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Cancel House Purchase due to Neighbours

370 replies

Badger87 · 03/03/2025 23:02

So a few months ago we decided we wanted to move from our town centre terraced house out to a detached house in a countryside village.

Ours sold and we had an offer accepted on a house we were really like

However a couple weeks before exchange we have found out the neighbour house is owned and rented by a cult, Plymouth brethren.

The owner of the house we were buying was honest enough to tell us on a second viewing. He admitted it was a weird setup and they do not communicate with him whatsoever.

This has been a major red flag to us as we would now feel uncomfortable with such a situation.

We are now about to pull out the purchase however feel awful to do this just before exchange.

Are we overreacting? Anyone else have any experience of a similar situation?

OP posts:
Verv · 06/03/2025 16:28

Id be fine with it tbh

Shelley108 · 06/03/2025 16:49

What do you think is going to happen? Rituals and sacrifices? Yabu
As most other people have said I’d rather that than the some of the alternatives

AtomHeartMotherOfGod · 07/03/2025 07:32

Audiprettier · 06/03/2025 02:27

Eh?
How many do you need FGS!
One is more than enough for me thank you!!

Yes, but she's not moving next to that member of the Plymouth Brethren. Unless you have details of the house move and know she is?

Perverts appear everywhere in society - you're statement is the same as saying 'One man has been accused of rape, so that's enough for me - I'm not living next to any of them!' Can you not see how bigoted your comment is?

Audiprettier · 07/03/2025 21:10

AtomHeartMotherOfGod · 07/03/2025 07:32

Yes, but she's not moving next to that member of the Plymouth Brethren. Unless you have details of the house move and know she is?

Perverts appear everywhere in society - you're statement is the same as saying 'One man has been accused of rape, so that's enough for me - I'm not living next to any of them!' Can you not see how bigoted your comment is?

Bigoted...! About perverts?

Hell yeah!!

starpatch · 08/03/2025 07:27

I grew up in a village where there were a number of Plymouth brethren families and went to school with them. In fact my parents neighbours are still Plymouth brethren. They were lovely people. I remember they don't watch television and aren't allowed to eat with non brethren. I can't think how having them as neighbours would impact you negatively at all.

CandidHedgehog · 08/03/2025 08:14

Audiprettier · 07/03/2025 21:10

Bigoted...! About perverts?

Hell yeah!!

I assume you are being deliberately obtuse here but in case you aren’t:

By being prejudiced against people of a particular religious group because one member acts inappropriately.

Saying ‘all PB are perverts’ because of the actions of one man is the classic statement of a bigot - defined as:

a person who is obstinately or unreasonably attached to a belief, opinion, or faction, especially one who is prejudiced against or antagonistic towards a person or people on the basis of their membership of a particular group.

Google Search

https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&sca_esv=172277ae1068b60b&hl=en-gb&q=unreasonably&si=APYL9bsiCsNXe-ci7zfr23UVPMz1WUWrU0nSo_lu2LYreb_7oOII4Q664c4lgbJkXAqYHeSSSvyO0mHpbsSLnKhKKOwfK741qt04_MN4LHYqS4T6gnV2YUo%3D&expnd=1&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi5ntKEhPqLAxXNVEEAHeqmPAcQyecJegQIORAP

Audiprettier · 08/03/2025 16:19

CandidHedgehog · 08/03/2025 08:14

I assume you are being deliberately obtuse here but in case you aren’t:

By being prejudiced against people of a particular religious group because one member acts inappropriately.

Saying ‘all PB are perverts’ because of the actions of one man is the classic statement of a bigot - defined as:

a person who is obstinately or unreasonably attached to a belief, opinion, or faction, especially one who is prejudiced against or antagonistic towards a person or people on the basis of their membership of a particular group.

I'm guessing you feel better now?

Have you heard of 'Stating The Obvious'?

Shall I say Amen now!?

Yawn

CandidHedgehog · 08/03/2025 16:22

Audiprettier · 08/03/2025 16:19

I'm guessing you feel better now?

Have you heard of 'Stating The Obvious'?

Shall I say Amen now!?

Yawn

No, I just assumed that someone who posted the way you did might be a bit dim as opposed to just being deliberately unpleasant. I won’t give you the benefit of the doubt next time, promise!

Bobbinette · 08/03/2025 18:17

There were several Plymouth Brethren children used to go to my children’s school and they were lovely kids. The mums were nice too, quiet and sensible. They would make great neighbours.

salsapasta · 08/03/2025 22:02

We used to live next to the Exclusive Brethren [off shoot of the Plymouth], some of the best neighbours you could have. House was always tidy and well maintained, never preached to us, they tend to be business owners and employ there own. I think the only downside is when they have a meeting and park cars in the street.

Zatapec · 15/03/2025 18:11

Maybe the house sellers are very anti religious and see anyone with a faith as weird! Don't let it put you off, living next door to a Christian family is a good thing not a bad one. Hope you enjoy your new home.

Mantissatopower4 · 14/05/2025 22:42

Perfect neighbours. Won’t bother you and if you have a real emergency I am sure they would help. Go for it!

OlderGlaswegianLivingInDevon · 15/05/2025 00:20

@Badger87

It's been a couple of months - what did you decide ?

Ilikeadrink14 · 15/05/2025 04:18

Never2many · 03/03/2025 23:18

Eh? What a bizarre thread.

What makes you say that? It’s your comment that’s bizarre, in my opinion!

BusyLemonade · 18/05/2025 17:43

The problem with the Plyouth Brethren itself is that it's recognised as Chuch officially, but works as a cult.

