Shared access at rear - put you off ?
Discussion
Went to look at a house that had a slightly odd layout in that the neighbours had access over a bricked courtyard at the back into their own garden. I guess in the 18th c. it was one house in a corner of a big plot and later on divided into dwellings and the garden partioned accordingly.
Everyone I've spoken to has immediately taken issue with this, while for us it's not ideal, but the rest of the property makes up for it.
So, PH massive, would it scare you off ? [the downstairs bathroom scares me more, but it's that sort of place..]
Everyone I've spoken to has immediately taken issue with this, while for us it's not ideal, but the rest of the property makes up for it.
So, PH massive, would it scare you off ? [the downstairs bathroom scares me more, but it's that sort of place..]
Not really, I've owned terrace house where the access to bins was via a path through the gardens which were separated from their respective houses by the path these were circa 1800. The only issue I had was ending up spending time chatting to neighbors when I had other things to do .
I moved to a flat with a large shared garden which was also fine. We've sold a place in the past with a service access across the gardens which had to remain clear and unlocked as all the gardens were too big to warrant the postie etc going up and down paths, no questions were ever raised and when mentioned to the buyers they thought nothing of it as it was logical to access the properties in this way.
I really do not think it is a problem. If you like the house and the area, let this be the deciding factor as these things are more important.
I moved to a flat with a large shared garden which was also fine. We've sold a place in the past with a service access across the gardens which had to remain clear and unlocked as all the gardens were too big to warrant the postie etc going up and down paths, no questions were ever raised and when mentioned to the buyers they thought nothing of it as it was logical to access the properties in this way.
I really do not think it is a problem. If you like the house and the area, let this be the deciding factor as these things are more important.
s.It definately put us off, it completly destroys your privacy. This was underlined by the neighbours wheeling their bins through the garden whilst we were viewing without so much as a nod or hello. It was also not ideal as we have a dog and did not want to have to stop her going into the garden, mainly because we could not be sure that the neighbours would actually close our gate to prevent her getting out.
I have exactly the same at my house.
We saw the house, loved it, then came up the issue of the shared access.
We bought it.
It may be different for you, but in two years of living there, i've not once seen my neighbour use the access, that's not to say he doesn't, because he brings his bins round every week, but i've never seen him.
The wife sees him now and again as she's at home more often, but what initially seemed like it may be a small inconvenience, now doesn't bother me at all.
He does have a gate on his access though, which he keeps locked, so it's quite private still. Depends on how nice the neighbours are, and how often they use the shared access?
knock on the door and ask?
We saw the house, loved it, then came up the issue of the shared access.
We bought it.
It may be different for you, but in two years of living there, i've not once seen my neighbour use the access, that's not to say he doesn't, because he brings his bins round every week, but i've never seen him.
The wife sees him now and again as she's at home more often, but what initially seemed like it may be a small inconvenience, now doesn't bother me at all.
He does have a gate on his access though, which he keeps locked, so it's quite private still. Depends on how nice the neighbours are, and how often they use the shared access?
knock on the door and ask?
I have a shared space at the back of my house with two other properties, basically they have access rights over about 1 metre of my land to access their parking. As long as it is worded correctly and well documented there should be no issues, unless you live next to a loon. Fortunately I don't! (at the moment...)
Didn't put me off, but then I did get written guarantees about the neighbours etc, which I could use to claim damages if there are problems further down the line
Didn't put me off, but then I did get written guarantees about the neighbours etc, which I could use to claim damages if there are problems further down the line
I live in an 1850's terraced property and I have access over my neighbours garden. I HATE using it!! I only ever use it to put the bin out once a week and to bring it back in again. It may be my access, but I walk past their kitchen window, glass sided dining room and the back of their living room and don't feel comfortable walking through, so I just focus on the gate and get it over and done with. I would never use it for anything other than putting the bins out as I don't want them to feel they can't have privacy in their own home and have to have their curtains closed all the time just in case I stroll by.
If I knew I was getting a neighbour like myself who is generally quite considerate, this wouldn't bother me at all. I'd talk to the neighbours and suss them out. If they're decent people, then I'm sure the access across the property will not be a problem.
