Selling flat with noisy neighbours

Stripey_Tiger

Edited to add: Thanks everyone for all the advice - in the end the gods were smiling on us, and the noisy neighbours moved out right before we put the place on the market.

I am about to put my flat on the market, and unfortunately after years of having pretty good neighbours, my current neighbours like to play very loud music. It started out once a week or so, now it's most days. I should have dealt with it much earlier on, but I've been putting it off, and obviously now it's fairly urgent.

My main plan is obviously just to speak to them and ask nicely. I'm autistic and find such conversations difficult, so if anyone has suggestions about how to approach it, they'd be very welcome. There's no history of conflict with these neighbours, we're cordial but we also don't really speak aside from accepting packages for each other now and then.

My question is really about what happens next if that fails. My understanding is that if I can resolve this myself it doesn't need to go on my TA6 form, but if I have to involve the council then it does. What I want to know is:

If I had to, say, speak to the neighbours' landlord or letting agency about it, is that something I also need to declare on the TA6? What if I had to involve a mediator?

Perhaps more importantly, is it likely to be better to involve the authorities in order to get this sorted even though that means I have to declare it, or to let it go and hope for the best? I suppose that depends on the outcome of either option, which no one can foresee, but if anyone has experience to share with this I would appreciate it.

Again, hopefully this will all be resolved by speaking to them nicely but it would be helpful to have a better understanding of my options if it isn't.

NameUnavailable

You don't really notice the music do you? I mean you might hear it sometimes but it's never really bothered you at all and you certainly wouldn't raise it as an issue with the neighbours!

Stripey_Tiger

I should probably have added: the neighbours are at home pretty much 24/7 and the music can come at any time of day (though never overnight, thankfully) so it's very likely that they will play it during viewings if I don't take any action at all.

njkmr

If you make it official that you have an issue then you will have to report this when selling your flat. I think a question about disputes will be within the documents you have to fill in during the selling process.
It may be best to do nothing now and put up with it and hopefully sell it to a bunch of heavy rockers..

user1977

The TA6 questions aren't just about "official" complaints - they are:

Have there been any disputes or complaints regarding this property or a property nearby?

and

Is the seller aware of anything which might lead to a dispute about the property or a property nearby?

So you don't even need to have made any complaint, just have a nightmare neighbour who you're e.g. too scared to do anything about.

But as above, different people's tolerances may vary, so arguably something might just be normal background noise of being in a flat...

Stripey_Tiger

user1977 said:

The TA6 questions aren't just about "official" complaints - they are:

Have there been any disputes or complaints regarding this property or a property nearby?

and

Is the seller aware of anything which might lead to a dispute about the property or a property nearby?

So you don't even need to have made any complaint, just have a nightmare neighbour who you're e.g. too scared to do anything about.

But as above, different people's tolerances may vary, so arguably something might just be normal background noise of being in a flat...

Thanks, this is really helpful. I didn't know about the second question. Is it a good or bad idea to consult my solicitor over whether this reaches the level of something that should be mentioned?

user1977

Stripey_Tiger said:

user1977 said:

The TA6 questions aren't just about "official" complaints - they are:

Have there been any disputes or complaints regarding this property or a property nearby?

and

Is the seller aware of anything which might lead to a dispute about the property or a property nearby?

So you don't even need to have made any complaint, just have a nightmare neighbour who you're e.g. too scared to do anything about.

But as above, different people's tolerances may vary, so arguably something might just be normal background noise of being in a flat...

Thanks, this is really helpful. I didn't know about the second question. Is it a good or bad idea to consult my solicitor over whether this reaches the level of something that should be mentioned?

I don't see how it could be a bad idea?

EssexHebridean

user1977 said:

Stripey_Tiger said:

user1977 said:

The TA6 questions aren't just about "official" complaints - they are:

Have there been any disputes or complaints regarding this property or a property nearby?

and

Is the seller aware of anything which might lead to a dispute about the property or a property nearby?

So you don't even need to have made any complaint, just have a nightmare neighbour who you're e.g. too scared to do anything about.

But as above, different people's tolerances may vary, so arguably something might just be normal background noise of being in a flat...

Thanks, this is really helpful. I didn't know about the second question. Is it a good or bad idea to consult my solicitor over whether this reaches the level of something that should be mentioned?

I don't see how it could be a bad idea?

There is always the issue of being careful not to tell a solicitor anything that they may then be placed in a position of having to pass on if asked directly. 

NameUnavailable

Stripey_Tiger said:

user1977 said:

The TA6 questions aren't just about "official" complaints - they are:

Have there been any disputes or complaints regarding this property or a property nearby?

and

Is the seller aware of anything which might lead to a dispute about the property or a property nearby?

So you don't even need to have made any complaint, just have a nightmare neighbour who you're e.g. too scared to do anything about.

But as above, different people's tolerances may vary, so arguably something might just be normal background noise of being in a flat...

Thanks, this is really helpful. I didn't know about the second question. Is it a good or bad idea to consult my solicitor over whether this reaches the level of something that should be mentioned?

As your solicitor won't know how intrusive or not the noise is I expect their advice will be that you should declare it (they won't want you to hold them liable later if there is any comeback!).

Don't mention it and just see how the viewings go. If it IS a problem it's then a great piece of ammunition with which to approach them or if it comes to it, the freeholders, to make a formal complaint, as it isn't just you, but others finding it an issue too.

It could be that someone else doesn't find it at all a problem, after all.

RelievedSheff

As you are selling the property I personally wouldn't get anyone involved or mention it to the neighbours. Just leave things as they are.

user1977

EssexHebridean said:

user1977 said:

Stripey_Tiger said:

user1977 said:

The TA6 questions aren't just about "official" complaints - they are:

Have there been any disputes or complaints regarding this property or a property nearby?

and

Is the seller aware of anything which might lead to a dispute about the property or a property nearby?

So you don't even need to have made any complaint, just have a nightmare neighbour who you're e.g. too scared to do anything about.

But as above, different people's tolerances may vary, so arguably something might just be normal background noise of being in a flat...

Thanks, this is really helpful. I didn't know about the second question. Is it a good or bad idea to consult my solicitor over whether this reaches the level of something that should be mentioned?

I don't see how it could be a bad idea?

There is always the issue of being careful not to tell a solicitor anything that they may then be placed in a position of having to pass on if asked directly. 

While solicitors aren't allowed to actively lie, this isn't a situation where they're going to be asked the question directly - they will just point towards whatever their client has declared. Nobody's likely to expect them to make some additional comment on whatever their client might have discussed with them about the neighbours.