Nuisance neighbours can make life very difficult for their victims. Noise, vandalism, crime, and abuse are just some of the issues innocent people have to deal with daily. And when it comes to selling a house, these issues make life very difficult for homeowners.
If you’re trying to sell a house with nuisance neighbours, there are a few things you need to know, including how the value may be affected.
Disclose any issues with neighbours
It might be tempting to keep issues with your neighbours a secret. After all, you don’t want to do anything that might delay the sale of your house. But you have a legal responsibility to declare serious issues. And failure to do so could result in a claim being made against you in the future.
If issues directly affect the relationship between you and your neighbours, you should disclose them on the property information form. Such issues include:
- Disagreements about parking rights
- Disputes about the height of fences or hedges
- Disagreements about property boundaries
You don’t need to declare problems such as incessantly loud music, aggressive dogs or unsociable behaviour. But if there are any legal issues or anything that has involved the police, you must declare them on your property information form.
Consider a lower asking price.
There’s always a chance that your buyer might sue you in the future if you don’t disclose serious disputes with neighbours. As a result, it’s always best to be honest and upfront. If you’re in a hurry to sell your home, you might need to consider lowering your asking price a little.
Reach out to your neighbours
It’s always best to settle any disputes with nuisance neighbours before you list your house for sale with Rightmove or Zoopla. So reach out and ask to sit down for a chat. Air your grievances honestly and respectfully. And listen to your neighbour’s point of view. If you’re both prepared to compromise to find a solution, the chances of resolving the issue are good.
Perhaps your neighbours are tenants. If so, contact the landlord or the local authority to make a complaint. If the issues are severe, the landlord might have grounds for eviction proceedings.
Record any issues with nuisance neighbours
If your efforts at mediation fail, start recording issues and disturbances. Create a log, and include dates, times and descriptions of incidents. Wherever it’s appropriate, take videos, photos and sound recordings to back up your claims. If you have to involve the police or the courts, this evidence will be invaluable. The sooner you find a solution, the sooner you can sell your house for the best possible price.
Involve the police if the issues involve abuse, threats, intimidation or violence. Police will get involved if problems with your nuisance neighbours involve one of the following:
- Your neighbour is making you feel intimidated or scared
- Your neighbour has caused damage to your property
- Your neighbour has a dangerous and unruly pet
- Your neighbour is taking or selling drugs on the property
- Your neighbour is committing crimes on their property
- Your neighbour has damaged your vehicle
If the matter is legal, get advice from a property solicitor as soon as you can. Get an idea of the legal costs involved before you proceed, however. In some cases, it’s often best to sell your house at a discounted price and let the new owner deal with the issue.
Resolving issues with nuisance neighbours is often stressful and scary.
