Would this bother you?

iheartbristol

I'm curious more than anything.....

We are due to exchange today, the date has been on the cards for 2 weeks and our vendors solicitor only, finally, sent all the paperwork for us to read through yesterday, so we've had it overnight. The info from the vendor is patchy at best and there's a lot of holes to fill in this morning. I personally would like to see our vendor's solicitor eat all his legal books considering what he's put us through this week.

However they've only just disclosed yesterday that the house opposite is being converted into 2 flats. OH nearly changed his mind last night as he was worried that 'anyone' could move in there.... (it's an estate of 30s and 50s houses, all semi detached and very few come up for sale - part of the reason we chose the estate). He's gotten over it now but he's angry that they didn't disclose it, especially if it's the reason they've decided to move. I'm going round to the council today to try and see the plans - the council website where the plans are available is down. We would have liked more time to find out about it.

Would this bother you?

Emmzi

the omnission would bother me. I would assume they have forgotten to tell you many other things inc. problem neighbours.

Stall exchange if you haven't visited at night.

gnasher18us

Me personally? Not really! Moving house is a stressful time, and I remember moving to where I live now - I wasn't told EVERYTHING about the street (is that even possible?).

Most people need to rent flats, or houses, as they cannot afford to buy their own home (including professionals).

Slightly different, but anyone can start renting part (or all) of their home (it's likely your new neighbour will not own their property, but will be a renter), but you have no say over who lives there either.

ognum

It wouldnt bother me This could have happened just after you move in and there is nothing you could do other than object to the planning permission

iheartbristol

Ognum that was what I said to OH. Also that the other house next to it could all be flats too already and we wouldn't know. We've come to the conclusion that there is unlikely to be students in there as there is NOTHING in the local area for them to do. Might be aerospace/MOD workers renting them eventually which would be fine..... lots of extra cars parked around though if that's the case but you can't win every time. I'm disabled so if the parking situation gets dire I might request a disabled slot right outside our front door.

Emmzi i think that's what bothers us the most; the ommission. They haven't told us much to be honest, the only things we've found out about the house and area were things we specifically queried and it too a few back and forth's to get all the info, and even then we weren't satisfied. They've definitely been tryin to hide the problems with the drains I'm certain of that. Fortunately we've pretty much figured out what's going on with them between the homebuyers report, a bit of common sense and advice from a surveyor friend and we decided to go ahead in the end.

We visited last night, the road was so quiet compared to most in the local area. All looks good. The building work hasn't started yet. I suspect most will be interior apart from the bit where they convert the double garage into a dwelling (again, going to try and get the plans). Hopefully shouldn't be too noisy or go on for too long.

Davesnave

As it's Bristol, you may be thinking about student renting in particular.

We had this happen in our cul de sac in Bath, where one, then two, and finally three houses went to student occupation, all controlled by the same landlord. However, perhaps because the properties were well maintained, probably quite expensive to rent, and with adequate parking, our experience wasn't bad at all. Indeed, like the other residents, the students would always put a note through the door to warn about any parties etc.

In other areas of the city, where houses are close together and parking is poor, things haven't gone so well. I lived in the Oldfield Park area myself as a student years ago, but I wouldn't live there now!

It is really difficult to judge what might be the thin end of a wedge in matters like this, but it could happen almost anywhere, so it's probably not a serious concern. Streets change their character over time for all sorts of reasons, both for the better and for worse.

If it were me and I had any doubts at all, I'd stall the exchange and do as others have suggested and visit the area at all times of the day & night to get a really good 'feel' for it. I'd also look through recentish planning applications in the area to see if there's any discernable trend towards HMOs.

Finally, I'd also give that paperwork a really good going-over, because if it's anything like our last lot, it will need it!

EDIT: Just seen your latest comments, added while I was typing this!

gnasher18us

...I'm not sure it would make any difference if students were to live there.

The vast majority of students are hard working and very good neighbours! Looking at your previous employment as a solicitor, you must of been a student once!

I'm sure you was a good, quiet, neighbour in your student days!

ticket2ride

iheartbristol wrote: »

We are due to exchange today, the date has been on the cards for 2 weeks ....


The info from the vendor is patchy at best and there's a lot of holes to fill in this morning.

You need to get your solicitor to fill in these holes. Just because you have had this exchange date on the cards doesnt mean you should put yourself at a disadvantage as a result of the delay in receiving information.

You should get your solicitor to send over any further enquiries you. Better to have a bit of stress now than regret it later.

Emmzi

if you don't exchange untilMonday when they have answered all of the questions, so be it. No oneis going to lose a limb for a few more days. With these bods I would want a copy of the gas boiler safety certificate, home insirance policy, etc.... once a chancer...

iheartbristol

Thanks everyone

I should add that I was a financial adviser, not a solicitor. But yes I did go to Uni and I'd like to think I was a model neighbour!

Unfortuntately if we stalled exchange a few days we'd have to then stall completion for another month (it's due to happen next week) we have to hand notice in on our flat by Monday and if we don't we'd have to wait until the 5th of next month instead (we don't want to take the risk of handing notice in before exchange but we don't want to pay 2 months rent overlap instead of one). The chain has been aware of this for some time now which is why we're so annoyed it's taken until the 11th hour for all this info to come through. If we're not satisfied with everything today then of course we will do this, but we are LOATHED to do it.

I know that theoretically exchange could happen at say 3pm Monday giving us time to get the notice in by 5pm when the agent closes but there's every chance it wouldn't happen until 6pm and then we're *******

JSR

He's gotten over it now but he's angry that they didn't disclose it, especially if it's the reason they've decided to move.

But revealing things like this is why your solicitor does a local authority search. Your vendors might not even know themselves if they're not paying attention to all the junk put through their letter box.