What You Have to Declare About Neighbours When Selling

Selling your home and neighbour issues: what you need to tell buyers

When you sell a property in England or Wales, you must answer questions about your home honestly. This obligation arises from the Misrepresentation Act 1967 and common law principles governing residential property transactions. The questions include those about your neighbours and any disputes you may have experienced.

Some situations obviously require disclosure, while others are less straightforward. This article explains what sellers typically need to declare about neighbours, what counts as a dispute, and how to approach the process.

The TA6 form

During conveyancing, your solicitor will ask you to complete a TA6 form (the Seller's Property Information Form). It contains questions about the property, including a section on disputes and complaints with neighbours and boundary disagreements. You must answer truthfully based on your own knowledge.

Leaving sections blank or answering dishonestly can create problems. If a buyer later discovers you failed to disclose a significant issue, they may have grounds for legal action. Courts have found in favour of buyers where sellers knowingly provided false information or deliberately omitted details that would have influenced the purchasing decision.

If you are unsure how to answer any question, speak to your solicitor. They can advise on what needs to be included and help you word answers appropriately.

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What counts as a dispute

Not every disagreement needs declaring. A brief conversation about noise that was quickly resolved would not typically require disclosure. A dispute is more likely to exist if any of the following have happened:

• You have contacted your neighbour in writing about a problem
• You have made a formal complaint to the local council
• You have involved a solicitor or taken legal advice
• You have contacted the police about antisocial behaviour
• You have used a mediation service
• There has been an ongoing or unresolved disagreement affecting your relationship with the neighbour

The key factor is often whether the issue has been formalised. A verbal exchange that went no further is less likely to require disclosure than a written complaint or third party involvement. If problems materially affected your enjoyment of the property, consider whether a reasonable buyer would want to know. "Significant" generally means issues that persisted over time, required third party intervention, or resulted in documented correspondence.

Common examples requiring declaration include boundary disagreements, arguments over shared maintenance, noise complaints reported to the council, and antisocial behaviour logged with police or local authority.

Your situation may be slightly different. ask a question below ↓ and our editorial team will reply with our advice.

Boundary disputes and shared responsibilities

Boundary disputes are among the most frequently declared neighbour issues: disagreements over where a boundary falls, who owns a fence or wall, or who maintains hedges between properties. Any formal dispute about boundaries needs mentioning, even if resolved. Boundary issues can resurface, and buyers are entitled to know the history.

Shared maintenance responsibilities are another common source of friction. If your property shares a driveway, roof, drainage, or other features with a neighbour, disagreements about upkeep and costs should be disclosed.

For flats or properties with shared areas, there may be questions about disputes involving the freeholder, management company, or other leaseholders. The TA6 form includes separate sections for leasehold properties: check these carefully.

Practical steps when selling

Before completing the form, think carefully about your history with neighbours. Consider whether there have been formal complaints, written exchanges, or involvement from councils, police, or mediators. Gather any relevant paperwork and keep copies of correspondence relating to disputes. Evidence of resolution may be helpful.

Provide a balanced account. You do not need to document every passing annoyance: the form identifies problems a buyer should know about before committing.

If you have experienced serious problems such as persistent antisocial behaviour or harassment, take legal advice before completing the form. A solicitor can help you present information clearly. Even for minor uncertainties, professional guidance helps avoid complications.

For more information on your rights and responsibilities when selling, visit GOV.UK. If you are dealing with an ongoing neighbour dispute, your local council's environmental health or antisocial behaviour team may help, and mediation services remain an option for disputes that have not escalated to legal proceedings.

Selling a home with a history of neighbour problems can feel daunting, but honesty and proper legal advice will help you manage the process. Most buyers appreciate transparency, and being upfront can help avoid complications after the sale completes.

The Next Step

Now that you have read through the advice above, you might want to put it into practice. Our Neighbour Rights Checker lets you check your legal rights in any neighbour dispute. Takes 1 minute. Try it now →