Buying A Flat Above Shop - Good Or Bad Idea? Advice Needed!

Gresp

I am a first time buyer considering making an offer on a flat.

The flat itself seems perfect - spacious, well presented, good location, reasonable price, etc. Basically everything I'm looking for.

It is also above a shop. On the face of it, I have no problem with this. However, the flat almost seems too good to be true - which is making me wonder if perhaps I'm missing something, and being above a shop might have disadvantages?

The shop is a local convenience store, open 6am-10pm. I realise there will be delivery lorries and customers coming and going, but I'm not overly concerned about this. The service charge includes a contribution to the shop to cover building insurance, which seems fair enough. However, I have no experience of this situation, so I suspect there are other factors I should consider!

So, does anyone have any advice? I.e. is a flat above a shop a good idea, or something to steer clear of? Any specific factors I should take into account?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, before I take the plunge!

PasturesNew

A lot of lenders won't give out mortgages on flats above shops, leaving these mostly to professional landlords/big companies and cash buyers.

The shop could change its hours, it could attract different sets of loiterers and lurkers, or it could change its use and do something stinky.

Also, often the rear access can become clogged with random vehicles, deliveries and rubbish, which might cause you nuisance.

Also, even as it stands, don't under-estimate the amount of noise and clatter that delivery drivers could make when they visit the shop (even though it's closed) between 3am and 6am.

C_Mababejive

No...............

poppysarah

Do you currently wake up at 5.30am with the sound of people shouting and throwing stuff about?

ILW

My main worry would be the Chav element, who seem to love hanging around in large groups at all hours, quite often outside late night convenience stores.

Jackinbox99

My other half has a flat above a shop and personally I would not recommend it because of all the things people have said above. They are correct. Every morning, 5:30am on the dot you are awoken to the sound of delivery trucks beeping as they reverse to the back of the shop, then at 5:55am the sounds of the metal blind shutters opening makes a hell of a noise. Then from 6am onwards you get loud motorbikes, trucks, cars all pulling in to buy their lunch / newspapers.

During the day its not too bad, but when you come home from work, unless you have a designated parking space, expect to have to park about 2 miles away due to cars all parked in front of the shop, on the double yellow lines on the road, on the pavements, in peoples front gardens all blocking access.

In the evenings you can expect gangs of chavs hanging outside the shop drinking and smoking. Or, if they are feeling energetic they will start to play football in the carpark, frequently kicking the ball off any closed shops shutters, or letting the ball hit your car. This usually will carry on until about 10:30 or 11pm when the 12->15 year old chavs will wander off home.

Very often shops seem to refurbish, so expect large problems then, when they will drop a huge cargo container off in the carpark or behind the shop where you probably usually park, there will then be loads of noise and disruption for a couple of months whilst the refurbishment happens.

Outside of that, there isnt any other problems with living above a shop. My other half had no problem with a mortgage, and as far as i know doesnt have to pay any service charges to the shop below. The only issue she had was with buildlings insurance - some companys are funny as you dont actually own the land itself - which in your case you mentioned was covered by the service charge.

charlie792

Personally living above a shop was always the one thing I never wanted to do. I did find a nice flat that in itself was alright, nicely decorated and good size and price but after enquiring at the estate agents it turns out it was above a piano shop, didn't really fancy being woken up to that.
I can only imagine the noise from a convinencce store would be worse as others above have noted with deliveries etc.

If you really like the flat then don't be put off, you could move in and everything could be fine, but likewise you could move in and find it unbearable, imho if you come to sell it could be a lot harder to shift.


Maybe you could take a drive/walk around the area at peak times, or times of concern (early morning, coming home time from work, late evening) and see what its like, it might give you a general idea?