If I knew I was getting a neighbour like myself who is generally quite considerate, this wouldn't bother me at all. I'd talk to the neighbours and suss them out. If they're decent people, then I'm sure the access across the property will not be a problem.
vxsmithers said:
As long as it is worded correctly and well documented there should be no issues (at the moment...)
^^ This!I nearly bought a flat which had originally been a large house but converted in to separate dwellings and it came with the garage, the driveway up the side of the property and the garage at the back. The Estate Agents said that the other residents had access down the side of the house, but as it's deemed 'access' they literally had to walk through it and couldn't stop to talk to another neighbour on the way through etc. Ultimately I didn't really care, there wasn't much to peer in to on that side of the property, but having seen legal documents for the use of the access, I felt comfortable that this wouldn't be any real intrusion on home life.
silver.fox.2008 said:
Always got to keep in mind that what happens when you want to sell if majority of viewers have an issue with it. Makes it just that little bit harder to sell when you want to move on.
Just got to hope someone like you comes along that is happy with the shared access.
This. ^Just got to hope someone like you comes along that is happy with the shared access.
Selling houses is difficult enough at the moment - and that's unlikely to change for a while. So bear this good advice in mind.
Road2Ruin said:
Does the shared access need to be there still? If not get it removed. As long as both parties agree and you pay the costs it is easy.
It's not just paying the costs, the owner of the right of way is essentially selling it, so people need to be bought. When I bought my place, the previous owner was telling me that the guy who owns next door (house is currently rented out) tried to buy the right of way off of him so that he could get rid of the gate and put another fence panel in its place and not have people walking through his garden. The people who used to own my house refused in the end and I believe this is partly why next door rents the house out as there has been a few problems selling because of people's concerns with the right of way.In my case, if he sold his house, it wouldn't be a problem for new owners, I don't like going through their garden and past the house, but I can see why potential buyers could and have been put off, you don't know who's living or going to live next door. The previous owner of my house did say that the Right of Way was worth a fair amount, so would get a few thousand for it.
Autopilot said:
It's not just paying the costs, the owner of the right of way is essentially selling it, so people need to be bought. When I bought my place, the previous owner was telling me that the guy who owns next door (house is currently rented out) tried to buy the right of way off of him so that he could get rid of the gate and put another fence panel in its place and not have people walking through his garden. The people who used to own my house refused in the end and I believe this is partly why next door rents the house out as there has been a few problems selling because of people's concerns with the right of way.
In my case, if he sold his house, it wouldn't be a problem for new owners, I don't like going through their garden and past the house, but I can see why potential buyers could and have been put off, you don't know who's living or going to live next door. The previous owner of my house did say that the Right of Way was worth a fair amount, so would get a few thousand for it.
Yes I understand all the doings and that the owner of the right of way may want soem recompense. However, if the right of way in no longer necessay (new access been built for example) then why would they want to keep it? As soon as someone mentions 'right of way', whether it benefits your property or not, you are putting potential buyers off. If it doesn't need to exist anymore then it would benefit both parties to get rid of it. In my case, if he sold his house, it wouldn't be a problem for new owners, I don't like going through their garden and past the house, but I can see why potential buyers could and have been put off, you don't know who's living or going to live next door. The previous owner of my house did say that the Right of Way was worth a fair amount, so would get a few thousand for it.
I have no idea why people want to keep them to be honest. In a recent conversation with somebody, they advised me not to sell mine. I asked why and they said 'Never sell your right of access', so I followed this with 'why', and they just repeated the fact you should never sell them 
I wouldn't have a problem selling mine to be honest. I could keep the bins out the front, so providing I could come up with a solution to disguise them a little, eg - buy a hedge or outdoor store or something, job done. I really wouldn't have a problem with it!
I wouldn't have a problem selling mine to be honest. I could keep the bins out the front, so providing I could come up with a solution to disguise them a little, eg - buy a hedge or outdoor store or something, job done. I really wouldn't have a problem with it!
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