Potential Lying on Property Information Form

Gordon_Hose

The noise may have stopped completely, then when your vendors moved out the neighbours thought, "sod it those moany old neighbours have gone now" and let the dogs crack on as before as they've got new neighbours who might just put up with it.

cbrown372

br3nnan wrote: »

Hello, looking for a bit of advice.

Background - Bought house in August 2014, it was mentioned on Property Information Form that there was a noise dispute with the neighbours (dogs) that involved the council but since abated and "noise no longer an issue".

We have since spent a year attempting to put up with the noise and have just reported them ourselves. The noisy neighbours must have made an impact as the councils Environmental Officer remembered them! Since then other neighbours have let us know that this was the reason they left the property, obviously meaning their statement of "noise no longer an issue" isn't true.

What can we do about this? Is there any recourse we can take? Had we known that the noise was still an issue we wouldn't have purchased the property.

Many Thanks

What recourse do you expect/want? You bought the house more than a year ago so can hardly go back to the sellers and demand some compensation now.

Thrugelmir

br3nnan wrote: »

We have since spent a year attempting to put up with the noise and have just reported them ourselves.

Why now have you only formally reported the issue? Rather late to blame the previous owners.

JimmyTheWig

Thrugelmir wrote: »

Why now have you only formally reported the issue? Rather late to blame the previous owners.

Presumably they've tried to sort things out themselves, first, in a neighbourly way.

Plus, of course, that if they don't formally report it then they wouldn't have to declare the issue when they come to sell

macman

Why did you proceed with the purchase, knowing of the potential problem? You could have then made your own further enquiries.

JimmyTheWig

macman wrote: »

Why did you proceed with the purchase, knowing of the potential problem? You could have then made your own further enquiries.

It sounds like they proceeded on the basis of believing that "noise no longer an issue" meant that the problem had been resolved.

moneyistooshorttomention

JimmyTheWig wrote: »

It sounds like they proceeded on the basis of believing that "noise no longer an issue" meant that the problem had been resolved.

I would have interpreted it as meaning "Oh those neighbours cant have the dog any longer or have moved" - hence problem solved. Its clear that is exactly how the vendor wanted prospective buyers to interpret it - so that they could turn round and go "Oh well if that's how you chose to interpret that sentence...your fault". All the time, of course, they would know very well the vast majority of would-be buyers would interpret it that way...

Looking at the words used in hindsight here "noise no longer an issue" does seem to be a case of weasel words having been used - as a lot of different interpretations could be put on that (eg even down to the last house owners having gone deaf - so the barking was still happening but they no longer heard it personally).

Thrugelmir

JimmyTheWig wrote: »

Presumably they've tried to sort things out themselves, first, in a neighbourly way.

Over 12 months is a long time.

LittleMax

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

I would have interpreted it as meaning "Oh those neighbours cant have the dog any longer or have moved" - hence problem solved. Its clear that is exactly how the vendor wanted prospective buyers to interpret it - so that they could turn round and go "Oh well if that's how you chose to interpret that sentence...your fault". All the time, of course, they would know very well the vast majority of would-be buyers would interpret it that way...

I would have gone and spoken to neighbours. Knocking on the door of the one with the dog first, I certainly wouldn't just assume they don't have a dog or have moved. If any dispute or problem is mentioned go and do some digging - of course the vendor is going to be ambiguous, they are never going to tell you the full extent of the problem that is driving them and any reasonable person out!

Poppie68

Maybe the problem with the barking was resolved but the vendor felt after most probably many discussions etc with the dog owner that they weren't able to comfortably remain living there? The dog owners are obviously the problem so maybe they thought they could go back to their old ways once the neighbours had left.