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You’ve planned out your finances for the next 25 years, lost weekend after weekend to viewings and finally found your dream home.

And then, on your first night after getting the keys, you hear it: the muffled boom of drum and bass through paper-thin walls. At 11.23pm. On a Tuesday.

Turns out, you’ve spent an obscene amount of money buying a house next to a public nuisance.

It’s probably little comfort, but you’re not alone. In a survey of 1,000 homeowners by Good Move, 64% said they’d had “problems” with neighbours and one in 10 said it had got so bad they’d complained to the council.

Buyers beware

Sellers are legally obliged to disclose details of previous or ongoing disputes with neighbours in a Property Information Form (TA6) – failure to do so could lead to legal action.

The questions are limited, though, and how are you going to prove your seller knew about the drum and bass?

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“In reality, you have very few rights,” one estate agent insider told Money.

“You will never know if an agent has neglected to tell you about nuisance neighbours or if the seller did not tell the agent. A seller is hardly likely to volunteer the info if there have been any disputes.”

So maybe it’s the case that of all the roles you’ve had to master in the buying process – arranging surveys, scouring legal documents, packing everything you own – there’s one role you should have dedicated a bit more time to: detective.

We’ve spoken to top buying agents to get their advice on how to sniff out problem neighbours – and rounded up some of the lesser known tools that could save you a literal and figurative headache…

External clues

Henry Sherwood from The Buying Agents says most disputes arise from either noise or money issues.

“If the neighbouring property or building looks neglected, it probably means the neighbour does not have the funds to maintain it, or does not want to,” he said.

“If [it’s] an apartment, check out the communal parts on the floors above and below. Look for prams and excessive bikes that may indicate screaming babies or student flat shares.”

Flats with a porter/concierge are better protected, Sherwood says, as they are controlled by a management company and have someone onsite. Most flat leases also have sections relating to the type of renting allowed.

List of noise complaints

Some local councils keep a public register of noise complaints by postcode.

Here’s an example of Leeds City Council’s noise complaints register.

Next Door app (and local groups)

This is an app where local residents post about events, lost cats, bin collection dates and, inevitably, noise issues.

A simple search of “noise” in one area of north London found all of these complaints within the last month – and in each case the exact street was named:

• A second loud party on a weeknight on a small, residential street;
• A resident renovating his house in a loud and disruptive fashion. Alongside a photo of a huge pile of discarded bricks, the complainant says: “It has now been over six weeks of disruption through the summer holidays with no clear end date and neighbours being ignored”;
• Another resident living in an end terrace wrote that his walls were paper thin and he could hear his neighbour slamming doors and running up and down stairs;
• A photo of building work, with a resident complaining it was going on until midnight on a Sunday.

Away from the app, search out local groups on social media and see if you can join. Chances are, any serious issues will have been raised on there.

Speak to the neighbours

Not everyone is confident enough to knock on doors – but our survey on social media suggests most people think it’s perfectly acceptable.

91% of around 5,000 respondents said they’d make up an excuse to talk to a neighbour to suss out what they’re like.

“Just say you are thinking of buying the property next door and wondered what the parking was like at 4pm etc,” said Sherwood.

He says Sundays are a good day to bump into neighbours.

The internet is full of woeful tales of people who didn’t do their research.

In a thread on this topic on Mumsnet, Mommabear20 wrote: “Definitely knock on doors! We didn’t and regret it so much! Have a neighbour (over the road, terraced street, that has threatened to blow their house up at least six times in the last three years causing an evacuation of the entire area every time!”

If you do knock, be polite.

Sam Edington, director at Edingtons buying agent, said: “We recommend doing so casually and respectfully, simply introducing yourself, asking friendly, open questions about the area, and observing day-to-day life.”

Can you spot the clues? Pic: iStock
Image:
Can you spot the clues? Pic: iStock

Airbnb

Henry Sherwood advises to look out for combination locks at the entrance to apartments – this is a giveaway that someone inside has listed on Airbnb.

Having a rolling cast of overnight guests might not bring problems, but you should consider if it’s a risk you want to take.

You could also search on Airbnb for the area you’re looking to buy – you may get lucky and find one of your immediate neighbours, in which case you can have a virtual snoop around their house for clues about their lifestyle.

Crime stats

While it won’t provide information on your specific neighbours, sites such as Police.uk allow you to check and map crime stats in a local area.

Find out if your neighbour is a landlord

Many councils keep a public register of licenced landlords or houses of multiple occupancy.

For example, Enfield Council allows you to type in your postcode – any landlords on your street will appear. Buckinghamshire Council lets you download an excel spreadsheet of HMOs.

Sam Edington deals in a higher end of the market and recalls only one nightmare neighbour scenario in his 23 years in the industry – it involved a tenant.

“We acted for a charming client buying a beautiful flat just off Hampstead Heath, and shortly after they moved in, a belligerent tenant with substance abuse issues arrived in the building, causing several months of distress.

