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Original poster

Neighbour dispute disclosed in enquiries

29 replies

Blindmelon123 · 05/05/2021 18:05

We’re in the process of buying and the seller has disclosed that her neighbour verbally abused her over the fence in 2018 and the police became involved by writing the neighbour letter. We also know around the same time the seller moved and rented out the property. I’m wondering what if anything we can ask about the situation to ensure we don’t run into any issues with the neighbour in future? We don’t see it as a deal breaker by any means, but it’s taking the shine off our excitement to move so would like to reassure ourselves if possible!

OP posts:
Mykittensmittens · 05/05/2021 18:07

Does the same neighbour still live there for a start?

If so, I’d go and speak with them. You should do that with neighbours before buying a house anyway. We certainly did.

Dinosauraddict · 05/05/2021 18:18

The sort of people who give out verbal abuse to the neighbours to the extent the police had to become involved are definitely not people I'd want to live next to. I'd also suggest that this revelation would decrease what I would be willing to pay for a house. If it were me, I would honestly pull out.

Dinosauraddict · 05/05/2021 18:19

Also keep in mind that whilst they have to declare this, your seller will be downplaying this as much as they can legally get away with. They won't volunteer the full extent of the details.

EdwinPootsLovesArchaeology · 05/05/2021 18:21

I presume they're still living there? I'd probably do a bit of private detection tbh.

Zarinea · 05/05/2021 18:23

Agree with PPs - I wouldn't live there if the neighbour still is.

Egghead81 · 05/05/2021 18:24

I actually would think of this as a potential deal breaker

Dentistlakes · 05/05/2021 18:25

I would pull out tbh. This kind of thing is a massive red flag and I wouldn’t risk it.

something2say · 05/05/2021 18:25

I almost had to go thro this, as the seller.

I was top front in a block of 6. Middle bottom was the secretary of the residents association. He had done it for years and I was young when I bought and didn't pay attention. He spent thousands of his own money on work without discussing it with us and I had a fallout with him over it.

By the time I sold, he had been firmly put in his place, he'd resigned as secretary, my below neighbour, very switched on woman, took over and we managed the block and the documents needed for my sale.

I declared the whole thing, advised the buyer to have her hand in the block management, but also, the problem was a different animal when I handed it over. That's therefore my advice. It could have been and gone, and the neighbour in the wrong could have learned and changed. And the situation could have been examined and mitigated.

Egghead81 · 05/05/2021 18:27

The police would not have written a letter unless there were sufficient grounds to suggest the vendor was telling the truth

Egghead81 · 05/05/2021 18:29

@something2say

I almost had to go thro this, as the seller.

I was top front in a block of 6. Middle bottom was the secretary of the residents association. He had done it for years and I was young when I bought and didn't pay attention. He spent thousands of his own money on work without discussing it with us and I had a fallout with him over it.

By the time I sold, he had been firmly put in his place, he'd resigned as secretary, my below neighbour, very switched on woman, took over and we managed the block and the documents needed for my sale.

I declared the whole thing, advised the buyer to have her hand in the block management, but also, the problem was a different animal when I handed it over. That's therefore my advice. It could have been and gone, and the neighbour in the wrong could have learned and changed. And the situation could have been examined and mitigated.

Was the man involved ever verbally abusive to the extent that you called the police?
Original poster
Blindmelon123 · 05/05/2021 18:51

Thanks for the replies. Yes I assume the neighbour is still there. Good idea to speak to the neighbours, do you think we should just generally ask what it’s like to live on the street? I don’t want to antagonise them by asking a direct question about the dispute!

The seller also said the neighbour was fine with her children and so felt the issue was personal with her. Although I do appreciate and agree that this will be being downplayed for the sake of meeting the minimum disclosure requirements.

How would it work to ask for a price adjustment because of this? I’m not sure we could pull out unfortunately, it’s a great house otherwise and we can only afford a semi (we’re in in London) although this neighbour isn’t on the attached side, so I guess we’re always going to be running the risk of having tricky neighbours, especially when things like parking are at such a premium and with everyone living so close together.

