Neighbour trying to sabotage house sale- please advise

Ulfar

The mystery shopper idea is the best as it will tell you who is doing it and what is said.

momo_gogo

We will be going away for a few days at the end of next week to sort out some things at the property we hopefully will be buying. The Friday morning seems to be the ideal time to get the property mystery shopped as it will be a weekday morning and our car will clearly have been missing since the previous day.

Ideally I would like to get somebody to do it who is in a similar demographic to the people who offered on the house- at least somebody who doesn't look and sound like they are probably one of my friends! Am going to speak to the estate agents and see if they can help me with it tomorrow. I used to work as a mystery shopper but always got my work through big agencies I was registered with. Might research how to I can hire a mystery shopper myself, unless anybody on here knows? Much better to get a person to carry recording equipment than trying to stake out the whole road I think.

sonastin

How about asking your (non-neighbour) friends if they know someone who isn't working at the moment or works shifts/not Fridays who would be able to do you a favour. As it would be friend-of-a-friend there's no chance of it being someone the curtain-twitcher has seen before and the questions will sound more genuine if they come from strangers.

Or if you're up for spending some money on hiring someone, how about asking your solicitor (assuming you have engaged one already and they're local) how much it would put on your bill if one of his admin staff ran a little errand for you...

Or someone in the estate agents office who hasn't been round doing the agency bit in selling your house...

Ulfar

If it was a third party that isn't a friend or family member this could prove useful if you were to take legal action.

momo_gogo

dizziblonde: I am not in the toton area but that kind of outside influence was something I hadn't considered. The buyers correctly identified to my estate agents one of 3 houses on the road that are tennanted when they went and withdrew their offer. That makes me think it was somebody who lives here or knows the road well rather than just a general comment. Also they were looking around and asking people in the street questions on Wednesday morning as this was corroborated by the builder working down the road.

However, the buyers were supposed to be viewing several other houses in the area on Wednesday before they put the offer in on ours. Your suggestion has led me to consider whether another local estate agent or private vendor might have badmouthed our road when they explained why they were cancelling their viewings.

I notice BobQ, loobylou232 and andy.m all suggest I might be shooting myself in the foot by talking to people about what has happened. I do take the point that I could be making it more difficult to catch the culprit, but on the other hand I don't regret having spoken to my neighbour or the builder because at least I have established that
A) there is one person in the neighbourhood who genuinely believes that their life has been ruined by issues with their neighbours
The couple definitely did come here and talk to people and that it isn't an estate agent fabrication.

However at this point I will let the matter drop and wait until after next Friday when I plan to get a mystery shopper. Hopefully that is sufficient time for the offending party to feel safe.

I love irishcol's note to drop through neighbour's doors: I had thought of doing something like that and I could be well be copying and pasting that! (especially like the last paragraph) However I will not now send a note until after attempting the mystery viewer route.

[Deleted User]

Sending a personal note will almost certainly just antagonise this neighbour. She doesn't sound the sort of person that will listen to a personal appeal or logic. If your 'mystery shopper' does identify the suspected 'neighbour' as being the culprit u really do need to send a solicitors letter. It will antagonise.., but also make it clear she can't do this without penalties.

evoke

Assuing you are able to gather sufficient proof, you could tell the occupants of the 'problem property' what one of their neghbours is saying about them or tell the mouthy neighbour that you'll be advising those occupants of her allegations.

That might shut her up.

rentergirl

m0bov wrote: »

Why not speak with the buyers and ask them for description and explain its nonsense, sounds like they are gutted. You could even arrange for them to speak to the so could rented house to reassure them?

Sounds like a 'front garden sweeper.' Bored elderly people at home all day who imagine they are helping, and pursue bizarre vendettas. I agree with talking with them. But be aware, in my experience, this can make them even angrier. I would point out that this (might...) be an offence ie slander. And be nice, saying you would hate to get someone into sooooo much trouble. Boredom and idle hands spread rumours. I think you have to point out that a slightly deranged person is doing this (to the agents) but then you have the can of worms about the legal requirement to inform purchasers about neighbour disputes.

loobylou232

Have you thought that it might be a ploy from the estate agent to sell the house more cheaply than you would like as a backhander to a friend? I used to know an estate agent and I know that he sold a house cheaply to his brother by strongly indicating to the sellers that was the best deal they were likely to get. He laso lied to prospective buyers that the house was already sold or under offer etc etc to prevent viewings and told the vendor there was no interest. This was a long time ago but a possibility worth investigating?

asharon

Sounds very similar to the estate agent that offers the reluctant offer. "The viewer made a low offer and I am so reluctant to pass it on, it's almost embarrassing, oh no what can I do." Then they test the waters by saying it and begin the process of trying to get the price down. I'm not talking about lowering the price if it needs it, but some EAs really do deserve their bad rep.