Where to find quirky cottage to rent?

clutton_2

Rose Coloured Glasses !!!

keep looking - you can find your dream cottage - there are quite a few south of Bristol

Doooford

That's the spirit, we had plenty of nay sayers around us up until the point that we found our current house. We're going to stay positive, although if we do end up in Bedminster loos then that might dampen our spirits slightly!

Geenie

Ah the quirky cottage! I let several like that, all built in the 1600/1700's. Fortunately we have updated them to be a bit more user friendly with the help of friendly listed planning officers, so dodgy staircases are few, though a couple have some steep ones in part of the house, though fortunately not the main part. All of ours are long term lets, though we could probably make a fortune with holiday. But would rather see families in them, using the local school and being part of the community.

My kids grew up in a quirky place and never came to any harm. We put up gates etc when small, and then they learn't to climb those stairs without falling down. They turned out very adventurous, not adverse to a few knocks and bumps, picked themselves up and carried on. Great life skills.

Older places are more dusty, and we have non stop spider webs, bats and flies at certain times of the year. But don't be put off OP. Look to private lettings, local estates and farms, and enjoy. Good luck.

flaura

Doooford wrote: »

I'm almost losing the will to live with searching the net, just getting the same agencies offering the same properties. Anyway, I'm trying to work out how to by pass the big agencies and find privately let, or agency, cottagey type of properties for rent in the south west.
To cut a long story short, 8 months a go we moved into a house in Bristol for a long term let, unfortunately though the Landlord is having to come back from Australia to look after his terminally ill brother (they only found out last week). So we have been given two months notice to move, oh and we had a baby 6 weeks ago, so we don't have a lot of time to look for places. So to get over the disappointment of having to move, we are looking for a 2+ bedroom cottage within 30 minutes drive of Bristol, a proper home with character and possibly rickety stairs and nooks and crannies. Somewhere nice for our son to grow up. The problem is, that I can't work out how to find anything apart from newly refurbished or renovated town houses! Any help would be appreciated, I'm guessing the local papers would be the best way to go, but then I also assume that means driving to each little village to pick them up, and I really wish I had time to do that, but I have to admit that it would be a push!
We really want ths to be a move to our perfect home, as this was, until it went a bit pear shaped. We were thinking of private letting so that at least we could get to know the landlord and let them know our plans, which are basically to stay in the same place for years. As with letting agencies, I think it's fair to say that they bend the truth slightly to get your money.
I really will apprecaite any help, and any successful leads that end up with us getting the right home will receive a reward of a case of wine/beer, or I'll even take you for a couple of drinks! We really are that desperate for help!
Our upper budget is £700 ideally (which can be flexed slightly), and could do without fees due to all of our money is going on baby equipment, and he has already grown enough to need a cot.
Many thanks in advance :beer:

There's plenty where i live lots of private lets always in the windows of the post office and local shop etc... but we're 45 minutes - 1 hour from Bristol, Faringdon Oxfordshire..... let me know i'll wander to the shop with my little one and write down a few numbers if you are interested.

Davesnave

I'll stop being facetious now and ask if this is the sort of thing you mean: (but also warn you that it's gone.) I can do Emborough to Bristol in 30 mins, but not at peak times.




Emborough2 Bedroom Period PropertyGuide Price : £ 600/800Area : VillageDescription : REDUCED.... REDUCED.....
A deceptively spacious cottage tucked slightly back off the road so easily missed!

With bags of character and having been recentrly renovated and upgraded this delightful property does warrant a viewing!

With some furniture if required the property offers; Flagstone Entrance, Sitting room with gas woodburner, flagstones, reception two with feature fire and flagstones.

Recent simple but spacious kitchen with new gas Rayburn for cooking, scrub pine dining table, washer, fridge/freezer, stairs to first floor.

Spacious landing with room for computer recess, seperate w.c., new white bath suite, 2 good double bedrooms each with character features.

Outside is a front garden, private and useable and off road parking for a couple of cars.

All with neutral decor to the interior with good carpets and gas central heating.
LOVELY!

RENT £625pcm

Nenen

Have you tried the National Trust? They sometimes let properties in remote locations on the proviso that the tenants look after them. I think it is quite hard to find a vacant one (often dead men's shoes or knowing the right person) but it might be worth you having a look here:

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-chl/w-countryside_environment/w-land_country/w-food_farming-tenants-welcome/w-land_country-housing.htm

Good luck!

clutton_2

i believe that BS39 is a good postcode for a commute into Bristol

Davesnave

clutton wrote: »

i believe that BS39 is a good postcode for a commute into Bristol

Well, you would say that!:rotfl:

Agree though.

Doooford

Davesnave wrote: »

I'll stop being facetious now and ask if this is the sort of thing you mean: (but also warn you that it's gone.) I can do Emborough to Bristol in 30 mins, but not at peak times.




Emborough2 Bedroom Period PropertyGuide Price : £ 600/800Area : VillageDescription : REDUCED.... REDUCED.....
A deceptively spacious cottage tucked slightly back off the road so easily missed!

With bags of character and having been recentrly renovated and upgraded this delightful property does warrant a viewing!

With some furniture if required the property offers; Flagstone Entrance, Sitting room with gas woodburner, flagstones, reception two with feature fire and flagstones.

Recent simple but spacious kitchen with new gas Rayburn for cooking, scrub pine dining table, washer, fridge/freezer, stairs to first floor.

Spacious landing with room for computer recess, seperate w.c., new white bath suite, 2 good double bedrooms each with character features.

Outside is a front garden, private and useable and off road parking for a couple of cars.

All with neutral decor to the interior with good carpets and gas central heating.
LOVELY!

RENT £625pcm

Thanks Davesnave, this is the kind of thing, we are now looking much further a field. How on earth do you go about finding obscure independant letting agents? This is exactly the kind of thing I'm after!

carefullycautious

You need to look in country magazines also 'The Lady' magazine which is on sale weekly might have properties to let.

I would visit local pubs in the area that you want and ask the locals if they know of anywhere.

Privatley owned estates have properties to let but again you are probably a few years too late as they will all be taken. Your local water board may have lets by canals. I know Severn trent sometimes have some. Why dont you advertise in your city paper for what you want.

That may be a quicker as the landlords will come to you instead of you searching.