OP posts:
FiloPasty · 05/05/2021 18:55

I would genuinely go and knock on the neighbours door and say you were moving in next month and wanted to say hello, is there anything you need to know about the neighbourhood etc.
I think you’ll get a gut feeling straight away

LexMitior · 05/05/2021 18:56

Okay, she moved out and rented the property and the police attended. That is not a circumstance for a price reduction, its a very good sign you should not proceed if the neighbour is still resident.

something2say · 05/05/2021 19:41

No the police were not involved. I was shouted at, at my own front door, but I held my own and said I was NOT prepared to be told what to do, and I suggested the compromise that we all eventually agreed on...

MotherOfGodWeeFella · 05/05/2021 19:46

You need to ascertain whether she moved out due to the neighbour's behaviour or whether the behaviour happened after they knew she was moving.

What you don't know is whether the neighbour was awful to live next to and this verbal abuse and police involvement was the culmination. Try to speak to the neighbour and also ask the seller for more information. If the stories don't tally you'll have to make a judgement call.

Cipot · 05/05/2021 19:54

Could you ask the people renting?

KittyKatyKate · 05/05/2021 20:07

My poor mum had a terrible time with a truly evil neighbour, the police were also invoice and we found out through them that the owner before (also a single woman) had written a 15 page statement about the neighbour in a police complaint. He was really threatening and even had cctv pointing at her back door, the police were useless “it’s not recording.” They gave him an ASBO and mum had to go to court. He threatened her and use to throw rubbish and dead rats in her garden (all on cctv) but the police were useless and we felt like they were waiting for him to physically assault her before they’d do anything else. It was awful.
Really mum should’ve complained to her solicitor that the seller wasn’t honest, but she was so vulnerable, broken and just didn’t have the energy! She sold the house to a friend of a friend, for a loss even though she had done everything to the house, who knew about the issues and bought it as a buy to let.
Was such a said time because she was newly divorced and her marriage to my dad was awful too. It just wasn’t the fresh start it should’ve been.
So no, even though it’s good it was disclosed I would not buy a house if the neighbour was still there.

Egghead81 · 05/05/2021 20:25

@something2say

No the police were not involved. I was shouted at, at my own front door, but I held my own and said I was NOT prepared to be told what to do, and I suggested the compromise that we all eventually agreed on...
So for you to have gone to the police - it would have had to be very serious verbal abuse indeed..
Hels20 · 05/05/2021 20:45

This would be a dealbreaker for me - so surprised OP you are now walking away.

We are stuck living next door to horrendous neighbours - who tell my 4 year old to “fuck you” and call him a “fucking arsehole”. I haven’t slept and it has been awful. But we can’t move because they have also complained about my 4 year old being noisy (he is - he has ADHD and we do everything we can to silence him but we live in a terraced house). It has been truly nasty.

Don’t under estimate what living next door to nasty neighbours can do to your mental health. It has been horrific. When we eventually move, I will be asking very direct questions about neighbours, frankly you are mad not to have pulled out already. For the police to have to be involved is a huge warning sign...

RolloTomassi · 05/05/2021 20:49

I'd ask your solicitor to get further details and context. And at the very least you MUST speak to the neighbor, you'll probably get a vibe.

There's always a chance that your vendor is the troublemaker, and blew the incident out of proportion at the time, and it's now biting her as she has to disclose because the police letter exists. My cousin lives next door to a pair of sneaky fruit loops who'd swear she's the baddie, when it's totally the opposite. So you never know.

That said I'd proceed with extreme caution. Normal people avoid a neighborly run-in at all costs, so I'd be very reluctant to move in where it's escalated to police involvement. It'll never be easier than it is now to avoid the grief.

Onandoff · 05/05/2021 21:20

Introduce yourself to the neighbour. You’ll get a sense of the crazy.

EmmaGrundyForPM · 05/05/2021 21:23

I wouldn't buy a house without speaking to the neighbours first. It's not foolproof - you could have lovely neighbours who move out within a year and neighbours from hell move in. But so far, it's worked for us.

Didicat · 05/05/2021 21:43

@Blindmelon123 can you ask for a copy of the police letter?

WinterIsGone · 05/05/2021 22:46

Introduce yourself to the neighbour. You’ll get a sense of the crazy.
I would talk to the other neighbours, too. Some awful people can appear quite normal on first meeting.

Onandoff · 05/05/2021 23:09

@WinterIsGone

Introduce yourself to the neighbour. You’ll get a sense of the crazy. I would talk to the other neighbours, too. Some awful people can appear quite normal on first meeting.
True ‘nuff