“Fortunately, with our guidance, complaints to the managing agents and the council helped resolve the situation and restore calm.”

Ask questions of the seller

Henry Sherwood says it is essential to ask if a seller knows their neighbours and whether they’re owner-occupiers or renters.

If you meet the owner, ask them questions – chances are they’re not going to reveal negative details, but the more questions you ask, the harder a lie is to maintain.

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Ask them questions like: are you friends with your neighbours, have you ever had any issues with noise, are there any resident WhatsApp groups.

“If you don’t meet the owner, don’t be afraid to prepare a list of questions for the seller about the neighbours and be specific,” said Sherwood.

Get your solicitor to ask questions

An experienced property solicitor is vital to ask the right questions as the purchase progresses.

Sherwood said: “During the enquiries phase of the conveyancing you can ask your solicitor to ask if there have been any disputes or altercations. The seller is less likely to lie if it goes through legal channels and there is a record of it.”

How many times has the house sold recently?

“Stability is a good sign,” says Sam Edington, so it’s worth asking, or trying to find out, how long neighbours have been around.

Sites such as Zoopla and Rightmove have some historical sale and listing data that could help establish if the property you’re buying has struggled to sell or been sold multiple times in recent years.

The latter could be a red flag that’s worth further investigation.

Planning permission

The planning section of local council websites will inform you of any proposals or active plans in the area where you’re buying.

This will cover things like extensions that could alter your view or result in a period of building work.

Google Earth/Street View

You can use this tool to find out how the area has changed over the years…

This is unlikely to provide you with that crucial bit of information, but you’re trying to build a picture.

Golden rules

Henry Sherwood has a golden rule he shares with clients: “Never buy without viewing a minimum of twice, once during the week and once at the weekend.

“If possible, also take a look from the outside late night after agents have shut at 9pm or 10pm. Check out the times that are important to you.

You may just get unlucky

Ultimately, there’s no way to guarantee a peaceful and quiet co-existence.

Sherwood said: “There are no guarantees who your neighbours will be long term as the current owners could sell, rent it, turn into an HMO or Airbnb.”

Back on the Mumsnet thread we mentioned earlier, a poster called Thirtytimesround illustrated the point: “We popped back a few times at different times of day to just sit in car near house and listen to see if anyone noisy. It helped. But honestly so much luck is involved.

“Like, we bought in a quiet road in a smart area and my neighbours are a lovely, kind, generous couple in their forties. And their bedroom is the other side of the wall from ours and they have very noisy sex 😐 Plus shortly after we moved in they bought a dog that barks all the frickin’ time and then their son took up the drums. Nothing we could have done to discover that before we moved in – it’s just luck.

“We are probably gonna move because of them!!”

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Santander warns car finance redress scheme a threat to UK jobs, growth and economy

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Santander warns car finance redress scheme a threat to UK jobs, growth and economy

High street bank Santander has launched a scathing criticism of the car finance compensation scheme and delayed the release of its financial results “in light of uncertainties” it has caused.

The Spanish-owned lender called for government intervention – warning it sees the scheme as posing a wider threat to the economy, jobs and consumers.

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The scheme was set up by financial regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), to compensate people mis-sold car loans.

Under FCA proposals, up to 14.2 million people could each receive an average of £700, as lenders broke the law by failing to disclose they paid commission to brokers. It meant customers lost out on better deals and sometimes paid more.

The proposal differs, Santander said, “in important respects” from the Supreme Court ruling that paved the way for the redress plan.

Mr Regnier said: “We believe that the level of concern in the industry and market is such that material changes to the proposed FCA redress scheme should be an active consideration for the UK government.

“Without such change, the unintended consequences for the car finance market, the supply of credit and the resulting negative impact on the automotive industry and its supply chain could significantly impact jobs, growth and the broader UK economy.

“This could also cause significant detriment to the consumer.

“What is at stake is the supply of credit that customers need and that supports a very important sector for the economy.”

Deferred results

Santander was due to publish its latest financial figures on Wednesday morning, but has held back until it says it gets “greater clarity” on the scheme and its impact on the bank and the wider market.

No new date to report results was given. Release of the same third-quarter results last year was also deferred due to uncertainty over the impact of car loan mis-selling.

The hit to Santander, however, is not expected to impact its operations or financial position, even in a worst-case scenario for the bank where it has to allocate more funds for compensation, it said.

It had already set aside £295m to deal with the mis-selling.

The FCA said, “We believe a compensation scheme is the best way to settle, for both lenders and consumers, liabilities that exist no matter what.

“Alternatives would cost more and take longer. It’s vital we draw a line under the issue so a trusted motor finance market can continue to serve millions of families every year.”

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Santander said it was committed to “ensuring fair outcomes” for its customers and will continue engaging constructively with the FCA, HM Treasury and other stakeholders.

Santander UK shares were up 0.5% following the news.

