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Original poster

If no one is living next door for years, is it safe to buy this semi-detached house?

31 replies

CCCT · 13/05/2022 10:50

As mentioned in subject above, we found a semi-detached house, seems the location, price, the condition inside the house is okay and the house size is quite suitable to us.

However, when we visited the house last week, it seems the house next door is not maintained for years. No one is living there apparently for quite a long time.
Is it safe to buy this semi-detached house?
Just thinking if anything goes wrong next door, say water leakages, insects etc etc....

Can you please advise me whether I should find another house instead? or it is totally safe to live there?

Thanks all.

OP posts:
MayBeee · 13/05/2022 11:00

I would think if no-one has lived there for years - then no-one will for more years . Think it will only continue to degrade in looks , maintenance , garden become a forest of weeds etc.
Roof eventually letting in water , which could also damage yours , squatters , human & animal . Basically run away from the thought of buying.

Original poster
CCCT · 13/05/2022 11:04

Yes, the is exactly my concern...
sigh ...

I think I should find another

Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts

OP posts:
bilbodog · 13/05/2022 11:07

Before you run away why not try and find out more about the empty house? It would be a shame to miss the right house for you if nextdoor is about to be renovated and lived in. Speak to neighbours and look up on the land registry who owns it.

Aniita · 13/05/2022 11:11

I rented one half of a semi detached house for a few years where the othe half was empty. Literally just a shell. The landlord was planning on building the two houses, took 13 years to the half I lived in and the got bored and left the other half watertight but empty (not even any stairs!).

The house was fine, although I did get mice a few times, probably due to them nesting next door. The ultrasonic repellers worked for the most part though.

And I did take on the maintenance of the front of the property next door (mainly just weeding the driveway) because I didn't want it to make my house look a mess.

I wouldn't have bought it though

Original poster
CCCT · 13/05/2022 11:13

thanks bilbodog for sharing your thoughts too
OKAY, I will try.
but last week when I saw the house nextdoor, the front and rear garden is really a forest. this makes me...
it makes me struggle, all things in the house is good and suit our needs,
but the factor which may affect me is next door, which is I can't control even if the owner do nothing and let his/her house deteriorate....
SIGH....

OP posts:
stormelf · 13/05/2022 11:15

I would be a bit wary. I'm in a mid terrace house. The house next door to us was left empty for about a year while it was being sold. It caused us quite a bit of issues. The house was infested with mice, we could hear them through the walls at night and even walking up the walls. They eventually got into our house through the loft and caused us lots of issues. The garden was extremely overgrown and had a rats nest in it, rats would make their way into our garden to find food. The shared chimney stack was leaking, causing huge leaks down into our house. We paid for a roofer to look at it and it was well maintained on our side but not on the empty house side (loose flashing, non existent pointing, crumbling bricks) so water was just tracking round it into our property.

Even though the house was owned and we had the contact details of the owners they weren't interested in doing anything to fix the problems as it was a rental property and they needed it sold. Luckily the new owners have bought it to live in and have begun to sort out a lot of the issues.

Original poster
CCCT · 13/05/2022 11:16

thanks Aniita for sharing your experience for living next to door house without maintenance..
and yes , you are correct, if the house owner would like to renovate the house nextdoor, it will affect us for years too.

OP posts:
Original poster
CCCT · 13/05/2022 11:19

thanks stormelf for sharing your experience too.
makes me more certain that I should find another one.

my sky is clear after talking to u all.
thank you so much for your help and sharing.

OP posts:
WhenDovesFly · 13/05/2022 11:22

I'd be worried about infestations next door intruding into your property - rats/mice etc. It's a bugger to get rid of them once they've invaded, especially if in your roof space or under floorboards.

Another thing to think of, if the next door house is in a bad state of repair, then whoever buys it (assuming someone will do so at sometime), then you will be subjected to months of noise and possibly disruption while it's renovated/repaired.

cstaff · 13/05/2022 11:23

It could just be a case that whoever owned the house died and the probate is taking a long time to go through. The house across the road from me has been empty for 5 or 6 years. The woman who owned it died and I am guessing that this is the case here. I know the NDN and haven't heard of any problems regarding upkeep etc.

