The sellers of a property in the South East failed to declare a dispute with their neighbours. As a result they have had to pay their buyers £67,500 in compensation and costs.
When selling a house in England and Wales, it is a requirement to complete a seller’s property information form. The form includes a section on disputes; in this case the sellers had failed to declare their problems with parking on an access road and rubbish dumping on adjoining land.
Alistair McKinlay, a partner at Leeds solicitors Emsleys, explained: "This case highlights the importance of answering accurately when completing a seller’s property information form. In this case the judge looked very unfavourably on the sellers, and they have had to pay a significant amount in compensation. If somebody selling their house has any questions relating to the seller’s property information form or in general, it is always worth asking their conveyancer."
