Selling house - neighbour disputes

fatboyonadiet

Basically, I'm selling my house soon, now some of the neighbours have had disputes with my neighbours, where as I have always got on fine with them over the past 3 years. It's been related to the noise, basically do I need to disclose this?

savvykaz

Legally, yes you do.

We were faced with a similar situation 5 years ago when new neighbours moved in next door. They were HORRENDOUS and 'forced' us to move. Now, we didn't disclose this to the buyers as we knew they would not buy the house. I felt dreadfully guilty and for two years after, worried that there could be repercussions, but now, after 5 years we have heard nothing. Phew!
I did read a story where there had been a neighbour dispute that wasn't disclosed and the new people sued the vendors for 50% of the property value -£67,000 and WON! The buyers have two years after the sale of the house to file a complaint, so just be very careful.

Bossyboots

I'm not sure you actually have to disclose neighbour disputes in which you have not been involved. What your neighbours do is surely no business of yours. I think you will need to check exactly what it is you are asked but I thought it was whether you had had any disputes with neighbours but if it was more generic than that then you may have to say.

robwend

you dont have to say nothing. its nothing to do with you, you have never complained ever therefor there is no dispute, you tell someone you have had a dispute and youl sit on your property for ever

robwend

savvykaz wrote:

Legally, yes you do.

We were faced with a similar situation 5 years ago when new neighbours moved in next door. They were HORRENDOUS and 'forced' us to move. Now, we didn't disclose this to the buyers as we knew they would not buy the house. I felt dreadfully guilty and for two years after, worried that there could be repercussions, but now, after 5 years we have heard nothing. Phew!
I did read a story where there had been a neighbour dispute that wasn't disclosed and the new people sued the vendors for 50% of the property value -£67,000 and WON! The buyers have two years after the sale of the house to file a complaint, so just be very careful.

they have to prove that there was a dispute, very hard to do, unless its on paper, if yorve had verbal disputes then nothing can come back at you, your word against theres. we moved from nutty neighbours and yes you feel crap, but just coz i didnt get long with them dont mean to say new buyers wont

Sujamjen

On a similar vein, is there a time limit regarding disputes? For example- say you had problems with a neighbour but there have been no problems for the last 5 years, would you still have to disclose? Also when buyers ask about neighbours, don't they usually mean immediate either side, so does a problem neighbour 4 houses away still have to be declared?

tomstickland

you dont have to say nothing

The double negative would mean that you do have to say something.
Anyway, if the seller hasn't been involved then I don't see why they should have to say anything.

robwend

allo tom what you doing in ere! get back to your room:D

moonrakerz

I would agree with Bossyboots. "I have had no problems with my neighbours", is the truth. If you are not asked about whether your neighbours get on with their neighbours (which you almost certainly wouldn't) - don't say anything.
Anything you might say would probably be classed as heresay anyway !

Doozergirl

The question asks if YOU have had any disputes with your neighbours. The answer to that, as you have told us is no.

In reality, people don't divulge this information. I bought a house where they had failed to divulge that they had even had to call the police on occassions because he was violent The other neighbours were quite happy to gossip with our tenants and tell them that our vendor had loved the house dearly and had only sold because of next door

Having spoken to our solicitor on the point, she said we were far better just selling it on ourselves than going through a costly process which we were likely to lose. Luckily, for the poor woman more than anyone, they split up and moved on quite quickly.