Selling a House with Noisy-ish Neighbours

Ed_Zep

Hi there.

I was just looking for some advice about selling a house where the neighbours aren't all that bad (just a bit thoughtless). Their kids run around and I can hear the doors being closed. The soundproofing is very poor. I get woken up a lot.

My guess is that a family moving in would make similar noise but I guess I just want some pointers so that I don't mislead anyone or not disclose something about the situation that should have been.


If a prospective buyer asks about the neighbours what do I say?

If I'd been next door to ask them to make less noise would that be something I'd have to declare?


Thanks,
Ed.

I_have_spoken

Tricky one. You need to keep it factual and casual, something like "Well, I've never rung the police about their behaviour!"

thedalmeny

I wouldn't mention it personally...

Fraise

If you tell them that a family with young children live next door, they'll realise there will be some amount of noise anyway. I don't see why that would put most people off?

In some ways it's a pointless kind of question asking what the neighbours are like, as they could easily move and no-one knows what their new neighbours will be like.

If people are noise sensitive they will probably be looking at remote or detached properties, leafy quiet type of streets, or in areas/streets that appeal to older people who generally are less noisy. Though they may have TVs blaring if they're hard of hearing.

grifferz

Ed_Zep wrote: »

If a prospective buyer asks about the neighbours what do I say?

The seller information form normally asks a couple of questions like:

• Have you ever had a dispute with any of your neighbours?
• Are you aware of any issue that may lead to a dispute with any of your neighbours?

So that's the sort of thing you will need to think about truthfully answering.

Personally if I had had cause to ask them to keep the noise down a few times, and they did, and it hadn't turned into a feud, then I wouldn't consider that a dispute. If I'd had to report it to the council etc. then that's a different matter.

The second one is obviously a lot more tricky to judge!

It is also a moral minefield.

olgadapolga

When we sold our house we had incredibly noisy neighbours. Lovely people they were (not) - stinking barbeques, screaming kids, badly-played electric guitar, dreadful singing when drunk (every night), a variety of petrol garden tools that he liked to start at 7am on a Sunday, constant rows you name it, they did it.

They were the main reason we wanted to sell. We didn't say a lot about the neighbours when people viewed but most of the viewers pretty much sussed the situation out anyway and made a comment about them. And shot off into the distance faster than a rabbit with a fox after it. We despaired of ever finding a purchaser.

We had three offers in the end (despite the awful neighbours). The buyers who went through to completion asked what they were like - we just responded that the neighbours didn't bother us (which was half-true as we were used to it). They said that they didn't care what the neighbours were like anyway (so why ask the question?). No questions about the neighbours were asked apart from the disputes one from the solicitors (and there hadn't been any formal disputes so we are able to honestly say "no" to that one).

I was very pleased that the buyers had our house in the end because they made the sale process hell on earth, they were really awkward and unpleasant - they were very controlling and thought that as they were purchasing our house then they had the right to call the shots (which if course they didn't as they wanted to buy our house more than we wanted to sell it at that point). It cost them dearly though (as we pushed the price up and refused all requests for "allowances" and other demands for insurance policies). Our buyers and neighbours were made for each other and I have no doubt that they are all living in perfect harmony . . . :rotfl: Couldn't happen to a nicer couple. Wonder how long it will be before they sell it again?

Better_Days

We were in a similar situation years ago, although the noise wasn't as bad as you experience.

When buyers asked about noise from next door I just said something to the effect that it is a semi detached house and you are bound to hear the neighbours.

Funnily enough our buyers were a PITA too, down from London to 'rough it' in the countryside. At one point they even wanted us to find us grazing for their horse. I lost my patience then and told the EA that I wasn't standing for it any more and if they didn't want the house as it was then I would sell it to someone who did. All went through smoothly after that.

GL with your move OP.

moneyistooshorttomention

Fraise wrote: »

If you tell them that a family with young children live next door, they'll realise there will be some amount of noise anyway. I don't see why that would put most people off?

In some ways it's a pointless kind of question asking what the neighbours are like, as they could easily move and no-one knows what their new neighbours will be like.

If people are noise sensitive they will probably be looking at remote or detached properties, leafy quiet type of streets, or in areas/streets that appeal to older people who generally are less noisy. Though they may have TVs blaring if they're hard of hearing.

Not necessarily. It depends on whether a noise-sensitive person can afford to move to such a house.

I've had to put up with neighbours noise for many years until I will finally get the chance shortly to move to detached/leafy road etc at last:D

Davesnave

Fraise wrote: »

....older people who generally are less noisy. Though they may have TVs blaring if they're hard of hearing.

Tell me about it!

A sale on a property I inherited fell through because of the deaf lady next door, whose son "couldn't do anything about it."

As I wasn't living there, I didn't think I should get too heavy over it, but once the sale was lost, I did!

The son who was "powerless to act" had a loop hearing system installed within the week. Blissful silence. The old lady was delighted; she hadn't heard TV properly for years.

I didn't retrieve the buyer.