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Would you buy a home close to an electricity substation???

Hi all,

I have recently been viewing a 4 bed home in need of renovation, which has loads of potential and is going for around £20k less than market rivals.

However, on closer inspection there is a small electrical closet, aka substation at the bottom of the garden. Well when I say at the bottom of the garden, I mean it's actually in a fenced off enclosure backing on to the garden.

What is the general consensus, about buying/selling near such things? Has anyone any experience. I spoke to two different agents and one denied all knowledge and the other hinted that it could reduce the house by up to 20% when it comes to re-sale.

Any thoughts???
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Comments

  • Recent studies would indicate that there is no scientific evidence to support any human harm (Electro sensitivity) from mobile phones (see link)...however, preception is reality for most people and some people will believe what they want to believe regarding the health risks posed by radio masts, voodoo, ghosts....power lines......electricity sub stations, walking under ladders etc based on a number of individual factors. I personally would NEVR buy a house in Windsor because the planes would drive me crazy...regardless of it being a 'desirable' location...!!!!!!
    An electricity sub station steps down (reduces) the voltage from that carried in the overhead power lines to the voltage that is carried in your home around the wiring...thus, if you are going to die as a result of the EMF emitted by the sub station...you are just as likely to die from having the electricity and the subsequent electro magentic field (EMF) coursing through the cables in, and being consumed by the myriad of electrical appliances in your current home!
    Personally, I'd take advantage of the £20k lower selling price and try to negotitate it down further, but ONLY if you intend to stay there and not move (otherwise it'll always be a problem for you trying to sell for the same reasons you are asking now!)
    http://www.newscientist.com/channel/health/dn12348-no-evidence-for-cellphone-mast-illness.html

    Have a read of this too.
    http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg13418164.400-are-power-lines-bad-for-you-people-first-drew-possiblelinks-between-power--transmission-lines-and-cancer-in-1979-evidencegathered-since-then-has--been-inconclusive-but-new-studies-could-provideaway-forward-.html
    The only thing to do with good advice is to pass it on. It is never of any use to oneself. (Oscar Wilde);)
  • meredeterre
    meredeterre Posts: 57 Forumite
    Might be worth asking the neighbours or checking the local papers to see if there have been any problems with it - either faults or vandalism.....we used to live next door to a little substation a few years ago & had no problems...But one of the big ones in the next town to us atm has had two rather big explosions & subsequent fires this year (found to be unrelated parts problems)that have unsurprisingly worried the houses surrounding it...and it's worth thinking about its re-sale value - are your potential buyers going to be put off meaning you get less interest in it or ask for a reduced price?
  • No I wouldn't. Not sure why as I am entirely ignorant about them :o (must read up on them!). I wouldn't even view it myself if I knew in advance and it might be an erroneous impression but that would make me think that resale might be problematic (if others had the same impression as me)

    Sparkly
  • sandy2_2
    sandy2_2 Posts: 1,931 Forumite
    No I would never buy near a substation, pylon or overhead elecricity cables
  • 00mrmark00
    00mrmark00 Posts: 38 Forumite
    All good points Scrummy and thanks for taking the time to respond.

    Just to clarity, the substation as I refer to it occupies an area of approx 3-4 meters sq and stands around 2 meters high. Does the constitute a substation, as any searches on the web return something resembling a nuclear power station in comparison.

    Personally, I'm not really bothered about the thing, but we are only planning to stay there for around 3-5 years and it's what may happen when we come to market the property that concerns me.

    With the ceiling price in the area of around £179,000 and an asking price for this particular property of £155,000 + renovation costs of around £15-£20k, I'm wondering if the writing is on the wall, and that I should steer clear.

    Has anyone else had any negative feedback when selling in this situation, or not made a purchase because of the above???

    Thanks again.
  • silvercar
    silvercar Posts: 46,865
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    I would be wary, just in case the health risks are suddenly headlining all the newspapers between when you buy and when you sell.

    Friends did buy near one. When they moved in it was an inoffensive brick structure, it was then replaced by a hideous brown plastic structure.
    I'm a Forum Ambassador on The Coronavirus Boards as well as the housing, mortgages and student money saving boards. I volunteer to help get your forum questions answered and keep the forum running smoothly. Forum Ambassadors are not moderators and don't read every post. If you spot an illegal or inappropriate post then please report it to forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com (it's not part of my role to deal with this). Any views are mine and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.com.
  • olly300
    olly300 Posts: 14,736
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    Is the substation similar to the picture surrounded by the fence here?
    http://www.edfenergy.com/powerup/keystage2/out/page3.html

    Or is it more like these ones?
    http://www.localhistory.scit.wlv.ac.uk/articles/electricity/SubStations.htm

    If it's at the bottom of the garden and the garden is over 80ft long then I wouldn't worry about it. Someone will buy it but again you will still have to give them approx. the same discount as you got.

    If it's nearer the house then due to the negative press I wouldn't touch it.

    I remember seeing a 2 bed house advertised in the local paper about 5 years ago that seemed to be on sale for ever (about 2 years) because it was under a pylon. It was priced the same as a one bedroom flat. I can't remember if it sold as it was the same time as those scare stories came out in the newspaper. I do know that they build flats nearby and some of the area is on a flood plain.:eek:
    I'm not cynical I'm realistic :p

    (If a link I give opens pop ups I won't know I don't use windows)
  • ---lee---
    ---lee--- Posts: 921 Forumite
    I did and I live there quite happily. It's about the size of a single garage and the side of it forms the boundary with the side of my back garden. I've no problems with being there at all. I did think about it before buying the house but I did not come up with any concerns.

    We are all surrounded by electric cables in offices, homes, when walking in the country etc. We are constantly bombarded with radio, magnetic and various other frequency waves with no ill effects and have been for many years.
  • Generali
    Generali Posts: 36,411
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    The funniest is when people go on TV to complain about electrosensitivity.

    Have you seen the number of cables etc in a TV studio!

    It's rubbish but it's other people's perception that matters when you come to sell. I'd put in a low offer if it was me, citing the substation. You never know...
  • iolanthe07
    iolanthe07 Posts: 5,493 Forumite
    I lived next to a small substation for years. The only problem was that bulbs kept having to be replaced because (we were told) the voltage is slightly higher the nearer you are to a substation.
    I used to think that good grammar is important, but now I know that good wine is importanter.
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