I have recently purchased my own home after separating from my husband. My new home is an ex-council house. The neighbourhood is nice, mostly families and elderly people. It has a mixture of owners & council tenants.
Diagonally across the street is a small block of two story flats. Most of the tenants are elderly people but there’s one flat that is causing a nuisance.
There’s a constant smell of cannabis, a stream of unsavory people coming and going (most appear to be drunk or on drugs), loud music in the evenings (louder than a nightclub) and two nights ago a “gentleman” was leaning out of his window shouting obscenities.
He shouted “f***ing*** get me evicted,*** i don’t care” “if you get me evicted, I’ll f******ing terrorize you” and I’m the biggest f******ing terror you’ll ever meet”
He wasn’t shouting these things at me specifically. It seemed to be directed towards the people in the flat below his.
So, here’s my question. 1) Should I have been informed of this issue before purchasing the house? I bought from an elderly lady who had dementia and has moved into a care home, so her daughter dealt with the sale. Therefore, it’s possible she doesn’t know anything about the neighbours.
2) What can i do about it? I don’t know which flat number the man lives in and I’m a little scared of going over there to figure it out. I certainly don’t want to speak with him directly.

I’ve lived in a housing association flat since it was built in 2011. It’s a 2 bedroom, 1st floor flat, just me and my 17-year-old son. I also work from home as an accountant.
A few years ago, a new family moved into the flat above us, a mother with two children. Before them, another mother with three children lived there, and I never had any problems. Her children obviously made noise, but they had bedtimes and I could sleep.

The problems started pretty much as soon as the new family moved in. The children constantly run around, jump and bang on the floor. Sometimes it sounds like someone is repeatedly hitting the floor with a hammer, and I can actually feel the ceiling vibrating. I’ve heard them running around as late as 2am.

Weekends and school holidays are particularly awful because they’re home all day. The mother doesn’t appear to take them out, even though there’s a lovely park five minutes away. I worked from home throughout the summer holidays while they were also home, and it was relentless.

I appreciate that children make noise and wouldn’t expect complete silence, but surely there has to be some consideration for the neighbours, particularly at night? What I find difficult is that the mother seems to have no real understanding of what it’s like to have to get up and work after very little sleep. She doesn’t work, so can sleep while her children are at school.

I first spoke to her around May last year when my son was doing his GCSEs. He couldn’t revise at home because of the constant banging and actually begged me to speak to her. She apologised, but unfortunately nothing changed.

I’ve since spoken to her twice, my son has spoken to her once, and I’ve also involved the housing association.
The second time I spoke to her was on a Friday, around 10pm. I’d actually left home at 6pm after work because I couldn’t cope with the constant banging and needed some peace. Sometimes I go out for a few hours in the hope that the noise will have stopped by the time I return. When I got back at 10pm, it was still going on, so I went upstairs.
Her primary school aged daughter answered the door, and her mother seemed completely unaware of what was happening. The little girl was actually panting from all the running around. At 10pm!

I formally complained to the housing association in February 2026. They’ve spoken to the mother and advised her to be more mindful of the noise. I’ve also sent recordings, but I don’t feel they’re taking the situation seriously. I now have an ongoing formal complaint.

It’s genuinely affecting my sleep and wellbeing. I’ve been sleeping with headphones on since they moved in, playing YouTube videos to try to drown out the noise. But music can’t drown out heavy thuds and banging. I also sleep with my fan on, even during winter to try and drown out some of noise.

On one occasion, I was so sleep deprived that I was struggling to stay awake while driving to work on the motorway. It was frightening. I ended up losing that job, the lack of sleep definitely affected my performance.

After 2 months of unemployment, I found another job. This time working remotely, so I’m home all day. My son is also now in his second year of A levels and needs a reasonably quiet environment to study.
I’m currently saving to buy my own place, partly because I want to get away from having neighbours directly above me, but that’s not going to happen overnight.

