Is there anything we can do?

I_love_cats_2

Hi everyone,

I'm new to the forum and wondered if anyone could offer me some advice please?

Three weeks ago we viewed a house which backs onto a car park belonging to an adjacent business. Before viewing the property we drove into the car park to view the rear elevation of the house and all was fine.

We liked the house and the next day made an offer which was accepted. Things started to proceed with our solicitors, both on the purchase and on the sale of our current house which had received an offer at the beginning of March.

The following week (so two weeks ago) we were driving past (we don't live locally) and thought we'd pop into the local restaurant for a meal and while we were there took our friends who were with us to see what our prospective new home looked like. Again we drove round the back so they got a better idea of what it was like from all angles. Again all was fine.

Fast forward to this week and we arranged to return to the house to measure up some windows etc for getting curtains made and that sort of thing.

To our surprise as we approached the house, we could see diggers in the car park behind the property! We were met at the door by the vendor, who when asked seemed surprised that we weren't aware there were a handful of new houses being built on the land as half the car park had been sold by the business.

We think the estate agent who initially showed us over the house should have informed us of this imminent new development, particularly as we did make a point of referring to the car park behind the house.

The offer we had accepted is quite a good price and we do like the house, but although the garden is quite long and the new houses seem like they will be some way off, we have now seen the architect's plans and some windows will be overlooking the garden of our new home.

Should we be doing anything about this.....ie, can we/should we try to renegotiate the price? Or should we walk away?

Thanks for reading

PasturesNew

I don't see a problem, at least now you know what's going to be behind you (not a 6-storey block of flats) and it's more secure than a car park which could attract lads doing burnouts at night.

I'm sure the people in the new houses won't have the time to stand at their window every day looking at you.



Searches would have shown this, so it would have been down to your solicitor (and/or your own research) to discover the plans.

poppysarah

Offer less.

They accepted your offer thinknig you knew about the development.

Their house is now worth less.

Running_Horse

It is up to your solicitor to find this out. Maybe the agent didn't know.

We have a public car park near us, and although it has only been a magnet for noisy kids for one summer, I would much prefer someone build houses on it.

You are, of course, perfectly free to lower your offer, but they might refuse.

poppysarah

Running_Horse wrote: »

You are, of course, perfectly free to lower your offer, but they might refuse.

but now the work is fully visible and it's impact seen then all future viewers will have to think about it too.

I_love_cats_2

Thanks PasturesNew.......yes, the searches are about to be started on I believe, we just thought that someone (we also spoke to the vendor during the first viewing but even though we were in the garden at the time they didn't mention it either) should have told us about this before we made an offer. If we had been making the offer now we would have offered a bit less as the garden wasn't overlooked before and now it is. I do agree that maybe houses/gardens behind pose less of a risk with regards to burglaries etc though

Running_Horse

poppysarah wrote: »

but now the work is fully visible and it's impact seen then all future viewers will have to think about it too.

And once the houses are built no on will even question their presence.

I_love_cats_2

Running_Horse wrote: »

It is up to your solicitor to find this out. Maybe the agent didn't know.

We have a public car park near us, and although it has only been a magnet for noisy kids for one summer, I would much prefer someone build houses on it.

You are, of course, perfectly free to lower your offer, but they might refuse.

Thanks Running Horse,

The agent did know - my DH called them and said we weren't happy and it transpires that they had been asked to sell the land although as it transpires another agent did in the end. They did try to say the agent who showed us over wouldn't have know as she's only part-time, but I would have thought all agents showing over a particular property would have been made aware of any potential issues such as this.

Running_Horse

Their job is to sell the house, not put you off. They work for the vendor.

But yes, in an ideal world they would have let you know.

I_love_cats_2

I concur that had we viewed the house after the houses were built we wouldn't have questioned their existence, but we feel like the wool was pulled over our eyes and that had we known in advance our offer would have been lower.......for example, I forgot to say that when we went back to do the measuring and first spotted the diggers we queried this with the vendor who said it was one house when in fact it is three houses. As she must have received some form of notice from the council regarding the planning permission we feel she was wrong to lie like this.

dorset_nurse

Of course the agent knew! Planning notices are of interest to the EAs as it affects their buisness positively and negatively.

When I picked up the keys to my house the agents were talking about a new development of houses due to be built 50 metres away from my house. Funny that they bring it up after the sale had completed- not once did they mention this when I was viewing!
Luckily I don't mind because I love this house and I paid 14% less than the asking price and the new houses are being built to the side so it doesn't affect my outlook.
However the racket is starting to get on my nerves- I can't wait for them to be finished!
I would offer a lower price as the information was witheld, and the vendor may be worried about achieving the price you have offered from another buyer now the work is in progress.
Speak to your solicitor about your options.