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Original poster

Am I stupid to move over bad neighbours?

63 replies

starsandstuff · 04/04/2021 12:04

Me and my husband live in a little terraced house which we love. It’s tiny but we’ve done a lot to it and it’s perfect for us (no kids) apart from a lack of storage but we improvise. But the walls are very thin and on one side we have horrible neighbours who party at night and sit out drinking on their flat roof on sunny days, totally overlooking our backyard so if we’re sitting out we have to see them as well as listen to them loudly talk shite and drink and do coke. (Nothing wrong with those things per se, just not what I want to deal with in my own home.) They rent and I’ve contacted the landlord numerous times to be told that there’s nothing they can do - “tenants have rights” - and neither the police or council have been any use. Landlord also said their son will be going to Uni in 5 years and he’ll be living there so even if these ones go then there will be students living there and I definitely can’t complain to their mother if she’s not interested now.

So we finally decided we had enough and out our house up for sale. The prices are crazy here at the minute in the area we want, so we currently have a large offer on a nice semi with a back garden. But I don’t actually know if I want to move. I’ve just got a promotion at work but I’ve hit the ceiling of how far I can (and would want to) go wage wise so I’ll be making the biggest investment I ever will and I don’t know if it’s worth it. The new house will be fully £100k more than ours to buy an extra tiny box room and a garden, but we love the area we live in and we don’t want to move far and houses don’t come up that often there. The inside is nice - parts of it aren’t as bright as ours - but the upstairs is smaller. But they’ve done a lot of work to it so we could pretty much just move straight in. We have a ton of viewers coming to ours next week and the agent says it’ll sell fast and I feel really rushed in to things. I like the new house but don’t love it, but it’s a better street and presumably will have less shitehawkery from the neighbours. But I love our house and would be happy to stay there, but even if these neighbours move out it’s always going to be a terrace with the potential for having loud people basically in the room next door. So part of me says keep wearing earplugs and just deal with it and part says just go and learn to love the new place and even if it’s too much money we’re not planning on ever moving anywhere else. I think I want to be told that I won’t regret moving to a (slightly) bigger house with a definitely lovely garden (also rare where we are) and that you moved from a terrace and now adore the peace and quiet. Any thoughts?

OP posts:

Sandrine1982 · 04/04/2021 13:27

I'm in a similar position. Love our place but we have now decided we've had enough of our neighbours and we are going to move. Life is too short. I know it's a huge step and financial responsibility. I hope you make the right choice x

1frenchfoodie · 04/04/2021 13:28

I don’t think you are daft to move due to bad neighbours. It was a massive factor of my last move (noisy, rap kareoke parties, dropping bin bags off balcony to my garden below to be pulled apart by foxes, deliberately broke security gate so visitors didnt need buzzed in etc).

It sounds like you are buying more space, a garden and less shared walls i an area you know and like, that comes at a price but if you afford it then go for it!

Asgoodasarest · 04/04/2021 13:38

My neighbours are lovely and they are on the move. I’m already fretting about who may move in. It might be different if there was a chance you’d get better neighbours, but if you already know you’ll end up with a house full of students, I’d go. They may not be antisocial deliberately, but you will definitely want different things from your houses and they’re likely to clash.

pheasantsinlove · 04/04/2021 13:54

Good neighbours are worth their weight in gold. I have the opposite issue, my house isn't perfect but it's in a really nice location and I have excellent neighbours who aren't going anywhere. I keep looking at houses in the area that are better houses but I won't move as I know I'll regret it if I end up with annoying neighbours.

Moving in your situation would be a no brainier for me. You can do up a house but the only control you have over neighbours is you moving. Especially if you already know they will be replaced by students!

CellophaneFlower · 04/04/2021 14:36

The way you describe your situation, I would move. After checking the new neighbours out first though! The extra storage you'll gain with an extra room is also a massive plus. What is it that's putting you off the new house? Is it more a fondness for the work you've put into making your current house your home? Perhaps with the feeling you're being pushed out? If so, I would definitely move!

TheCraicDealer · 04/04/2021 16:05

even if these neighbours move out it’s always going to be a terrace with the potential for having loud people basically in the room next door

Think this is what you have to keep reminding yourselves of. Once you get into new house, with a whole room for storage or WFH space and have your first good day out in the beautiful garden you won't have as many doubts. It's a lot of money, but can you imagine dealing with shitty or noisy neighbours when you're retired and don't have the income to move to somewhere like what you're looking at now? You're paying for that but of security, and the outdoor space.

Notavegan · 04/04/2021 16:09

I'm having a similar issue and having checked there is a very strict planning condition preventing our bloody noisy neighbours using their roof for anything. Worth checking

Bluntness100 · 04/04/2021 16:09

I don’t think it’s unreasonable to move. I think it’s beyond appalling to make an offer on someone’s house when you’re not actually sure you wish to buy it and are considering pulling out.

You both should not have put yout home on thr market and made an offer on someone else’s if you’d simoly not decided.

youdontnome · 04/04/2021 16:19

We had horrendous neighbours , playing football in the street every weekend and evening, smacking the ball off our cars and windows even though I asked them not to. We put our house on the market but couldnt find anything we liked, after 4 years it did eventually calm down, except a rather strange neighbour who likes to take his karaoke out side and sing at full volume - what sort of idiot thinks that's acceptable! It's ok now, but I think you have been given warning that it wont be okay for you for quite a few years for definite, but may actually never be ok. I would definitely invest - peace and quiet and privacy in your own outdoor space are life affirming.

