Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Original poster

Asking someone with a messy house/ garden to clean up?

31 replies

GeordieDownSouth · 03/02/2024 11:12

My mum wants to sell her house. She lives on a lovely cup-de-sac and her house is gorgeous.

However, her neighbors house (2doors along) is a mess. The front garden is full of rubbish, including a moudly old sofa. One of the windows shows a room piled high to the ceiling with junk.

Up to now, my mum has been "live and let live" about the situation. A woman, man, and two male teenagers live in the house, and she says they're not approachable.

When she had estate agents round, two of them mentioned that the eyesore house may reduce the value of her house! Sadly I agree.

Does anyone have any ideas of how to approach this issue with the neighbors?

OP posts:
Nanny0gg · 03/02/2024 11:20

GeordieDownSouth · 03/02/2024 11:12

My mum wants to sell her house. She lives on a lovely cup-de-sac and her house is gorgeous.

However, her neighbors house (2doors along) is a mess. The front garden is full of rubbish, including a moudly old sofa. One of the windows shows a room piled high to the ceiling with junk.

Up to now, my mum has been "live and let live" about the situation. A woman, man, and two male teenagers live in the house, and she says they're not approachable.

When she had estate agents round, two of them mentioned that the eyesore house may reduce the value of her house! Sadly I agree.

Does anyone have any ideas of how to approach this issue with the neighbors?

Is it a health hazard?

Council?

Usernamechange1234 · 03/02/2024 11:22

Do they own or rent the house? If they rent you can make contact with the letting agency or owners to request some help!

Otherwise council?

Allthewallsarewhite · 03/02/2024 11:27

Tough one. I'm not sure you can tell others how to look after the space that's within their boundaries, can you?
You can ask, but seeing as their place is in the state it's in its unlikely they'll give two hoots. Don't think you can do more than ask though?

Motnight · 03/02/2024 11:35

I wouldn't approach the neighbours.

Springcleaninginsummer · 03/02/2024 11:52

You could offer that you are getting a skip for your Mum and would they like a hand to put some of their garden stuff in it? Make it like into a favour for them but they will probably not respond to any attempts to force them to tidy up.

JoanCandy · 03/02/2024 11:56

What an awkward position 😞
I wouldn’t approach the family though, I think I’d go the environmental health route and enquire to the council, just to get that front garden cleared.

Comedycook · 03/02/2024 12:04

I think approaching them is pointless. If they won't clean it up for themselves why would they do it to help a neighbour sell?

Rumpelslutskin · 03/02/2024 12:05

Would you have to declare reporting your neighbours to environmental dept when you sell? I know disputes need to be declared but reports?

Rumpelslutskin · 03/02/2024 12:08

If the neighbourhood is rich, one bad house won't matter. If it's an up and coming area, it will matter but it will be expected.
This is the reality of your neighbourhood. Even if you cleared it, selling can take months and they will have a dirty mess outside their home again soon.

Plus, buyers can see on google earth the cul de sac and how it looked before.
And dirty neighbours are known from filthy everything like doors and windows all sooty and caked in dirt, yellow net curtains, weed overgrown.. its not easy to hide you just have to accept your location isn't 10 out of 10.

Watchkeys · 03/02/2024 12:10

Either involve the authorities or leave it. If there is no official line on it, they're not going to listen to your needs for them to clear up their own property.

TOM89 · 03/02/2024 12:14

sounds like hoarding ? Councils have safeguarding responsibilities around such behaviour and usually link in with environmental health and the fire service.

its taken seriously due to infestation and fire risk

TwattingDog · 03/02/2024 12:16

Some batshit answers on here as ever.

OP, contact the council and speak to them about antisocial behaviour (used to fall under environmental health, but times have changed!) and contact the Fire Service (non emergency!).

For example: https://www.plymouth.gov.uk/report-anti-social-behaviour - see the definition of ASB.

https://www.dsfire.gov.uk/safety/home/home-safety-visits - home safety visits by by the Fire Service. Although paused in this area!

However you cannot control how someone lives, so you may get no results at all.

altmember · 03/02/2024 12:28

Report to council, maybe tell them you've seen rats in their front garden.

StopStartStop · 03/02/2024 12:31

Offer to do it for them, and mean it. Tell them you want to sell yours and a tidy neighbourhood will help. If they agree, be sure take lots of photos and videos before, during and after, in case of insurance claims later.

DeeLusional · 03/02/2024 12:34

Rumpelslutskin · 03/02/2024 12:05

Would you have to declare reporting your neighbours to environmental dept when you sell? I know disputes need to be declared but reports?

Report anonymously.

LifeLivedCrap · 03/02/2024 13:04

Can your Mum offer them a few ££'s as incentive for them to tidy up and help her sell her house? Especially if it means she'll be able to sell for many £££'s more!

LIZS · 03/02/2024 13:06

Could she offer to pay the fee for council bulky waste service to collect?

baileybrosbuildingandloan · 03/02/2024 13:07

LifeLivedCrap · 03/02/2024 13:04

Can your Mum offer them a few ££'s as incentive for them to tidy up and help her sell her house? Especially if it means she'll be able to sell for many £££'s more!

Big assumption that they'll be moved my money!

Report to the council as pp have suggested. Anything else will turn them into the neighbours from hell and make it worse.

RedStork · 11/05/2024 00:35

Building materiel doors plus pallets most bagged up my neighbour said he'd report me to council as he's selling and it will put Byers off

RedStork · 11/05/2024 00:42

My neigbour has said.he will report me for storing items in my garden bagged up no hazard waste he said it will put buyers off front garden

Aquamarine1029 · 11/05/2024 00:50

RedStork · 11/05/2024 00:42

My neigbour has said.he will report me for storing items in my garden bagged up no hazard waste he said it will put buyers off front garden

You store things in bags in your front garden?

PieFaces · 11/05/2024 01:19

I’d pop round and explain your mum is about to sell the house and if they don’t want the sofa would they mind if you removed it for them.

HeraSyndulla · 11/05/2024 01:33

The council won’t do anything unless it’s a health hazard and then it has to be an obvious risk.

potatowine · 11/05/2024 03:07

I don’t think an untidy garden with a sofa in it is an environmental health risk.

I don’t think there is much you can do.

Having an untidy house is their choice . Again you can’t force them to tidy up.

Wont make much difference to the house price but it may sell slower.

FatFemale · 11/05/2024 14:45

Seriously, how do you even broach this subject with them without them taking offence!!! They are two doors down. Its not directly next door. It wouldn’t put me off the house if I really liked it. If thats the way they live, its the way they live. I fear saying something might poke the bear and you could end up with a shit stained mattress on their front just to piss you off when it comes to viewings!!!