Advice on buying a cottage.

[JumboBeef]

I'm looking at a small two bed cottage. Ticks most boxes (in a compact/cosy way) but there are two things I'm concerned about.

1. The property recently had a new roof. The fireplace is open with a flue going upwards and out of sight. However, no chimney on the outside going out of the roof. Could anyone give me a guess at costs to reinstate the fireplace?

2. The garden is level but the lane outsude drops down a hill. So the edge of the garden has a drop to the road, and is held up by a retaining wall, of which the property is responsible. Is this a worry? Chances of falling down? Do I need insurance?

The property details are below. Go to street view and you can see the (lack of) chimney and the retaining wall.

(There was many years ago another cottage attached where the parking space is but it burnt down and was removed).

Thanks!

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/s6p/69822815

[Ricky146a]

You will need insurance for the retaining wall - if it did fail it could prove a crippling cost to you for any damage it causes.
The chimney is more difficult to say. There appears to be the external breast but no sign of a pot on top. You would need a builder or surveyor in to check that out.

What concerns me more is the internal shape and the fact that the property has sold 2 times in the last couple of years. It may look quaint and cosy but could you live with that parallelogram shape in every room? Whatever furniture you use you will end up with wasted space. Maybe that accounts for the sales?
A lovely garden but small rooms?

[thebraketester]

Those rooms would drive me mad.

[V8RX7]

Ricky146a said:

You will need insurance for the retaining wall - if it did fail it could prove a crippling cost to you for any damage it causes.

You are only liable if you are negligent - ie if the wall is clearly defective and you ignored it.

Most insurance policies require you to maintain the house / wall and declare that it is in a good state of repair - hence they rarely pay out

[Ricky146a]

V8RX7 said:

You are only liable if you are negligent - ie if the wall is clearly defective and you ignored it.

Most insurance policies require you to maintain the house / wall and declare that it is in a good state of repair - hence they rarely pay out

I was really referring to the third party aspect which may well be covered in the house insurance (should be). As the wall is an identified risk the OP should at least check the house insurance before taking it out.
I agree that a separate insurance for rebuilding the wall would be unlikely to pay out and probably very expensive as well.

[V8RX7]

Ricky146a said:

V8RX7 said:

You are only liable if you are negligent - ie if the wall is clearly defective and you ignored it.

Most insurance policies require you to maintain the house / wall and declare that it is in a good state of repair - hence they rarely pay out

I was really referring to the third party aspect which may well be covered in the house insurance (should be). As the wall is an identified risk the OP should at least check the house insurance before taking it out.
I agree that a separate insurance for rebuilding the wall would be unlikely to pay out and probably very expensive as well.

But there really is no third party aspect - if you're not negligent you don't pay.

I know this from bitter experience - tiles hit my car roof - No claim. Van burnt down my shed - No claim

My tree fell in the road - no claim (against me)

[JumboBeef]

Thanks for the replies. Food for thought.