Neighbours cut down trees before completion

[Annemum6]

I've just had an ail from our solicitor saying the neighbour has cut down some trees on the property we are buying. It will be in a small 'wooded' area of the garden which we loved. We've exchanged and were due to complete next week.

I can only assume that they haven't been removed by a proper tree surgeon and that stumps are left. What would you do? Any idea on our options?

Could you pull out due to undisclosed neighbours dispute? It sounds like this has been a contentious issue for a while.
Cutting down the trees is extreme without any prior tension.

I would get the agents involved too, to take photos for comparison. If there are tpos or it is otherwise protected (Conservation Area for example) the council tree warden may be interested.

I would be taking this further too. Do the trees have tree preservation orders on them? Is there some kind of dispute between the neighbours. Does this effect your privacy?
It would ring alarm bells for me. What else do these neighbours think they can do on what will be your land?

I'd worry there was some sort of neighbour from hell type scenario going on here.

Aw op that’s awful

This is odd. have you asked for pictures?

I would be wary about a potential problem neighbour.

I reckon the trees were a nuisance to them so they took the opportunity to cut them down. If the trees didn't affect them at
all why would they bother.

I would be alarmed at the fact the neighbour seems to think they can do whatever they want in other people’s properties, it would be worrying me what else they think they can get away with. Even if the trees didn’t bother me I think I would pull out if possible. Unless you can go and meet the neighbour and see for yourself?

@MadeForThis

I would be wary about a potential problem neighbour.

This. Get further legal advice. Another pp mentioned undisclosed neighbour dispute. I think this is a good place to start.

The first thing to do is establish the facts. Which trees have been cut down. Who cut them down and did they have permission. Were they cut down after your pre-exchange inspection.

It's possible that the vendors agreed the neighbour could take down trees some time ago and they just realised that it was time to do it before the opportunity was missed.

Once you know which trees and the timeline then you need to decide what action and result you want.

Compensation or reminding the contract, the former a lot less drama than the latter.

I suggest asking the EA to arrange to go to the property and video the area and find out what happened from the vendor.

If they have been taken down post exchange then your insurance on the property could be a port of call. Did you take out legal advice on that policy?

Thank you everyone. The packers are arriving tomorrow (we are going into storage) so am slightly overwhelmed. I've asked both the estate agent and solicitor to follow up and find out exactly which trees. If they were in the boundary I'll be mildly annoyed but probably won't take it further. I think I'll arrange another visit this week to see exactly what has been done.

Aside from the possibly problem neighbour, are you really sure there is clear title to that wooded area? Are you sure your vendors actually own that parcel land they are selling to you?

I wouldn’t trust the vendors as well.

Who owned them? Were they in a conservation area? Did they have TPOs on them? The vendor has to look after the property between exchange and completion, its in the contract, does damage to the garden constitute a breach of contract?

This happened to my mother when she was selling the family home except she was the seller. She moved out and in the time she had gone and the new owners took possession, the next door neighbours had been round and ‘vandalised’ a hedge. It made us livid and want to tackle the neighbour but in the end we decided it was between the new owners and neighbours. Totally CF and I feel for you.

It is a worry that they might be 'neighbours from hell'. It's massive cheeky fuckery at the least to choose this 'opportunity' to get their own way and does not bode well for neighbourly relations.

I’d seriously consider backing out of the completion. I really wouldn’t want to have neighbours like that.

You need to take advice from your solicitor if you're thinking of pulling out.

It sounds a nightmare and I would try to see if you can get out of the sale if possible.

I think you need to act quickly here OP. Go and look first of all, or ask for photographic evidence.

I'd say you're plonking yourself right into a neighbourly dispute.

yup....shitty neighbour alert. I know you are right on the brink but loss of trees pales into insignificance besides acquiring a shitty neighbour.

As you've exchanged, you must now be insuring the property @Annemum6? If so, check whether you have legal cover on your policy and contact them for advice if so.

@HopeHappy

As you've exchanged, you must now be insuring the property *@Annemum6*? If so, check whether you have legal cover on your policy and contact them for advice if so.

That’s not true, you only insure from completion.