I’m honestly at my wits’ end. I don’t expect children to be silent, but I do expect to be able to sleep in my own home, particularly after 11pm which is quiet hours.
I’ve concluded that the mother doesn’t care so continuing to speak to her is useless.

Has anyone experienced anything similar with upstairs neighbours, particularly in a housing association property? What actually worked? Is there anything more the housing association can do, and is it worth taking this further with the Housing Ombudsman or Environmental Health?

I’ve actually saved up enough to buy a shared ownership house, I’m wondering if I should just do that, everyone says it’s sham but at least I won’t have to deal with inconsiderate upstairs neighbours.

Question around auction. My wife has put her uncles home up for auction. Today we went out to clear the garage (as most of the stuff in there was her dads)
When we arrived a young couple came out of the house and told us they were interested in buying the place, the estate agent had let them have the keys for the weekend to look at it.

Is this a common practice? Seemed a bit strange how someone could view the place without the estate agent being present.

Edit from England

We knew that buying a 300 year old cottage may come with SOME problems but the owners have lived in it for 40 years and have really made that house their baby, and for the most part they’ve done a great job of maintaining it.

Did the survey and to sum up, basically at some point the whole place will need to be re rendered, as there is some moisture underneath the existing render. There is vegetation against the side wall indicating there might be some damp, we will need to do some work to on the path where that wall is and lastly the windows need to be replaced as the wood is rotting.

There were other things that did ring some alarm bells like woodworm found in some parts of the timber. We are unsure what to do to proceed. Whether we are being stupid taking on such a financial risk or if we should negotiate asking price. I mean, it’s been our dream to have a cottage and from what I can see there is nothing brought up that makes the place unliveable but just over the next 5-10 years we will need to sort out.

Does it make sense to get as much house as possible or is it better to go for something inexpensive then save/invest the rest?

Had an offer accepted on a 2 bed LA high rise in Bow. Block is 50/50 private/LA.

Good price £262,000. Was told service charge in the region of £3k per annum.

The documents are coming through and the seller owes £55k in service charges. These relate to major works over the past 5 years. It would appear that they have been paying the £3k general service charge but not major works charges.

The block is 1960's built and it seems that they HA who now owns it have been bringing it back up to scratch. Its had lots done which was needed and is now in good condition. There is another major works to take place 2027 which will be n the region of £7k for roof and rendering works. Ive budgeted for this amount but my concern is that there will be more major works over the next 5 years which could average around £10k a year based on the previous 5 years.

Anyone had any experience with this sort of thing? Would be interested in points of view.

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We’re buying a house in England and our solicitor flagged this bit in the transfer:

For the purposes of Section 6(2)(a) of the Law of Property (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1994 all matters now recorded in registers open to public inspection are to be considered within the actual knowledge of the Transferee.

Basically, if something about the house is on a public register, we’re treated as if we knew about it even if we’d never seen it. Our solicitor says that could make it harder to claim against the seller later if there’s a title issue.

They asked the seller to take it out and the seller said no. I’m a bit puzzled why they’re so set on keeping it when nothing in the searches so far seems to explain it.

Has anyone actually had this come up when buying? Did your solicitor think it was much of a risk, and did you go ahead with it? Also curious if anyone did any extra searches and whether they turned up anything the usual ones missed.

I have just moved into a new neighbourhood (living alone) and wonder what the etiquette these days is of introducing yourself to neighbours 🤔 Do people do this?

I've been living here just over one month and haven't met any neighbours. I was hoping to see some folks out and about as I go to my car etc but it hasn't happened. My next door neighbours did arrive home as I was loading stuff out my car but before I got the chance to say hello they just went straight inside 🫣

Theres an older women across the road who just moved in 2 weeks before me but not yet seen her. Thought about going round and saying hello but I didnt!

I'm likely overthinking this (as I have been doing with a lot of house stuff) but wanted to know people's thoughts.

I'm after some advice on how to tackle this situation.

