Cancel House Purchase due to Neighbours

[Badger87]

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?

i went to school with some PB. They were the quietest, most respectful well behaved children. I still remember their house, I had to knock for something once. Quiet and unassuming, despite lots of children living there.
my only gripe was the high achiever child (and I mean hugely high achieving) couldn’t go to university or stay on for a levels. They had to join the family building company, which, at 15/16 I couldn’t understand.

As pp have said, there are different types of Plymouth brethren groups. Some are just conservative churches who live very simply but otherwise are relatively 'normal'. If they've already been described as a cult by your seller, it's more likely to be the Plymouth Brethren Christian church, a name rebranded for PR reasons from Exclusive Brethren - mostly as a way to create the kind of confusion seen on this thread. The PBCC are more of a cult - extremely insular, have a single leader with a extreme control, restricted education - very Handmaids Tale.

That said, they would probably be reasonably good neighbours as they are unlikely to acknowledge you exist. They don't recruit.
Things I would be concerned about: they tend to live near each other, so if there's one house in the village there will be many. None will interact with anyone outside of their church - might reduce the community feel of the village if it's tiny. The group have big problems with alcohol addiction, weirdly. And drink driving. And they really believe that the only people that matter are those in their church. This means they don't think laws apply to them...this includes things like planning conditions, speed limits, parking, noise, generally being considerate of neighbours, etc. You are less than dirt to them, therefore they just won't care.

All that being said, it's down to the individuals ultimately. Some are arsehole, others less so.

But I would have a look/ask around the village with this in mind. And if there's a massive church building close by (looks like a giant blank warehouse) I'd really reconsider, the traffic and antisocial driving would really put me off.

My friend grew up with a PB parent, definitely a cult, she said, which has left lasting damage to her and siblings. She also said CSA was rife, awful.

What's CB?

That would be a plus for me. Religious group, quiet, no late night loud parties, likely to own it for the long term so no risk of them selling to problem neighbours. If you decide not to go for it let me know and I might buy it myself!

There are quite a few PB in our neighbourhood. There clothes seem a bit weird to modern eyes and I have no idea whether they are a cult or not but they would probably be ideal neighbours - quiet, polite and law abiding.

I wouldn’t think they’d be any trouble as neighbours, just don’t invite them if you have a housewarming.

It did remind me of an excellent book I picked up as an impulse purchase in a second-hand bookshop several years ago, fascinating read - once I’d started, I read it in two sittings.

https://www.rebeccastott.co.uk/in-the-days-of-rain

Anyone who thinks this isn’t a cult needs to check out the testimony from people who have escaped.

Rampant alcoholism, DV, CSA, financial abuse and other horrendous crimes have all been reported and in many cases convicted as a result of people leaving.

There’s a few TikTok accounts from previous members and they’re quite distressing.

I have Plymouth brethren neighbours and worked for a business owed by a Brethren family for some years - they are all lovely, very chatty and nice. The only thing they won't do id eat with you as they don't "break bread" with non members.

They are an evangelical Christian church, strongly held views yes, but not weird, I've always found them extremely decent and honorable people.

We had Plymouth Bretheren living across from us for years and I still miss them! Incredibly polite, well-mannered and considerate neighbours.

What an odd thread 🙄

When my dc were at primary school, there was a large Plymouth Brethren cohort. They always seemed quiet, kept themselves to themselves.

I wouldn't pull out, tbh.

We lived in an area with many Plymouth Brethren neighbours. It was quiet, civilised and a very nice place to live!

They aren't known for being a particularly rowdy lot. I would have thought you could do a lot worse for neighbours. I wouldn't pull out for this. I'd probably see it as a bit of a bonus...

My DPs lived two doors down from some Plymouth Brethren for years. Absolutely no problem. I think it's more of a problem for those within the church..

@ConcernedOfClapham that sounds interesting, have now ordered it myself.

Used to live in an area with a fair number of Plymouth brethren, wouldn’t describe them as a cult, just a branch of Christianity. All seemed to be old fashioned in a 1940s sort of way. Women and girls always wore dresses and heads carves, traditional “women’s roles” though may be different now 40 years on. As pp have said rather the PB than drug dealers or a party house. Far worse neighbours to have
I can’t see a problem.

Maybe the issue is less about the Brethren and more about OP?

Are you worried that people of faith are going to have a problem with your hot tub sex parties, or cannabis grow shed, or somesuch?

My company were owned and ran by a family of the Plymouth Brethren and they are the nicest employers and some of the nicest people I have ever met. Definitely not a cult!!

Father in law has Plymouth brethren living next to him. Quiet, respectful and keep themselves to themselves.

One of my school friends was Plymouth Brethren. Very quiet and very serious, as were his parents.

Given that the vendor thought to mention it, I'd ask what, if any, issues they caused, other than then keeping themselves to themselves.

Theyre just bible bashers, you won’t be getting any trouble from them

My next door neighbours are Plymouth Brethren: keep themselves to themselves, quiet, we say hello to them and they respond but that’s the extent of the communication - ideal neighbours.

We live in a village full of them.
They even have a hall of worship over the fence at the end of our road which you'd not know was there.
They have no footprint in the village at all, they don't really mix other than some children go to village school until ks2 then they school them themselves which I think is very sad.

I'd not worry about it.

I knew one many years ago. I didn't like her much as she was cold and unfriendly. But I don't think they would be problem neighbours. And I don't think they're a cult. But if you have misgivings pull out. Better safe than sorry.