Homes could be unsaleable, and Estate Agents legally challenged, if estate agents provide details of the impact of aircraft noise at the time of selling a home, CAGNE warns in a Press Release on 18th December 2025.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is currently consulting (deadline 29th December) on the material information in property listings. This consultation seeks views on guidance to make important property information available upfront, for home buyers and sellers.
CAGNE warns that estate agents are not qualified to give advice on the impact of aircraft noise on a property, which could lead to legal challenges, as the government pushes ahead with airspace change plans.
“Having sat through many meetings discussing the impact of aircraft noise on communities, CAGNE is best placed to comment on how airspace change is currently subjecting homes to an unknown factor, as aviation seeks growth at any price to those on the ground.
“We ask, how can a non-acoustic estate agent professional be held responsible for loss of house value or making a home unsaleable due to their opinion”, said CAGNE, the umbrella aviation community and environment group for Sussex, Surrey and Kent.
‘Buyer beware’ has always led to legal due diligence on behalf of the buyer to understand the impact of a neighbouring airport on a property and its value. Action that is considered reasonable for people to be expected to take, in order to keep themselves or others and their property safe.
People must exercise due diligence when purchasing a home, but this is currently being made far harder with the unknown airspace modernisation process leaving many in limbo about where planes will fly in the future and how this will impact house prices.
CAGNE do not believe estate agents are the professionals to monitor or advise on aircraft noise, nor is it the place of surveyors.
“Aircraft noise is subject to personal attitudes; for example, a house may be cheaper due to the aircraft noise, or a house may be more expensive due to the proximity of an airport. The background noise of a city can counter the noise of aircraft, and expectations are different to those set in a rural location that have expectations (and valued on) the tranquillity of the surroundings and outdoor space”, explains CAGNE.
“For an estate agent to offer aircraft noise impacts they would have to employ a noise acoustics specialist (the airport would be seen as biased) and would have to give an opinion (non-factual) on the value of the home accordingly. To allow an estate agent to actively become involved in a subject they know nothing about could lead to legal challenges if the home buyer finds the noise to be excessive or if airspace change suddenly blights the property.”
“An example: at present the CAA are conducting airspace change process (Scottish Airspace Change CAP1616) and are using sound recordings to help residents understand the change in aircraft noise impact, but this is not calibrated, so could be legally challenged if the noise is found to be greater than offered through this consultative process. We know that Ministers have been advised not to provide any compensation (obtained via a Freedom of Information Act request) to homeowners impacted by changes to airspace.
“It may be good news for the purchaser to know the impact of aircraft noise on the property, but it is subjective to the buyer’s expectations. It could also lead to houses becoming unsaleable due to the actions of an estate agent in their reporting of aircraft noise impact. This must in turn be subject to legal claims against the estate agent.”
The government is also considering land use planning. CAGNE feels that any proposed new housing deemed to be, or may be under or close to, a flight path must have ventilation due to not being able to open windows, insulation to muffle aircraft noise (day and night) and triple glazing throughout at time of build.
– Ends –
MHCLG consultation: Home buying and selling reform [Questions 7 and 8 give scope to comment on land use planning, aviation noise, and air quality] Closing date: 29/12/2025 https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/home-buying-and-sellingreform/home-buying-and-selling-reform#about-this-consultation
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https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/material-information-in-property-listings
Email: homebuyingandselling@communities.gov.uk
Scottish Airspace Modernisation – https://consultations.airspacechange.co.uk/nats/sctma/
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