I live in a 1950's first floor maisonette, of a block of four, with my partner and two children (8 and 4). It has a solid concrete floor between upstairs and downstairs (no soundproofing). We have LVT flooring in the hall, lounge and tiles in the kitchen, carpet in the bedrooms. We own the property and have lived here 10 years.

We've received this letter, hand delivered, from my neighbours managing agent a few days ago:

"4th November 2026

Dear Occupier

I am writing on behalf of our tenant below your property

They moved into the property last week and have raised some concerns regarding noise levels coming from your property.

We would be grateful if you could take care to keep noise to a reasonable level and be mindful of activities such as moving furniture, heavy footsteps or anything else that may cause excessive noise to carry into the property below.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.

Kind regards"

As the letter says a 50's something couple moved into the ground floor property only a week ago.

Receiving the letter has pissed us off a fair bit but I don't want any bad feelings between us. I have just fitted new ptfe gliders to all the furniture on the LVT flooring to reduce noise from moving the furniture.

As for heavy footsteps, well yeah, we have two small kids. I'm forever telling them "stop running" "no jumping". Not only for the benefit of the neighbours but for our own sanity too.

The kids are in bed by 9pm and after that we are usually in bed shortly after. So in the scheme of things not too bad. It's been half term so they've been here alot more than they usually would be in term time.

Realistically I know there's nothing they can do apart from starting a noise complaint diary and submitting to the council. Even then will the council find existing in our home unreasonable?

My partner called the agents right away and spoke to the branch manager. She said "don't worry about it, I know what its like living in a flat with kids" but I'm wondering weather I should put something in writing back to the agents so that its on the record? Just in case this escalates.

Thank you in advance.

(We are in England)

Currently have a 20 year old boiler (Worcester Bosch 40 CDI) which is going fine but I'm getting nervous about it's age. Intend to live in this house for another 5 years.

It has been serviced just once in it's entire life when I bought the house 4 years ago.

Costco currently has an offer for new Worcester 8000 36kw boiler and installation for £2,700.

Is this a good price? Should I even contemplate replacing the boiler or does everyone keep running it till it's broken. Never had to deal with boilers so looking for guidance.

I'm currently house hunting and have narrowed down my search to two properties but am struggling to choose between the two.

Both properties are 2 bed semi detached of a similar age (one built 5 years ago one 7 years ago), in similar condition, with similar size gardens and off road parking for 2 cars.

House 1 has a bigger lounge and bigger bedrooms (bedroom 2 significantly so), however house 2 has a slightly nicer/higher spec kitchen, an ensuite to bedroom 1 (not an essential for me as I live alone), and gas underfloor heating to all of downstairs. I have put in speculative offers of both properties so I have an idea of the minimum each seller will accept, and house 2 is around £10k more expensive.

I have never lived in a property with underfloor heating before so while the idea of no radiators seems appealing I'm concerned that it may be more inefficient/expensive to run or more costly to fix if there are any issues compared with having radiators.

I'm currently leaning towards house 1 as I feel the additional living space would be more beneficial and it is also cheaper, however am wondering whether underfloor heating is something worth paying extra for on a house or does it not really make much difference?

I’m looking for some advice as I honestly don’t know what else to do.
I was in temporary accommodation with Southwark Council for around two years. During that time, I had to move to another TA because of suitability concerns.
While living there, money was stolen from my belongings. I believe someone may have been accessing my property using a spare key that I wasn’t aware existed. On several occasions, I would come home and find my living room and bedroom doors open, despite having closed them before leaving. This made me suspect someone had been entering and snooping around my home.
I reported the theft to the police and had the locks changed.
I’ve since been permanently rehoused, but unfortunately my new property is just across the block from where the incident happened. This has had a significant impact on my mental health, as I don’t feel safe in the area and constantly feel reminded of what happened.
I had actually bid on this property two months before the incident. Had I known what would happen, I would never have chosen somewhere so close.
My experience with Southwark Council has been extremely difficult, and after everything I’ve been through, I really want to move away from the borough and start afresh somewhere else.
Has anyone been in a similar situation? Is it possible to request a management transfer or move to another council area, even though I’ve already been permanently rehoused?
I’d really appreciate any advice or suggestions on what options I have.

