Neighbours rotary washing line hindering our house sale

Nifer

Wondering if people could advise me as to what they would do in my situation;


Our neighbour rents her property and has a rotary washing line in her front garden as she does not have a back garden. We have been trying to sell our house for nearly 6 months and think the state of her garden & the rotary washing line may be putting people off.


It was not there when we bought the house as it was a different tenant at the time and if it had been I think it would have put us off buying the property too. We have checked the deeds of our house and there is a covenant that states that clothes should not be hung out the front of our property. What can we do? She is not really the sort of person I want to get on the wrong side of.

k3lvc

Nifer wrote: »

. We have been trying to sell our house for nearly 6 months and think the state of her garden & the rotary washing line may be putting people off.

Assuming this is serious then ask her nicely to trim her bushes at the front and make sure there's some prettier clothing on the washing line.

Have you considered there may be other reasons why people don't want to buy ?

lookstraightahead

If you have a back garden maybe she could use yours (by way of negotiation)

AdrianC

Any buyer who would seriously discount a property because of next door having a washing line in the garden is a buyer you can well do without.


Who is the beneficiary of the covenant? Are they remotely interested in enforcing it?

need_an_answer

Is that the actual feedback from your agent?

I find I hard to believe that all through the winter over the last 6 months she has dried washing on a line …

In all seriousness if there genuinely is a covenant or restriction on the use of the front garden then this can be enforced but you would be better off dealing with he homeowner rather than the tenant.

Exodi

You've been trying to sell your house for 6 months, and without any indication, have deemed the delay due to the neighbours washing line?

The pictures on the listing presumably doesn't feature this line so have you actually had buyers say "well, we had our hearts set on this house and were just about to offer asking price until we noticed the rotary washing line in the neighbours garden" or are you just scapegoating this as the reason? Presumably you're getting viewings otherwise they wouldn't know about the line?

If you've had no offers in 6 months, perhaps the asking price is slightly too high?

letitbe90

It might sound snobby, but I would be put off too. Everyone always has a fear of having horrendous neighbours and that isn't exactly a good sign. I am sure it isn't just me who finds hanging your clothes in your front garden, weird at best.

lookstraightahead

I would be put off as well.

AdrianC

Those of you saying you would be put off...

You find a place without a neighbour who dries their clothes outside. Congratulations.
You move in.
The week later, they install a washing line in the front garden.

What would you then do?

lookstraightahead

The smallest of things - if there was dog muck on the pathway, a speeding car or a footy flag in a window, it would sub consciously have an affect on me

Leothecat

To be honest, I wouldn’t like this either and can’t understand people saying that this wouldnt put others off?
Not sure what you can do about it part from either speak nicely to the neighbour or enforce the covenant.