Neighbours

man_oo

Hi there.

I'm in the process of selling my house (all the searches are going through and we're due to exchange in a few weeks).

The thing is, we don't get on at all with our neighbours. No official complaints have ever been made, but we just don't get on - to the point where we now blank each other if we see them. Basically, they're a bunch of chavs who, amongst other things, drive up our shared driveway far too fast (with no regard for either their own children and pets or ours), they regularly have garden parties/BBQs and stay up til 1am squealing, laughing, and playing music, etc, and their yippety-yappy little dog barks constantly. Not only that, they're just generally not very nice people. We keep ourselves to ourselves and have never complained (to them or the council) about the noise they make or their utter disregard and inability to be courteous neighbours.

Were we legally obliged to say all this to the people buying our house? I know you have to declare if there have ever been any disputes, but does the same apply if, technically, no disputes have ever been logged with the council/police/whoever....???

Thanks in advance

BitterAndTwisted

No, you don't have to declare that your neighbours are chavs and that you blank them. Nothing formal equals no disputes.

Richard_Webster

Sometimes buyer's solicitors ask questions like "Have the occupiers of any nearby properties ever done anything that would be a cause of annoyance or irritation to a reasonable person?"

That kind of question might be difficult to answer - parties to 1am would be such a cause, i think.

If the questions have not been that specific then you do not need to worry too much.

Sensible_Jess

Richard_Webster wrote: »

Sometimes buyer's solicitors ask questions like "Have the occupiers of any nearby properties ever done anything that would be a cause of annoyance or irritation to a reasonable person?"

That kind of question might be difficult to answer - parties to 1am would be such a cause, i think.

If the questions have not been that specific then you do not need to worry too much.

That's a good question to include Richard.. I must make a note!:)

suebfg

It doesn't have to be a formal dispute for it to have to be disclosed. I think the questionnaire asks if there have been discussions with neighbours as regards the property.

tbs624

The usual SPIF (seller's property information form) questions are:

2 Disputes
2.1 Do you know of any disputes about this or any neighbouring property? (delete as applicable) no/ yes (please give details)
__________________________________________________________________________________
2.2 Have you received any complaints about anything you have, or have not, done as owners? (delete as applicable) no/ yes (please give details)
__________________________________________________________________________________
2.3 Have you made any such complaints to any neighbour about what the neighbour has or has not done?
(delete as applicable) no/ yes (please give details)
__________________________________________________________________________________
3 Notices
3.1 Have you either sent or received any letters or notices which affect your property or the neighbouring property in any way (for example, from or to neighbours, the council or a government department)?
no / yes / copy enclosed / to follow / lost
3.2 Have you had any negotiations or discussions with any neighbour or any local or other authority which affect the property in any way?
(delete as applicable) no/ yes (please give details)

As B&T says no need to make a general declaration of "chav" neighbour if there has been no actual dispute.. Your buyer may in fact become best buddies with them.

tbs624

"Have the occupiers of any nearby properties ever done anything that would be a cause of annoyance or irritation to a reasonable person?"

Sensible_Jess wrote: »

That's a good question to include Richard.. I must make a note!:)

My answer to that one in the OP's case would probably simply be " I consider myself to be a reasonable person and there is nothing that has specifically caused me annoyance or irritation", provided of course that the OP hasn't shared the occasional moan with other neighbours.

if we were all totally honest on that one I think many of us could produce a *list* of neighbourly annoyances and irritations. Tuneless & repetitive whistling whilst gardening for a start......

KateLiana27

Personally I don't think you have any legal or even moral obligation to disclose that you don't particularly care for your neighbours. It sounds more like a lifestyle/personality clash than true antisocial behaviour, and they may well get on fine with similarly buyers! As you haven't actually complained and have just quietly put up with it, your reward now is that you have nothing to disclose.

moneybunny123

Surely disputes "about a property" mean boundary disputes, etc? Not because neighbour (a) finds neighbour (b) a bit of a chav because they stay up late having loud parties, but is too polite to say anything?!

tbs624

moneybunny123 wrote: »

Surely disputes "about a property" mean boundary disputes, etc?

See example questions from a standard SPIF, as I posted above. Following those, it doesn't sound as though the OP's situation would require him/her to declare anything with regard to these neighbours.