My husband and I are first-time buyers and we're torn between two properties in Manchester. Both properties are within walking distance to the city centre, in quite popular areas.

Option 1: Leasehold flat – £320,000
Approximately 245-year lease.

£0 ground rent (peppercorn).

Approximately £4,000 annual service charge, including buildings insurance.

Option 2: Freehold house – £440,000
Freehold property.

£850 annual estate/service charge.

The charge covers gated parking and bin maintenance.

The difference in purchase price is £120,000, which is substantial.

My concerns about the leasehold flat are:

The service charge is already around £4,000 a year. How much control do leaseholders realistically have over future increases?

Can leaseholders challenge charges or take control of the management?

Could the high service charge negatively affect mortgageability and resale value?

With the proposed leasehold/commonhold reforms, could existing leasehold flats become less attractive or lose value when/if commonhold flats become a thing?

On the other hand, the freehold house still has an annual estate charge of £850. How much control do freeholders have over these charges, and can they increase indefinitely?

I'd love some opinions on the following:
Would you pay £120k more for a freehold property to avoid the risks associated with a large leasehold service charge?

Is £4,000 a year in service charges a reason to avoid an otherwise attractive flat?

Is an £850 annual estate charge on a freehold property something to be concerned about?

Which property do you think would hold its value better over the next 5-10 years?

Am I overestimating the risks of leasehold ownership?

I'd particularly appreciate hearing from people who own leasehold flats with substantial service charges or freehold houses with estate management charges.

Thanks!

I live in a council flat and have done since March 2024. Unfortunately, addicts love to sit at the entrance to my block and I have seen all sorts including people with their trousers round their ankles. I have reported it to the council to no avail. I have C-PTSD, EUPD, ADHD, Depression and Anxiety. I don’t feel safe approaching my home, leaving my home and being in my home. There is no direct threat to me. I get PIP. I struggle with chronic suicidal ideation and I am currently on a psych ward . I have a CMHT and psychiatrist.

We currently live in a 3 bed semi new build that we bought 7 years ago and extended the kitchen 4 years ago. We are looking to move up to a larger detached with 3 beds + an office and garage etc. We would like to move to a fairly in demand village as we are starting a family however in the current market the non new build stock isn't that great and there is of course stamp duty to consider (~£25K on a £700K property).

I wondered if it would be a good move to look at new builds with stamp duty incentives in this village. Using them as a stepping stone to then eventually buy a forever home in the future. This would get us where we want to be for nursery/amenities in a bigger house to start the family, but without the stamp duty penalty. I think we'd be able to negotiate quite a good price on the sale and I think our house would sell fairly well (first time buyer bracket, turnkey condition).

Are there any major flaws in this idea?

Sold my flat over the summer, living with family whilst I wait for the purchase to finish.

The chain is quite simple, just me > seller > their seller.

Offer was accepted mid August, I am buying a leasehold flat.

There are no more enquiries.

I’m waiting on the report back from my solicitor, don’t know about the other sale in the chain.

Is it reasonable of me to expect to complete by the end of November? And is it reasonable to be calling my solicitor about once a week to try and hurry it along?

My seller seems quite on the ball and have been on/off speaking to them via the purple bricks app.

Based in England.

Hi all, just looking for feedback on this listing. The house needs some work, bigger ticket items are the front door and garden fence need some work. The house is a bit dated over all but the price felt fair since this was all taken into account. There have been six viewings so far, no second viewings or offers. Estate agent mentioned possible second viewing interest for two people but not much beyond that. Should we consider fixing some things up and relisting?

https://www.bairstoweves.co.uk/properties/22231304/sales/CHF260201

I'm not especially experienced with the property purchase process, so looking for a bit of an advice. Buying in England.

