Noise information and guidance now available for wary home buyers.

According to a recent European Environment Agency report ‘Environmental noise is linked to approximately 43,000 hospital admissions, and up to 10,000 premature deaths per year’.

Staggeringly, despite noise being cited as one of the most common nuisances that can affect house-holders and one of the main causes of purchase dissatisfaction, it is often not investigated by even concerned buyers because they struggle to find the information they need.

In addition, despite its capacity to cause real distress, there are no questions about noise being asked by most solicitors at any point in the conveyancing process either. The one possible exception to this is the question about disputes with neighbours on the current vendor questionnaire, but this only comes into play when the dispute has reached a high level and has been formally recorded by the council or the police.

Attempting to clarify noise problems with casually phrased questions during viewings and afterwards has no weight in the eyes of the law and the questions are regularly answered falsely by vendors to protect the sale.

Ultimately, the conveyancing process still heavily relies on the principle of ‘caveat emptor’ and much emphasis is still placed on the buyer to conduct their own checks. The responsibility for checking this important issue rests with the purchaser and there is currently no mechanism in place within the standard conveyancing process.

More often than not it is the Estate Agent who finds them self having to field questions on the subject from customers. The agent can be left with little room to manoeuvre when faced with the prospect of answering questions to which they don’t have a reliable answer.

With the launch of a new search product, customers who wish to are now able to find the assurances that they need, independently, without replying on the agent to gather what they can from the vendor or local observation. This should protect the Agent from unwelcome comeback and responsibility in this very difficult area.

 

Alex Evans

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Popping the Asking Price Bubble

Where in the Uk Can Buyers Snap Up Property Bargains and Where Properties Go for a Premium Above Asking Price   New research from fast selling property company, Upstix has uncovered the UK’s most surprising postcodes for snapping up a property at bargain prices this year, highlighting a widening gap between sellers’ expectations and the…
Read More
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Highest demand to lease office space since pre-pandemic

The latest insights from the UK’s number one commercial property website Rightmove, reveals that the number of unique enquiries to lease office space is at its highest point since pre-pandemic, as businesses look for spaces that meet modern requirements. Demand to lease office space is 19% higher than the same period a year ago and…
Read More
Planning disputes on new build land
Estate Agent Talk

Planning consultations for major infrastructure to be streamlined

Robert Bruce, a planning and infrastructure partner at law firm Freeths LLP, said he: “Welcomed the change as a significant step to speeding up the DCO process and the focus on the quality and effectiveness of the consultation, rather than box ticking and a risk averse approach to pre-application consultation due to the current legal…
Read More
Breaking News

‘The property ladder pulls further away’ warns Open Property Group

For many first-time buyers across England, the dream of homeownership continues to slip further out of reach. Despite rising wages, soaring house prices are making it harder than ever to get on the property ladder. A leading UK professional house buying company ‘Open Property Group’ based in Buckinghamshire UK, has raised concerns over the ongoing…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

How Long It Takes to Buy a House in the UK: 5 Common Delays That Can Slow Down Your Home Purchase

Wondering how long it takes to buy a house in the UK? The average timeline ranges from 8 to 22 weeks, but even that can stretch significantly due to unexpected delays, especially if you’re a first-time buyer or caught in a chain. That’s why working with experienced professionals like Belvoir — one of the UK’s…
Read More
Love or Hate Rightmove
Breaking News

Rightmove to host Renters’ Rights Bill webinar with Guild of Lettings

Rightmove is hosting a live and interactive webinar session with the Guild of Lettings to help agents get Renters’ Rights Ready. The webinar will take place from 10:00am – 11:00am on Wednesday 23rd April. Susie Crolla, Managing Director for the Guild of Lettings, will be joining Rightmove to help agents with questions they may have about…
Read More