Falling out with neighbours is hard.
It can make it hard to feel at home in your own house.
Property disputes can come about for a number of reasons.
Below we’ve listed six common ones.
1. Behaviour
Bad or disruptive behaviour is one of the most common causes of neighbourly disputes.
It’s often linked to noise, litter, or other anti-social behaviour.
In many cases, one party is simply misbehaving. But sometimes the issue lies with the complainer, who is exaggerating or even lying about issues.
There are ways to deal with problem neighbours. These typically involve sticking to:
- Polite communication
- Evidence gathering
- The proper channels.
2. Property upkeep (or lack thereof)
Not all homeowners have the same standards of property upkeep.
Most of the time, this doesn’t impact others. It only effects the inside of homes, where no one else can see it.
However, sometimes the exterior and surrounding land of a property show signs of neglect.
This can range from things like peeling outside paint, rotting doors and window frames or overgrown gardens.
These issues reduce the curb appeal of surrounding properties, which can ultimately reduce their value.
And in extreme cases, it might lead to pests (such as Japanese knotweed) that can spread to neighbouring properties.
3. Property boundaries
Boundaries can be sensitive issues that cause both parties to suspect the other of stealing from them.
Over time, boundaries can become unclear or confused for a number or reasons.
When this happens, settling the issue is not always straightforward. It may even involve compromise.
4. Parking
Parking disputes can cause headaches for multiple residents.
The inconvenience they cause is difficult to ignore, too. It can cause problems multiple times a day.
Some roads have unclear parking rights (i.e., no yellow or double yellow lines). And many households have more than one car, which can lead them to parking in the street.
Streets filled with parked cars can look cluttered and be difficult to access.
5. Easements
Easements legally recorded conditions that grants permission to use another’s property for a specific purpose.
These may include rights to:
- Land access
- Water access
- Shared driveway usage
- Utility infrastructure placement
- Light access.
New owners may neglect these and cause friction with neighbours. There are channels to try and get easements lifted. But in the meantime, they must be abided by.
6. Property alterations
There are many kinds of property alterations, and a portion of these will impact the surrounding environment.
For example, significant changes to a property’s appearance can alter a street’s appeal. This is especially true with period properties.
Other times, the physical structure of a property will impact neighbours. This could be an extension that blocks light or an annex that overlooks a neighbouring property.
The planning permission application process is designed to deal with these issues. However, some homeowners or neighbours may disagree with rulings on these.
Selling properties with ongoing disputes
Property disputes must be disclosed by homeowners when they sell their property.
Undisclosed issues being discovered can lead to sales falling through or new homeowners suing for damages.
New homeowners have up to 6 years to act, too. So, thinking that a completed sale makes things ok is a mistake.
Properties with bad neighbours can be sold. However, it’s likely that buyers will use this issue to negotiate for a lower selling price.
We Buy Any Home’s property buying services
At We Buy Any Home, we buy properties in any type of condition and circumstances.
And we buy property fast. This is because we are cash house buyers, so we don’t rely on property chains or lenders to complete sales.
If you would like a free, no-obligation quote on your property, fill out our free form below.