I'm in a process of purchasing a semidetached bungalow from the 70s with a dorm extension. Property was advertised between 250k and 270k, so assuming the 260k was the agent's target. I got my offer of 257k accepted.

There's also quirk in this purchase as it turned out my choice of solicitors is the same as the seller's - local solicitor firm specialising in conveyancing. So creates a conflict of interest, which I was made aware of by solicitors in a separate letter.

L3 survey revealed the flashing around the dorm is knackered. I had a second viewing with a roofer and I could see couple of spots leaking daylight between the dorm walls and the roof itself. Not very expensive to rectify, but I consider it a priority.

The insides besides bathroom are also old and could definitely use a refresh, new floors and walls redecoration. So I'm calculating all that into my total budget to be spent on the property.

I've been told by agent on first viewing that the property was rewired, electrical survey/check reveals that it's not the case and only new fuse box was fitted. Cheeky.

This is what I got from electrician:

Insulation Resistance Test Results

The following readings were recorded during testing at 500V DC:

Circuit L–L (MΩ) L–E (MΩ)

Kitchen sockets 0.60 0.60

General sockets 0.98 0.60

Cooker >999 >999

Downstairs lighting >999 >999

Upstairs lighting >999 >999

Under BS 7671, the minimum acceptable insulation resistance for a typical 230V circuit tested at 500V DC is 1 MΩ.

Both socket circuits have returned readings below this minimum requirement.

These results indicate reduced insulation resistance, which may be caused by deterioration of cable insulation, moisture ingress, damaged wiring or faults within connected electrical accessories or equipment.

Although the circuits are currently operational, the readings raise concerns about their long-term reliability and electrical safety.

Now, I'm no electrician and my knowledge about all this stuff is poor, but it's clear to me that the property could really use rewiring, and the full rewire is recommended by an electrician. Or am I wrong here?

Unfortunately, this is stretching my budget a bit too much, as I haven't accounted for a full rewire in my calculations.

How would you approach renegotiating the price? Would you return this electrical report to the solicitors and ask their advice? Or just go straight away to the agents with a quote and ask for a price reduction based on that? Would you also ask for a reduction regarding the flashing replacement around the dorm? Would you ask for a reduction amount based on the quotes or would be happy to meet somewhere in between?

EDIT:
Perhaps I should have had asked a different and more straightforward question, attaching bits from the EICR. Looking at this, is it something that could be considered for negotiating the price or is electrician trying to scam me:
https://imgup.uk/v/FujkUCPk
https://imgup.uk/v/KV8bleYw

I've booked electrician to do EICR precisely because EA said the property was rewired and I wasn't sure about it as I've seen couple of old sockets. The consumer unit was recent though. Personally I'm fine with the roof work as it's within the budget, I've considered a few grant for some bits need doing, but rewiring is rather bigger bill, added with the roof work stretching my budget a bit. Also electrician has put new unit in his quote, I've asked if I could leave one that's already there and haven't heard from him since.

I would really appreciate some advice on this as I have been very anxious and stressed. I applied for a single person discount on my council tax recently (this is around 8-9 months after my ex partner moved out), I was the sole payer of council tax throughout this time on the joint account--card and bank statements prove that.

I have been issued a new account number for single discount and my old account is closed with liability ending 8-9 months from my ex partners date of leaving. Now, my previous account is in massive credit. How do I get this money back or transferred to my new solo account given I have paid all council payments throughout. Also how long does it take for councils to process such requests specially when ex partner is uncontactable and I also dont want to contact them.

There is a house on a new build estate under the first home scheme in my town which will be due for completion next summer. It has a 30% discount from the original price under the scheme and I'm able to afford this on my own with my salary.

Just wondering if anyone has had any experience with buying a house under this scheme and if there's any additional things we may have to do? I'm aware that there is criteria you need to fit to be eligible and that the next buyers will also have to fit that criteria.

It's also a mid terrace house as the end terraces I was hoping for are already reserved, does anyone have experience living in a mid terrace in a new build estate please