Private Road- pros and cons

davidmcn

pickles13 wrote: »

I have had a look on the council website, and there is definitely a bin collection for the road, but I am not sure if that means much?

It means there's a bin collection. I don't know why the bins keep on being cited here as being relevant to the adoption of roads for maintenance - binmen aren't allergic to driving along private roads if they can do so.

Davesnave

davidmcn wrote: »

It means there's a bin collection. I don't know why the bins keep on being cited here as being relevant to the adoption of roads for maintenance - binmen aren't allergic to driving along private roads if they can do so.

The council can decide not to to collect refuse from private roads.

It's happened where I live. The local authority now require owners of property with private roads to place their refuse at the end, where it meets the council road. No exceptions.

This makes collection much cheaper for the council.

Missus_Hyde

We live on a private lane, with just five houses in it.

I love it; it was one of the things I liked about our cottage when we first viewed it. However, we are very fortunate that all our neighbours are super (apart from lighting up bonfires at the slightest provocation, but that's another story!;)) I can see how it could cause friction between people; recently three of our neighbours wanted to resurface the lane and we didn't, but it wasn't a problem as they simply did their end of the lane and we kept our surface which is mostly flint and quite hard wearing.

Davesnave wrote: »

The council can decide not to to collect refuse from private roads.

It's happened where I live. The local authority now require owners of property with private roads to place their refuse at the end, where it meets the council road. No exceptions.

This makes collection much cheaper for the council.

We do have to drag our bins to the end of the lane for collection, but the lane is quite narrow and I doubt that they would get the collection lorry down it easily. The [STRIKE]dustmen[/STRIKE] refuse disposal collectors used to come down on foot to collect the bins, but I suppose the council considered that too arduous for them........

davidmcn

Davesnave wrote: »

No exceptions.

Even big new developments? I can't imagine hundreds of happy new home owners dragging their wheelie bins across the estate to the nearest public road.

bouicca21

One end of my road is unadopted. There are street lights but the surface of the road is horrendous, even the potholes have potholes ... Apparently the arrangement is that the residents contribute a tenner every quarter and hire a jcb to fill the potholes with gravel. So the cons are that would ruin your car's suspension unless very very careful, the pros are that there is no through traffic and it's very quiet, and naturally no problems with parking.

A close relative lives close to a very different unadopted road. It is beautifully maintained, not a pothole in sight, and there is a barrier across the middle, which only the residents can open, to prevent through traffic from the hoi polloi. Mind you houses on that road sell for several millions.

pickles13

Thanks all. I think I need to have another visit to the road. Its only a small dead end road. It isn't a smooth road surface but is no worse than most of the council owned roads around here. My main worry is that we are going to end up paying out a fortune in maintenance fees every year. The house is just so beautiful and in a different league to everything else we have seen over the past few months, including the last house we offered on.

Davesnave

davidmcn wrote: »

Even big new developments? I can't imagine hundreds of happy new home owners dragging their wheelie bins across the estate to the nearest public road.

The property the OP talks about doesn't sound as if it's on a new estate.

There must be provision made for them somehow, but it's a blanket ban, and if there were exceptions, you can bet these would be made public.

Even the leader of the council has to bring his wheelie bin over 100m from his house to the end of the lane. :rotfl:

comeandgo

If it's a small dead end road then surely there is not much traffic on it to cause wear and tear? You may have a bill, or part share of the costs once in a blue moon but not every year. Where we stay the biggest problem is in the snow, no gritters so everyone has to have either 4x4 or get digging.

Alisha2008

I also live on a private road and I love it. It's very quiet, it has never caused any sort of problem, never paid anything extra on maintenance apart form our yearly fee (gardening and we also have private sewage). I would have a chat with some of the neighbours if you are worried, but definetely not a reason not to buy your dream home!!

stator

pickles13 wrote: »

Thanks all. I think I need to have another visit to the road. Its only a small dead end road. It isn't a smooth road surface but is no worse than most of the council owned roads around here. My main worry is that we are going to end up paying out a fortune in maintenance fees every year. The house is just so beautiful and in a different league to everything else we have seen over the past few months, including the last house we offered on.

How many houses are there on the road? Costs would usually be shared equally between the houses but this isn't always the case (your conveyencer would check). Ask the vendors what the situation is, have they ever had to pay maintenance costs for it? When was it last redone?