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Selling home with poor sound insulation advice
Flabbers
Posts: 5 Forumite
Hi
I am desperately in need of some advice about selling my home - 1850's mid terrace - and where we stand with regards to SPIF disclosures.
Our house suffers very poor sound insulation (I believe it is a single brick between the bedrooms) and in the years that we have lived there, we will hear the neighbours on both side carrying on with their lives (pots banging, stairs, talking etc). This has not been too much of a bother to us until recently when new neighbours have moved in. Although they appear to be relatively nice people, they often go to bed very late and talk on the stairs and in the bedrooms. The noise is very audible and will wake us up. They are also very sociable at weekends and have friends over etc - which we may hear.
To be honest, they are just living their lives and they don't do anything that may be considered too out of the ordinary. They don't tend to play loud music etc. However, the poor sound insulation may well be a problem to the new owners of our property.
We have so far not spoken to the neighbours about the noise and the fact that it wakes us up because we are worried about having to disclose it on the SPIF. However, we have previously vented to another neighbour about the poor sound insulation of the properties.
My question is, do we have to declare the poor sound insulation or the issues we have been having on the SPIF? If I politely speak to the neighbour, does this have to then be declared?
We have never made a formal complaint regarding this issue. Our home is currently for sale and we wish to move to gain more privacy and to upgrade our home.
Your advice on this is much appreciated.
I am desperately in need of some advice about selling my home - 1850's mid terrace - and where we stand with regards to SPIF disclosures.
Our house suffers very poor sound insulation (I believe it is a single brick between the bedrooms) and in the years that we have lived there, we will hear the neighbours on both side carrying on with their lives (pots banging, stairs, talking etc). This has not been too much of a bother to us until recently when new neighbours have moved in. Although they appear to be relatively nice people, they often go to bed very late and talk on the stairs and in the bedrooms. The noise is very audible and will wake us up. They are also very sociable at weekends and have friends over etc - which we may hear.
To be honest, they are just living their lives and they don't do anything that may be considered too out of the ordinary. They don't tend to play loud music etc. However, the poor sound insulation may well be a problem to the new owners of our property.
We have so far not spoken to the neighbours about the noise and the fact that it wakes us up because we are worried about having to disclose it on the SPIF. However, we have previously vented to another neighbour about the poor sound insulation of the properties.
My question is, do we have to declare the poor sound insulation or the issues we have been having on the SPIF? If I politely speak to the neighbour, does this have to then be declared?
We have never made a formal complaint regarding this issue. Our home is currently for sale and we wish to move to gain more privacy and to upgrade our home.
Your advice on this is much appreciated.
0
Comments
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You only have to declare a formal dispute with your neighbour, which has involved the authorities.
So, at the moment, you do not have to declare the noise issue (just don't call environmental health in to monitor the decibels
).
But it might be worth having a friendly word with them, as it is quite possible that they don't realise how much the sound travels.
DxI'm a retired employment solicitor. Hopefully some of my comments might be useful, but they are only my opinion and not intended as legal advice.0 -
We lived in a semi fro 15 years and had no idea the walls were so thin until one day (after 14 years) the elderly couple through the wall had their niece from Cornwall visit and we listened to them go through an old box of photos together. I guess they never spoke to each other, or had any visitors while we were at home before then. I blush to think what they must have heard of us in those years.
We put our house up for sale and didn't mention anything about noise or lack of from next door. We certainly wouldn't have dreamt of complaining as we would have had to declare that.I am the Cat who walks alone0 -
Thank you so much for your responses and reassurances. It is very helpful!
One last question. I have read the SPIF asks something down the lines of 'whether the seller is aware of anything that could lead to a dispute or complaint'.
I take it it is unlikely we will be sued for not disclosing our annoyances - when the new occupant discovers the poor sound insulation?0 -
Provided the noise from next door is no more than normal living noise, there is nothing to complain about - in other words there is nothing that might give rise to a dispute.
To be honest, your annoyance is not with your neighbours, is it? It is with the effects of the construction of a house that was built before modern sound insulation was even thought of. This is something that their surveyor *might* point out, or might not. But it is a characteristic of the construction.
I remember living in a fairly new 1970's semi. The walls were paper thin - I knew the names of both parents and all three children before I ever met them, just from their conversation traveling through the wall
I didn't stay there long as I am hypersensitive to noise, and it drove me mad. But I would not have dreamed of complaining about the neighbours or suing the people who sold me the house - I just made sure that I progressed to a detached house as soon as I could afford it!!!I'm a retired employment solicitor. Hopefully some of my comments might be useful, but they are only my opinion and not intended as legal advice.0 -
Thanks again and this is really helpful advice.
Hopefully detached living is our next move. Cant wait!0
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