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Original poster

Neighbour dispute

18 replies

ciderwithnobody · 29/06/2021 17:04

Hi all. We've had forms back from solicitor and not sure how best to proceed. Seller has indicated that there has been a historic incidient with neighbour regarding noise. They've said it's now been resolved but not sure how truthful this is.

We really struggled to sell our place and our buyer has already threatened to pull out once. Bid on at 6 different properties and this is only one we managed to get within budget that we liked.

Is there any way we can genuinely verify that the dispute is no longer in effect? Obviously we want to find out more details before writing it off completely but I'm pretty sure if we pull out of this house our buyers will pull out too.

OP posts:
coffeequeenindevon · 29/06/2021 17:09

I’d hang around the house at various times of day if you can. I’d also get your solicitor to raise an enquiry asking for further details.

Jasmine11 · 29/06/2021 17:10

How long ago was this? Can your solicitor push for further details including how it was resolved?

Original poster
ciderwithnobody · 29/06/2021 17:18

@coffeequeenindevon

I’d hang around the house at various times of day if you can. I’d also get your solicitor to raise an enquiry asking for further details.
We've asked solicitor to request more details. There wasn't much other than historic complaint of noise with neighbour X now all resolved. I mean, they must have known we would want further details surely?!

Unfortunately we can't realistically visit at different times as we are moving over 100 miles away.

OP posts:
boatgirl81 · 29/06/2021 17:22

Could you knock at the neighbours, introduce yourselves. Get an idea of what they are like?

Andthenanothercupoftea · 29/06/2021 17:25

Maybe ask how and when it was resolved and if other parties were involved (e.g. council/landlord/police).

Didicat · 29/06/2021 17:25

@ciderwithnobody do you know anyone in the area that could do a few drive bys for you? Noise could have related to them building an extension and thus is no longer relevant as the building is completed

Don’t give up hope just yet.

Original poster
ciderwithnobody · 29/06/2021 17:34

[quote Didicat]@ciderwithnobody do you know anyone in the area that could do a few drive bys for you? Noise could have related to them building an extension and thus is no longer relevant as the building is completed

Don’t give up hope just yet.[/quote]
We are moving for work so don't really know anyone up there much. Not really sure we can ask DH's colleagues to drive by.

Good suggestion @Andthenanothercupoftea . We really don't know any details. I think that's what worries me more that they haven't included any information about what the dispute was exactly.

OP posts:
Thisisanartattack · 29/06/2021 19:10

You should definitely get your solicitor to dig for more details. However it could well be resolved. My SIL lodged a dispute with the council over her neighbours DIY noise. It’s resolved now as the house is renovated. But she would need to declare it as a search would reveal it.

I’ll be flamed for this but do you know the area well? Most places I have lived some streets have been more notorious for noise than others. Your DHs colleagues might be able to help in this respect if they are local.

MarianneUnfaithful · 29/06/2021 19:19

Ask the vendors specific questions:
When was the problem?
What exactly was the issue?
What did they do?
And crucially, how was it resolved?

RalphtheMouth · 30/06/2021 13:20

May be worth looking on the local Facebook page

  • if it was a massive issue people could have posted regarding the noise
user1471538283 · 30/06/2021 16:24

It depends what kind of noise and when. So renovation noise means it's all over now. Loud music but with a previous tenant (hopefully) means it's all over. Maybe you are not as sensitive to noise as they are?

But having lived with horrendous noise and how it broke my health I would find somewhere else.

Justmuddlingalong · 30/06/2021 16:27

Google the street in local newspapers, check Facebook/ community pages.

Mykittensmittens · 30/06/2021 16:30

Write a letter to the house on the other side of the problem neighbour? Ring the local authority - noise nuisance which has been reported SHOULD show up on your searches.

Also, is it an attached or detached house? It could be the ‘offender’ has moved? This really does need to be verified.

Resolved by means of an enforced court order is very different from resolved by someone moving away!

FuckYouCorona · 30/06/2021 21:15

I'd take a drive there at the weekend & see what the noise is like at what is likely to be the noisiest time of the week. Ideally, book in at a Travelodge so you can check it out at various times of the day. I know 100 miles is a bit far, but I don't think this is something you can afford to take a risk on. Bearing in mind that most people don't report noise issues because of having to disclose it upon selling, I'd be worried that this means the noise was significant.

Another thing you could do is befriend some people on the local Facebook group & ask them if they can check the place out for you.

Original poster
ciderwithnobody · 01/08/2021 21:39

Just thought I'd give an update as I know how rubbish it is when people don't Smile

We didn't really get much more information despite asking several times which seemed like a massive red flag. We decided with restrictions lifted to go up for a weekend away and asked to visit to 'measure up'. All was fine.

We decided we would do some drive pasts a few more times while we were in the area. We turned into the cul de sac on the saturday evening and could hear lots of loud music and shouting as we got closer and my usually very non sweary DH just said 'fuck that's them isn't it' ! Two women were having an argument as well on the side driveway and one stuck their middle finger up at us as we were driving slowly past (and yes we were very clearly staring at them!!!)

Needless to say we pulled out but actually our buyers are being okay as there is so little coming onto the market here. They've asked that as now it'll clearly go past September for a reduction of the stamp duty they'll miss out on and we've said yes as can't face trying to get another buyer. Off to view something tomorrow which is chain free, it's not anywhere near as nice but is cheaper and we don't mind a bit of doing up.

Thanks for the advice, it really really is worth just listening to your gut sometimes.

OP posts:
memberofthewedding · 01/08/2021 21:57

Good for you OP. If people will behave like this when your just driving past and they dont know you how will they behave when you live close by? You have had a narrow escape.

LongTimeMammaBear · 01/08/2021 22:06

Best thing you could have done. Peace of mind now that you followed up and didn’t get caught up in that drama.

I do wonder if you could put in writing (vis solicitors) an account of what you witnessed and that is why you pulled out. If that could possibly help the sellers get some sort of resolution with their neighbours.

Original poster
ciderwithnobody · 01/08/2021 22:07

The vendors were away when we went to visit (agent let us in) so they tried to say it must just have been a one off party, it's ok. Even if that was true, we just couldn't shake off the feeling it wouldn't be fine.

We know we made the right decision, as hard as it was. The house really was lovely but this was supposed to be a longer term move as want to start a family in a couple of years time.

OP posts:
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