Messy neighbours’ gardens can knock up to £57,000 off the value of a property, new research reveals.

An unkempt property next door can put off potential buyers, who might be worried about anti-social behaviour from neighbours, according to insurance firm Churchill.

Poor appearance

In a survey of estate agents, the insurer found that 82% stress to sellers the importance of speaking to neighbours about poor appearance of their property, the Daily Telegraph reports.

An average of £31,000 is wiped off the value of a seller’s home due to a messy neighbour, around 10% of the average house price in England.

Biggest impact

The biggest impact is in London, where untidy neighbours could hit a sale price by over £56,950, followed by the South East (£41K) and East of England (£37K).

Sarah Khan, Head of Home Insurance at Churchill, says: “First impressions count when it comes to selling homes, with the sale price often negatively impacted when the neighbouring property looks scruffy.”

Loud music, noise from pets, or even meeting the neighbours can all be issues worrying sellers.

People don’t want to buy trouble.”

Jonathan Rolande, of the National Association of Property Buyers, says: “It is a common issue; you see broken trampolines and piles of waste.

“I’ve seen asbestos shed roofs that people don’t want to dispose of because of the expense, so they just leave them in the garden covered in ivy,” he says.

“If you’ve got broken down cars in the front garden, for example, will they be working on cars early on a Sunday morning. Or if there’s a large accumulation of waste, maybe they are a hoarder or recluse.

“People don’t want to buy trouble.”