Survey results: local authority development

boonerz

We've just had the results of our homebuyers survey through. We were suprised to note that it says the property is on a local authority development. We think it looks like a nice area, and we didnt think the estate was LA and I'm still not sure if the house is or not. Would it say it was ex local authority if it was? Or just that it was on a local authority development?

Also, anothing thing that concerns me slightly is that on the valuation for the bank it say that the sales price is the maximum for mortgage purposes reflecting the standard of presentation which will need to be maintained. Does this mean we're paying over the odds, or is it just surveyor speak?

Was really excited but now having a few doubts. Would any of this be grounds to lower our offer?

boonerz

Anybody offer some help on this?

morg_monster

Hi, I don't have any clue about the "surveyor speak" but how old is the property? We are buying a 1930's semi and it was built by the local authority as were all the houses on the road; from what we've read inter-war houses built by the LA were generally better quality than those built privately.
I assume that most houses on the road were bought during Right To Buy, as loads of houses on the road come up for sale on rightmove. It doesn't concern us at all. Most houses built in the inter-war years were built by local authorities.

It's all semantics really; a "local authority development" where all the houses are now privately owned, is kind of still a LA development, because that is what it was originally built as, and the LA may still maintain any communal areas etc.

The house can't still be owned by the LA if you are trying to buy it, can it?! Unless they're selling off stock but I'm sure you'd know that your seller was the LA and not a "real person"?

BTW I don't think the LA thing is any grounds to reduce your offer.

boonerz

Thanks for the reply. The house in questions was built in 1979. It is owned by a private individual now, but what I was wondering was whether just becuase the development is LA does this mean that this house was once LA? I ask this because I was given the impression it was built privately and never had any idea that it, or surrounding properties could be LA.

FYI this is the property -
rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-13318749.html?premiumA=true&backToListURL=%2Fuser%2Fshortlist.html%3Ftype%3DBUYING%26index%3D10%26propertyShortlistOrder%3DDATE_SAVED_DESCENDING

Just add www on as I cant post links!

Catti

Ask to see the HIP - the Title register within the hip will show who sold it originally.

morg_monster

Very nice!

Our solicitor told us our house was LA built, I guess it was on the deeds? so I would ask yours. Or try and contact the surveyor direct (easier said than done, we are finding atm), our survey also said specifically the house was LA built. So I would think that if the survey didn't say that, it probably was privately built.

To me it doesn't look like a LA house, but what do I know! you probably need to talk to someone who knows more about LA house building and planning. Maybe call the council planning or housing dept and ask to speak to someone aged over 50...

boonerz

I've checked it out and it is infact an ex local authority house. Not sure how I feel about it at the moment. We've got the mortgage sorted, ordered furnature etc and are probably a week or two away from exchange.

Going to have a drive around the area again tonight. I don't think living there is an issue for me, more just whether this affects the value. Should an ex LA house be priced cheaper than a comparable non ex LA?

tek-monkey

Forgive my ignorance, but what does it matter?

carefullycautious

Looking at the birds eye map you can see it is on an estate. However, the good thing is that the houses have been built two to a plot. So you have not got rows of terraced houses with all the awful alleyways etc.

They look like good solid houses to me and if I was happy with the area and had checked there was no anti social behaviour going on I would proceed.

boonerz

Council estates have an obvious stigma, as I’m sure you’re aware.

If some are still owned by the council then tenants will tend to be from lower income groups. The assumptions people often make are then that these people will be more likely to be nightmare neighbours (not my opinion!) and take less pride in their property as they do not own it.

boonerz

carefullycautious wrote: »

Looking at the birds eye map you can see it is on an estate. However, the good thing is that the houses have been built two to a plot. So you have not got rows of terraced houses with all the awful alleyways etc.

They look like good solid houses to me and if I was happy with the area and had checked there was no anti social behaviour going on I would proceed.

To be honest it has always looked like a quiet area to me. It isnt set out like you would imagine a council estate to be, which is why I didnt think it was one. Like you say, if think the issue is making sure we're comfartable with the area rather than if it is a council estate.