Unfortunately, neighbours don’t always get along. When selling your home, neighbour disputes are things you have to report in the paperwork. But reporting issues from the past won’t mean your sale is doomed to fail.

In this article, we’ll provide an overview of what you need to disclose to buyers about your neighbours and share our tips on how to sell with bad neighbours.

What Do I Need to Disclose About My Neighbours When Selling?

When selling your property, you need to disclose things like:

• Written complaint letters you’ve sent to your neighbours
• Complaints made to the local council or other authority

While it’s rare, sellers have been sued for not disclosing issues they’ve had with neighbours to new buyers.

Generally, it’s more important for buyers to know about issues you’ve had with neighbours that relate to things that can affect the new homeowners. For example, boundary disputes or disagreements over who owns/is responsible for a hedge.

Issues such as neighbours being noisy or nosy are more subjective and can be considered less serious – particularly since a buyer may not view these things as issues and may actually favour those traits in a neighbour.

However, any complaint issued in writing to, between or about your neighbours should be disclosed during a sale.

Remember, when selling your property with problem neighbours, always ensure you:

• Be as ethical as possible – think about what you’d like to know if you were purchasing your property
• Do what’s right by the law – don’t hide information that legally should be disclosed (especially if you’re providing the information in writing)
• Speak to your estate agent, solicitor or local Citizen’s Advice for personalised advice about what you do and don’t need to disclose

Tips for Selling a House With Bad Neighbours

1.   Be Honest

To avoid trouble, it’s always best to be honest about bad neighbours and issues you’ve had in the past. Speak to your estate agent about the challenges and take their advice on how to communicate the information to buyers.

2.   Stick to the Facts

When telling your estate agent about the issues, stick to the facts and keep your reports as objective as possible. It’s also best to report the more serious, written complaints rather than very small disputes that are subjective.

If you’re unsure about what to report, you can get advice from your estate agent or your local Citizen’s Advice.

3.   Find a Good Estate Agent

Even if you have bad neighbours, a good estate agent can still sell your home. There’s a buyer for every property and the right estate agent will be able to find them.

Enquire Today

If you’re selling your Cheshunt, Hertfordshire home with bad neighbours, Woodhouse are your local property experts. Our friendly team of agents are happy to provide a valuation of your home and offer advice on how to sell with problem neighbours.

Give us a call today on 01992 637777 or send us an email at [email protected].

Visit www.woodhouseproperty.co.uk