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Budget 2025: Reeves vows to ‘defy’ gloomy forecasts – but faces income tax warning

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Budget 2025: Reeves vows to 'defy' gloomy forecasts - but faces income tax warning

Rachel Reeves has said she is determined to “defy” forecasts that suggest she will face a multibillion-pound black hole in next month’s budget.

Writing in The Guardian, the chancellor argued the “foundations of Britain’s economy remain strong” – and rejected claims the country is in a permanent state of decline.

Reports have suggested the Office for Budget Responsibility is expected to downgrade its productivity growth forecast by about 0.3 percentage points.

Rachel Reeves. PA file pic
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Rachel Reeves. PA file pic

That means the Treasury will take in less tax than expected over the coming years – and this could leave a gap of up to £40bn in the country’s finances.

Ms Reeves wrote she would not “pre-empt” these forecasts, and her job “is not to relitigate the past or let past mistakes determine our future”.

“I am determined that we don’t simply accept the forecasts, but we defy them, as we already have this year. To do so means taking necessary choices today, including at the budget next month,” the chancellor added.

She also pointed to five interest rate cuts, three trade deals with major economies and wages outpacing inflation as evidence Labour has made progress since the election.

Speculation is growing that Ms Reeves may break a key manifesto pledge by raising income tax or national insurance during the budget on 26 November.

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What tax rises and spending cuts could Reeves announce?
Start-ups warn the chancellor over budget tax bombshell

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Chancellor faces tough budget choices

Although her article didn’t address this, she admitted “our country and our economy continue to face challenges”.

Her opinion piece said: “The decisions I will take at the budget don’t come for free, and they are not easy – but they are the right, fair and necessary choices.”

Yesterday, Sky’s deputy political editor Sam Coates reported that Ms Reeves is unlikely to raise the basic rates of income tax or national insurance, to avoid breaking a promise to protect “working people” in the budget.

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Tax hikes possible, Reeves tells Sky News

Sky News has also obtained an internal definition of “working people” used by the Treasury, which relates to Britons who earn less than £45,000 a year.

This, in theory, means those on higher salaries could be the ones to face a squeeze in the budget – with the Treasury stating that it does not comment on tax measures.

Read more: The taxes Reeves could raise

In other developments, some top economists have warned Ms Reeves that increasing income tax or reducing public spending is her only option for balancing the books.

Experts from the Institute for Fiscal Studies have cautioned the chancellor against opting to hike alternative taxes instead, telling The Independent this would “cause unnecessary amounts of economic damage”.

Although such an approach would help the chancellor avoid breaking Labour’s manifesto pledge, it is feared a series of smaller changes would make the tax system “ever more complicated and less efficient”.

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Uncertainty for UK workers as Amazon to cut 14,000 jobs globally

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Uncertainty for UK workers as Amazon to cut 14,000 jobs globally

Roughly 14,000 corporate jobs are to go at tech giant Amazon, the company announced.

The impact on the 75,000-strong UK workforce is not immediately clear from the announcement, which said impacted people and teams would hear from leadership on Tuesday.

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A loss of 30,000 jobs had been anticipated based on reporting from Reuters and The Wall Street Journal.

Amazon workers’ union in the UK, GMB, had said, based on those numbers, that “it is almost inevitable that many UK workers will lose their jobs”.

“The fact that companies can accrue such astronomical profits to the point where its [founder, Jeff Bezos] can holiday in space and hire out entire cities for his vulgar wedding prior to casting aside loyal workers without a thought just underlines everything that’s wrong with a system that many feel is beyond repair,” the union said.

Why?

More on Amazon

The growth of artificial intelligence (AI) has been blamed for the cuts.

In a message sent to staff, Amazon’s senior vice president of people experience and technology, Beth Galetti, alluded to the criticism that the company is cutting jobs while profiting £19.2bn in results published in July.

“Some may ask why we’re reducing roles when the company is performing well,” she wrote.

“What we need to remember is that the world is changing quickly. This generation of AI is the most transformative technology we’ve seen since the Internet, and it’s enabling companies to innovate much faster than ever before.”

Amazon is also continuing to unravel some of the hiring it made during the COVID-19 pandemic and has warned about reducing headcount and bureaucracy.

In May 2021, for example, the business said it was hiring more than 10,000 UK jobs.

The largest ever cut of 18,000 Amazon roles was announced in January 2023 when the consumer retail part of the business, including Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go, were scaled back.

It plans to replace more than half a million jobs with robots, automating 75% of its operations, according to the New York Times.

What next?

Those who lose their job will be prioritised for openings within Amazon to help “as many people as possible” find new roles, she said.

Hiring will continue, despite the latest cull, in “key strategic areas” while the online retail behemoth finds additional places we can “remove layers, increase ownership, and realise efficiency gains”.

Amazon said it is “shifting resources to ensure we’re investing in our biggest bets and what matters most to our customers’ current and future needs”.

In the UK, GMB said, “We will be supporting our members across Amazon as they face this uncertain future.”

It is to announce financial results for the third quarter of this year on Thursday evening, UK time.

Amazon UK has been contacted for comment.

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