delay things by about 6 months. We were hoping to start end July/August. Feel like I am being emotionally blackmailed by NDN (who is lovely but we are not friends). NDN should also really disclose our plans in my view but that’s for them to get comfortable about.

New buyer has lived in area for years - knows people do basements (may even have done one themselves!) and I also think is going to do some structural stuff to house they are buying.

I have put off filing application to accommodate NDN for about 2 months / exchange hasn’t happened yet. What would you do? I also think my lovely NDN who is selling is making assumptions that may not be true. The renovations in house which don’t need planning will cause as much noise (new bathrooms, flooring throughout, new wardrobes etc) as a basement (though appreciate dust and noise for 4 months is going to be bad).

Thought?

OP posts:
PresentingPercy · 29/03/2021 00:38

Yes I can see why they might think their buyer might walk but you are going to have the basement, come what may. If the buyers complete and move in, they’ve still got your building work to look forward to. The neighbour just needs to exchange and complete. I wouldn’t hold back much longer.

Hmmph · 29/03/2021 08:19

The buyer will be your new neighbour and therefore should be your concern. They are either fine with basement conversions so it won’t make a difference, or they will hate the idea and pull out which would be a good thing from your point of view,

What you don’t want is for someone to buy next door not knowing your plans and then hate and resent you forever because of them. Even if they are ok with basement conversions, they may well feel duped by you hiding your plans from them.

You have no loyalty to your current neighbour.

PresentingPercy · 29/03/2021 10:16

By not putting pp application in, the new owners won’t know about it. That’s the whole point the neighbour is getting at.

The op will need a party wall agreement to go ahead. The intentions can be hidden from the buyer or it can be out in the open now. The neighbour is covering it up at the moment to get the sale. The bigger issue will be the buyer. They might think they have been duped.

GoWalkabout · 29/03/2021 10:35

I'm sorry I can't disadvantage myself any further.

mummabubs · 29/03/2021 11:23

I'd apply for planning too OP. Interestingly just last week part of our sales process was we had tl declare to our buyers if we knew of any planned or intended developments both immediately and in the local area. So under that phrasing I'm pretty sure your NDN should have said this to their buyers. As others have said, if her house is the right one for the new owners then a couple of months of building works wouldn't put them off completing.

Original poster
Hels20 · 15/04/2021 19:01

By way of update - have waited over seven weeks for NDN to exchange. I can’t wait any longer and have to serve householder notices at weekend and then put in planning application on Monday. She has been pleading with me not to do anything until she has exchanged but having already delayed - we will lose our builder slot (we may have already). Feel dreadful that us building a basement may put off NDN’s buyer but I have to prioritise my family and also think if buyer would pull out if he knew - I would rather he knew. But the emotional blackmail I have had to deal with. I expect fireworks on monday and hate but I guess she will sell eventually....

OP posts:
mobear · 15/04/2021 21:51

I wouldn’t be surprised if your NDN has been asked if they are aware of any upcoming work as part of the due diligence and lied.

Our seller notified us about a week before exchange that their (soon to be our) neighbour was about to put in for pp. We went ahead with the purchase anyway and consented to the PWA shortly after we got the keys.

minipie · 16/04/2021 01:15

Absolutely what mobear said. The TA6 property information form, which many buyers’ solicitors will send to vendors, asks specifically if the vendor is aware of any plans to develop or make alterations to property nearby. So chances are she really ought to have told them all about your plans anyway.

Good luck. Definitely don’t delay further.

Original poster
Hels20 · 16/04/2021 02:05

Thanks @minipie - have been so stressed as have also to go through PwA. She pleaded with me (and has been for weeks) not to put in for PP as she didn’t want to disclose it on her form as she thinks it will put off buyer. Almost half of houses in the street her buyer is currently living in have done basements - so v common. Her buyer may well have done one themselves.

I have felt awful but she is making an assumption (ie that buyer will pull out) that may not be true. And I need to get on with it. NDN keeps on asking for a delay of a week - has been unbelievably stressful. NDN should have disclosed but she hasn’t.

OP posts:
sunshinesupermum · 16/04/2021 09:33

I wouldn't have waited so long. In 2000 we moved next door to a house that was the first in our new street to be putting in a basement. We had an extention put in so it was all horses for courses with the noise and disruption.

Your NDN is being unfair and in any case, sounds like her potential buyer knows the area very well and will be doing their own renovation work. I do wonder what has delayed their exchange for so long.

As other pp mentioned you may lose your builder's slot anyway because you have delayed asking for planning permission. Hope not!

MzHz · 16/04/2021 09:37

Put the application in.

Original poster
Hels20 · 11/05/2021 08:07

By way of update - we finally submitted Planning Application, and NDN’s buyer then pulled out...although not convinced basement was only reason. Feel dreadful but the buyer went for a house that was totally done up (rather than house that needed a fair bit of cosmetic work and updating). So now at stage where I don’t go out if I can hear her key in the door as we share a pathway. Ugh.

OP posts:
LoudestCat14 · 11/05/2021 10:47

@Hels20

By way of update - we finally submitted Planning Application, and NDN’s buyer then pulled out...although not convinced basement was only reason. Feel dreadful but the buyer went for a house that was totally done up (rather than house that needed a fair bit of cosmetic work and updating). So now at stage where I don’t go out if I can hear her key in the door as we share a pathway. Ugh.
Is she blaming you? If so, that's really unfair as clearly the buyer decided they wanted a finished house.
New posts on this thread. Refresh page