Original poster

starsandstuff · 04/04/2021 16:20

Thanks for the comments, it’s made me feel better. (I had no intention of pulling out of our offer and didn’t say that anywhere, thanks.) It’s more ambivalence to the point where if our offer is rejected maybe I’d be content to stay because it feels like a lot of money and I feel pushed into the move. But actually yes the thought of having a lovely peaceful day outside and not worrying about them appearing would probably be worth the money. I just have to hope the new neighbours are nice!

OP posts:

murbblurb · 04/04/2021 16:40

The landlord is correct that they can do nothing - the only remedy for tenant behaviour is eviction and that is currently impossible.

I hope you can find some druggies to buy yours, see how they like it.

Bluntness100 · 04/04/2021 16:51

I had no intention of pulling out of our offer and didn’t say that anywhere, thanks

Sorry, my bad, your op where you were saying part of you wanted to stay and you repeatedly saying you didn’t know if you wished to move made me think you were unsure if you wished to move.

fluffythedragonslayer · 04/04/2021 16:57

I live in a terrace and am v lucky with my neighbours but I'd still love a semi or a detached. I think it sounds like a positive move for you!

Andthenanothercupoftea · 04/04/2021 16:58

Although not a main reason for moving, I won't be sorry to see the back of my neighbours.

One side is three flats in a house, they're not bad, but the soundproofing isn't great - chairs scraping etc just carries. The other side have yappy dogs and a wood burner and chop wood at funny hours. They also make lots of bits so lots of hammering and drilling noises. Oh and their wood burner stinks. Then a few doors, someone, no idea who occasionally (twice a year) has a massive, obtrusively loud party that goes in until 3/4am. Luckily they didn't do it during lockdown (or if they did they kept it quiet). The police wouldn't come out and the council weren't around at that hour and without knocking on every door it was hard to tell who it was.

Just typing that out is making me look forward to leaving...(on the market by Wednesday if the photos have been sent through!)

yessun · 04/04/2021 17:06

Moved from a terrace to a detached. We didn't have bad or particularly noisy neighbours but it got annoying hearing them cough/sneeze/laugh/use the microwave etc.

I love the peace and quiet plus don't have to worry when doing any diy ourselves.

wishywashywoowoo70 · 04/04/2021 17:12

I'd definitely move.

It sounds lovelier for lots of reasons
You can make the house into a house you DO love

Constance11 · 04/04/2021 17:45

I would move in your position, but you'll need to declare all these neighbour disputes to potential buyers, so you may find it hard to sell yours unfortunately.

Constance11 · 04/04/2021 17:50

@Constance11

I would move in your position, but you'll need to declare all these neighbour disputes to potential buyers, so you may find it hard to sell yours unfortunately.

Sorry forgot to add we pulled out of a purchase recently as we got the forms back from the vendors who declared that they had had to make quite a few noise complaints about one of the neighbours over the past couple of years. If you've had the police and council involved even if they didn't do anything you won't be able to gloss over the terrible noisy neighbours.

happylittlevegemites · 04/04/2021 17:50

We moved from a two bed terrace to a four bed detached. My god, even 7 years later I can remember sitting downstairs in the SILENCE!!! No noise through thin walls was bliss.

Our two bed Victorian terrace was very cute, and we had fun with colours and stuff. And our house now is very dull, on an estate with similar houses. But I love this house much more.

Probably helps that we are now the noisy neighbours!!! We have small children and up our end it’s all child free people.

Ismellphantoms · 04/04/2021 17:51

I sold just because my neighbours were horrible and made my life a misery. I'm not in the ideal house now, but I have fantastic neighbours. Even the rental next door has a new tenant that's great. Move!

happylittlevegemites · 04/04/2021 17:51

@Constance11

I would move in your position, but you'll need to declare all these neighbour disputes to potential buyers, so you may find it hard to sell yours unfortunately.

I think it’s just “unresolved disputes”, and disputes are the sorts of things where you’ve had the police or council involved. I think the OP hasn’t gone further than complaining to the landlord?

GreyhoundG1rl · 04/04/2021 17:53

@TheCraicDealer

even if these neighbours move out it’s always going to be a terrace with the potential for having loud people basically in the room next door

Why doesn’t the new house have the potential for noisy neighbours next door?

Shehasadiamondinthesky · 04/04/2021 17:59

I literally could not stand bad neighbours. My current terrace has only elderly neighbours, it isn't suitable for kids here so it's lovely and quiet all the time and I'm out at work all day. It's central for everywhere I work here.
I'm moving to a detached house on Exmoor when I retire with no intention of having neighbours.

Constance11 · 04/04/2021 18:03

The OP said the police and council were useless, so there must have been some involvement and therefore a likely paper trail should someone want to go digging in the future. If that's the case the the OP is leaving herself open to be sued in the future if the next owners have similar problems and weren't warned about them.

Alienchannell21 · 04/04/2021 18:55

I couldn't live where you're describing if you had a choice. I love outdoor space and whilst I accept being overlooked (to a degree) I couldn't have someone literally watching over me. I'd move in a heart beat if you can afford to.

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