Nuisance caused by renovation work at the neighbours

Questioner

1. We bought our house in August 2023. It turned out that one of the neighbors was renovating at the time. We later found out that they had been renovating for almost 3 years and had a seriously disturbed relationship with the previous residents of our house. We even understood from other neighbors that the renovating neighbors were the reason they put their house up for sale. This disturbed relationship was not mentioned to us during the purchase or viewings, not even when I asked about the duration of the renovation ('ring the doorbell, then you will hear'). Is this a hidden defect? 2. We also experience serious nuisance. For example, an extension has been built, but it has not been properly closed for 6 months (wooden panels were installed in November). This means that the dividing wall functions as an outer wall, which in turn means that it is structurally cold in our house and we incur high (gas) costs for heating our house. In addition, a piece of wall has been made on the property boundary for the extension. That in itself is not a problem, but it has now been more than 10 weeks that it has been spent on bricking up that wall. What has been bricked up is not properly covered with a tarpaulin. The insulation is therefore getting wet. They also do not report loud noise work. Do I, apart from talking to someone, have any options to do something about this nuisance? What cards do I have in my hand?

Lawyer

1. Regarding your first question, the concept of latent defects usually concerns physical characteristics of the house itself, such as structural problems, and not neighbourly relations or long-term construction projects. However, this can vary depending on the exact circumstances and the specific terms of your purchase contract. If you were not made aware of these long-term renovations and the resulting disputes, this could potentially be a case of non-conformity. In the case of non-conformity, the property is not as the buyer could expect under the contract. It is therefore advisable to seek legal advice on the possibilities in your particular situation. 2. Regarding your second question, it is important to note that neighbours are required to behave reasonably and appropriately. That is, they may remodel their property, but they may not cause disproportionate inconvenience to their neighbours. If the remodeling results in a structural reduction in your quality of life and/or damage to your property, you may have legal recourse. For example, you may want to involve your local municipality if the remodeling violates local building regulations. Alternatively, you may want to consider taking legal action in tort for the damage and inconvenience you experience. However, this is general information and is not intended to be exhaustive legal advice. Each case is unique and it is best to discuss your situation with a legal professional who knows the full details of your case. It is always advisable to seek professional legal advice. -------------- Stichting Rechtswinkel.nl is a national organization with students and volunteers. The above advice is based on limited information and may be incomplete or even incorrect for your situation. Always consult a lawyer or attorney for your further steps. Read disclaimer: https://rechtswinkel.nl/disclaimer I would like to invite you to rate the above answer so that we can learn from your response.