A cult is defined by the control they have over their members, the way they manipulate their behaviours and a range of practices they do to keep the control over them.

Some of them are the authoritarian leadership (one single leader never questioned, considered infallible), members are separated from outside influence (they can't make friends with anyone who is not in the cult, or eat with them), they are taught to see outsiders as dangerous, corrupt or evil and depend on the group. They are not authorised to study in University, and normally they learn their skills inside of the group, but are given high salaries, and are threatened with the fact that if they quit the group they will also lose their jobs, and as they can be ill equipped to find another job of a similar pay rate, they will have difficulty, unless helped by organisations.

They are made to fear, they are punished and they are silenced and isolated if they skip the rules. They give up their personal autonomy and privacy, and their mobile phones normally have some software installed that will monitor and censor their online activity. They discourage critical thinking and questioning the doctrine is seen as a sin.

They are not allowed TV, recorded music (this has changed recently, but only reduced to music recorded by their musicians, and selected pieces), no reading of newspapers, no joining unions. They go to church almost every day, and on Sundays three times (the first one earlier than 7am). They are not allowed pets (who give good emotional support). They have very little to zero emotional literacy, as they have to supress their own feelings and desires to conform with the community. Many of them drink a lot of alchohol as a coping mechanism.

Women are not working other than in the house, so if they have bad luck with their marriage and they want to separate, it becomes very hard for them. If they remain in the cult, they are not allowed contraception (unless prescribed by a doctor for health reasons), they have very limited opportunities in life. On weekends, they receive people at their homes, but it's the church who dictates who is going to visit them, and creates a rota for it. So when you have a lucky day and receive the ones you enjoy, that's great, and not so great the day you have to force yourself to attend other people you are not so keen on, or simply don't have fluid conversation with.

People don't join the PBCC, they are born into it, so they never had the opportunity to decide if they wanted to be there or not.

They can't go on holidays to a hotel, and only with permission of the church, they can go only to be lodged by other brethrens. They must have a detached house, as touching walls with other people is a way to let the "sin" in.

Two brethren cannot divorce and remain brethren, so the one who is leaving is completely cut off their family, friends and in most cases, children if they have them. Members who leave need psychologycal assistance and support to adapt to living in the world and overcome cultic indoctrination.

But the PBCC has money. Money enough to pay for some conservative campaigns or to make donations, and they can send their members to leaflet for them, even if they are not allowed to vote themselves, because who runs the country is a "matter of God", but they got billionaire contracts for PPE and related services, raising concerns about the transparency and fairness in the procurement process, after cronysm and lack of competitive tendering allegations.

Now, once this is set... does it impact you if you buy the adyacent house?

In priciple, no. They have limited social interaction and are busy going to many church meetings, and won't make friends with outsiders.
Be aware of potential surveillance, as they can have monitoring tactics. Maintain boundaries, avoid discussing sensitive topics.

The only more thing I could add is that if you live beside a brethren family, and observe visible signs of distress isolation, restrictions of communication or indications of emotional or physical control or coertive control, you can report this to the local authorities (for immediate danger or suspected abuse). If you are that type of kind person, you can also have resources for ex-members at hand (local support gorups or organisations), and if you encounter anyone seeking help, that can be shared with them, without directly intervening. Sometimes a good neighbour in a moment of crisis can really make a difference.

Covid Contracts - Plymouth Brethren

The remarkable story of how businesses ran by members of the Plymouth Brethen Church won £1.265 billion of PPE & Covid related contracts.

https://www.brethrenexposed.com/covid-contracts-original.html

BusyLemonade · 18/05/2025 18:13

CandidHedgehog · 06/03/2025 09:40

That’s the exclusive Brethren. They do swing towards cult-like. Most Plymouth Brethren are Ordinary Brethren who are far more mainstream.

I think I can offer a bit more precise information.
You are right, they used to be called The Exclusive Brethren, and in 2012 they changed the name to Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, as part of a broader strategy to present the PBCC as a more open and community-engaged organization, when they applied to get Charity Status and the Charity Commision denied it. However, they got Charity status in 2014.
So the original name has been rebranded as the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church (PBCC).

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 18/05/2025 21:39

A SiL’s family were Plymouth Brethren. SiL is entirely ‘normal’ and I met her (now gone) parents more than once - you’d never know. Ditto her siblings.*
IMO you could be landed with a set of infinitely worse neighbours!
*AFAIK only one of them adheres to any sort of religion now - she’s a C of E vicar and a lovely person.

Communitywebbing · 19/05/2025 18:30

I wouldn’t worry about Plymouth brethren. Likely to be quiet and keep to themselves. Ask around to see if there has been any complaints from other neighbours.

Honestgent · 01/07/2025 16:04

agree with theses two posts, i live next to Exclusive Brethren and would never recommend someone does the same. i wish they kept themselves to themselves. They have no consideration for others and are loud and unpleasant. They refuse to take accountability for anything they do( normally something stupid and unnecessary) and try and bully you into accepting their beliefs.

The parents behave like sullen teenagers when you have a conversation with them and tend to escalate rather than compromise. My understanding is that they are taught to hate the non Brethren world and think they are better.

They are a cult and are selfish and inconsiderate. They only socialise in each others homes so you will have large gatherings of them at their houses.

Friendlygingercat · 25/08/2025 18:17

The Plymouth Brethen grew out of a desire to separate from the established Anglican Church and create a more intimate community of believers. They practise a strict interpretation of the bible with an emphasis on family values, and mutual support. They tend to limit social relationshipts to within their community. Being a very private person (who has as little to do with neighbours as possible) I would probably be very pleased to have them live next door. No late night noise, rowdy parties, smoking weed, and so forth.

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