I would make local enquiries with neighbours because if I was asked the same by any potential buyers I know I would be very straight with them. All they can do is refuse to talk and then you would be right to have your doubts.

theemmadilemma · 13/05/2022 11:24

Massive no in a semi for all the reasons above. Unless there appears to be someone ready to come in and renovate (i.e. a recent sale) I would stear well clear.

Lindy2 · 13/05/2022 11:28

In my area the council are actively looking to bring empty houses back in to use and contacting absent owners. Perhaps you could see if there is anything like that where this house is.

I would be wary of buying a semi detached house where the attached property is empty and in a declining state. Our neighbours garden is left to run wild and that alone causes enough problems for us with falling down fences and invading giant weeds. A derelict house could be a real problem.

Original poster
CCCT · 13/05/2022 11:29

thanks WhenDovesFly and cstaff

I have 2 kids, although my younger one is going to be a teenage ...
just have much concern on the insect/mice problem (if no maintenance next door)
or
renovation disturbance (if maintenace next door)
SIGN...

seems it's not a right decision to do the PURCHASE with this condition next door.

OP posts:
Original poster
CCCT · 13/05/2022 11:32

thanks so much theemmadilemma and Lindy2, too

I totally agree that it is not wise to buy this semi-detached at this moment.

I think I will stear

OP posts:
AnnaSW1 · 13/05/2022 11:32

My first worry would be squatters

Hippychickster · 13/05/2022 11:35

I bought a house about 20 years ago which was next door to an empty house. An old lady owned it who was in a home. I think she thought she'd come back to it one day. It was so overgrown at the front you couldn't see the house, and inside it was still full of furniture and stuff. There were problems eg once a water pipe burst and needed sorting out, so stuff can go wrong and it's difficult to sort out when it's not your property.

After about 5 years she died and the house was sold. It was renovated and a woman moved in with her children (similar ages to mine). From the first week when I went round with a welcome 'Would you like a glass of wine?' we have been best friends. So a good ending for me! But I appreciate that's rare!

Original poster
CCCT · 13/05/2022 11:37

thanks AnnaSW1.
this is my second thought.
my first one, is ... water leakage..and insects

OP posts:
Franklin12 · 13/05/2022 11:38

I wouldnt. My DF let his not inconsiderable house go to rack and ruin in a nice area. Stingy and couldnt be bothered to repair it. It was a real state when sold and completely unmaintained. Garden overgrown, fence falled down and he didnt repair it (because it cost money!).

He had lived there a long time and he wAsnt popular with the neighbours because of how he kept the house. We had to clear it professionally and SO many people seemed to be almost cheering when they realised he was moving out.

Why do so many older people just live like this - it certainly wasnt for lack of money in my DF's case. He just couldnt be bothered and eventually it all got too much for him but he had lived (and his neighours by default) had lived like this for decades.

AstroSurf · 13/05/2022 11:38

Maybe you can get the next door for a steal and rent it out to help pay for your mortgage.

Original poster
CCCT · 13/05/2022 11:39

thanks Hippychickster

I am so happy for you
GREAT to hear good news.
thanks for sharing

OP posts:
JemimaTiggywinkle · 13/05/2022 11:40

I wouldn’t. I would personally never feel fully relaxed if I bought the house, it would always be at the back of my mind.

Original poster
CCCT · 13/05/2022 11:40

AstroSurf,
I didn't think of that,
I don't want to go in nextdoor................

OP posts:
Original poster
CCCT · 13/05/2022 11:41

JemimaTiggywinkle,

exactly, I agree with you

OP posts:
Original poster
CCCT · 13/05/2022 11:43

Thanks Franklin12 for sharing your thoughts too.

hope I am lucky to find another good house.

OP posts:
Iwanttenofthose · 13/05/2022 11:44

I bought a semi where the one next door was empty and dilapidated so I can share my experience in case it provides any insight.

The previous owner had gone into care then died and there was a long legal process happening before it could be sold.

When it was finally sold, after we'd moved in, it was bought by a developer to convert to two flats. Our planning objections were ignored and it went ahead, they were really badly designed so their living areas backed onto our sleeping areas, in a way you wouldn't get with purpose built flats. Noisy partying tenants then moved in and it was just a pretty shitty miserable existence until we managed to find a way to move ourselves.