Neighbours buzzing hot tub keeps putting off buyers

hettyGreek

Just as my house went up for sale my neighbour installed a hot tub.

It buzzes off and on 24 hours a day. It does make sitting in the garden annoying as there's always a humming like a fridge next to you.

I've spoken to him and he's said there's nothing he can do, two buyers have said this puts them off it. Any advice?

pinkshoes

Put a high fence up and play the radio during viewings? Wind Chimes?

Have your own annoying outdoor noise so they don't notice it!

davidmcn

hettyGreek wrote: »

I've spoken to him and he's said there's nothing he can do. Any advice?

Try switching it off?

markin

A big ready made water fall in a bucket you can buy, Or ask him to turn it off on viewings?


https://www.pinterest.com/pin/43206477652276944/

lisyloo

davidmcn wrote: »

Try switching it off?

How do you switch someone else’s hot tub off?
There isn’t a big on/off switch on them :-)
Mine has a control panel for temp, mode, blowers, jets, light etc.
You would not be able to switch it off and the cable is armoured.

Do you mean just for viewings?

You cannot just turn them off long term the water would go stagnant.
the heating will come on and off as required by a thermostat. The filter cycle will come on at various times to agitate the water so it is filtered (and doesn’t go stagnant).
They need to be on all the time like a fridge or freezer.

A pragmatic long term approach may be to get better insulation installed.
Mine has sheets of what looks like loft insulation inside.

The last time I heard about this problem, the neighbour who was bothered by the noise just got on and put extra insulation inside.

Be careful about deliberately misleading buyers by hiding an issue.
Switching it off during viewings does not get round the legal question of “are you aware of any issues with your neighbour or your neighbours property”
In theory someone buying the property if you lied could sue you for their losses and claim they would not have bought the property if they’d known.

Proving you knew about the issue is tricky, but you neighbour might easily admit you’d complained a few times and you EA knows it’s an issue so it might be better to try and fix rather than hide.

My suggestion is extra insulation which should be fairly quick and cheap.
Maybe consult the supplier, mine is really helpful. If

davidmcn

lisyloo wrote: »

How do you switch someone else’s hot tub off?

I meant suggest it to the neighbour who apparently thinks he "can't do anything" about the noise. Unless of course it continues to make a noise after being switched off, in which case I would be similarly baffled.

Switching it off during viewings does not get round the legal question of “are you aware of any issues with your neighbour or your neighbours property”

The relevant question isn't as vague as that. I don't see a legal difficulty in endeavouring to make viewing times as peaceful as possible.

2bFrank

I think they are using the buzzing as an excuse, can you see the hottub from your property. I would not like to live next to a beer gut steve and a flabby mary who get into tight swimwear and lay for hours in their own filth in the hottub if I could see them from my property.

Who knows after a couple of chardonnays, they might start getting naked, and you will be preying for that buzzing sound to get louder to drown out other noises.

lisyloo

davidmcn wrote: »

I meant suggest it to the neighbour who apparently thinks he "can't do anything" about the noise. Unless of course it continues to make a noise after being switched off, in which case I would be similarly baffled.

If I were the neighbour I would be concerned about causing a noise issue, but I’m not sure I’d be willing to collude in hoodwinking buyers and I might also be unwilling to leave keys to my home if I was not going to home for viewings (depending on the relationship). I would also not lie if called to court.

The relevant question isn't as vague as that. I don't see a legal difficulty in endeavouring to make viewing times as peaceful as possible.

If you are hiding a permanent on-going issue and then going to tell the truth on the legal forms then it’s a waste of time and money.

If the OP is going to lie on the legal forms about a permanent and on-going issue then that’s a big issue and could get them sued.

I am surprised at the number of posts suggesting this permanent and on-going issue is hidden.
There is a fact finding process that goes on and either the OP tells the truth at that stage and has wasted time and money or they lie and risk getting sued.

Isn’t is easier to just put some insulation in?

Davesnave

Switching it off for viewings will be possible if this person is a true neighbour, but if he is just 'someone who lives next door,' which is what it sounds like, then incentives might need to be provided. One of them might be a programmable time switch to ease the burden, or even make the task do-able.



I know exactly what incentive I'd use, but let us not go there at this stage....

lisyloo

I wouldn’t go for your incentives if I were your neighbour.
Do you mean you’d offer me money? It’s still a no.
As you said incentive I presume you aren’t going to threaten to beat me up?

davidmcn

lisyloo wrote: »

I am surprised at the number of posts suggesting this permanent and on-going issue is hidden.

Like I said, there isn't a question about "issues".