Unsellable because of shared access??

Smelly_Boss

I would really appreciate your opinions on this problem...

We have just had our mortgage application rejected because their surveyor believes the house which we are building will be unsellable because of the access to the new house. :eek:

The access is up a small lane (my neighbour's), passes one house and a barn and then splits into two lanes - one to the new house (will be mine), and one to the fields further on (another neighbour's). There is some farm traffic on the lane, but very little and it is not at all disruptive.

There will be full legal access rights through this lane which belongs to my neighbour, which the surveyor originally did not know about - my lawyer is hopefully preparing advice to prove this.

The surveyor now knows about the access rights, and I think he is now simply being stubborn and says that even though there will be legal access, there is no resale value in a house that needs to be accessed in this way.

I guess the access might reduce the value, but to make it completely unsellable?! :rolleyes: I think he's mad! It's otherwise a beautiful plot, and once onto my property it will be very private, quiet etc..

What do you think? Would you buy a house with access like this if it was otherwise perfect for you? What is my best way of appealing this decision?

Thanks for your time.

PasturesNew

There are many houses in the country with no vehicle access whatsoever for many reasons. They all sell.

From tower block flats, to old tiny fishing hamlets, to car-free areas and houses that have a rear access lane.

I'd be happy to buy a house with shared access if the access was clearly delineated at ground level and clearly set out in the paperwork. Although, it can really only take one awkward bugg4h to spoil it when they decide that for some reason they've got a right to do something on that access, like erect gates, park on it, obstruct it with bins/whatever.

Your route does seem a bit long-winded though.

Was the shared access the only reason for refusal?

*jobags*

You could contact the Estates Dept at your local council to supply details of access information for you to put in your information pack

As long as it is clealry spelt out and the buyers solicitor is happy with it there should be no problem

Good luck

Jo

mlz1413

I once had a survey for a re-mortgage and the surveryor said it was unsaleable because it was on a main road. How he thought houses near dual carriage ways, motorways and train tracks sell was beyond me. But I think he was having a mental breakdown as he also said the house was subsiding and had woodworm.

I paid for another surveryor to come round found out the 'subsidance' was a crack in a wall (been there ages and not moved) but there was an old wooden lintel above a door which worried the surveyor. Paid £50 for a concrete lintel and crack to be cemented then painted wall. Told woodworm was rubbish , then applied for another remortgage and guess what the first surveyor came back!!

I followed him round the house and kept saying 'do you have questions?' but then following that up with explainations of why a piece of timber had woodworm marks - it was 300 yrs old and had been put into my 200yr old house after being used in a ship. It had been plastered up for over 50 years and I had exposed it last year. No active woodworm in house!

followed him round and kept saying can you hear the traffic outside? no its a lovely quite house isn't it. Got survery back without any problems flagged up.

I'd suggest you get something in writing to show that your access cannot be taken away (if neighbour sells up) and go back to mortgage company. Or pay for another surveyor who is working for you.

Strapped

I'd imagine it would put people off buying it (it would put me off, for example, having had access problems with my last house and learning the hard way what gits neighbours and their builders can be) but certainly not make it unsaleable.

Smelly_Boss

Thanks for the replies.

Yes, the access was the only reason for the refusal. I guess it does sound complicated, but it's pretty straightforward on the ground - basically a concreted lane gives access to House 1, House 2 and the fields.

It's pretty common to have similar lane access in that area. But houses tend to stay in families for generations rather than sell frequently so I can't really give examples of sales in the last 6 months which is what the mortgage company wants.

I'm still baffled - I don't see how this can give it a value of £0.

Just trying to decide whether it is worth paying for a separate survey and trying to convince the mortgage company, or whether to look at other options. I don't know whether a company would just be too edgy in the current climate.

Smelly_Boss

Thanks for the replies.

Yes, the access was the only reason for the refusal. I guess it does sound complicated, but it's pretty straightforward on the ground - basically a concreted lane gives access to House 1, House 2 and the fields.

It's pretty common to have similar lane access in that area. But houses tend to stay in families for generations rather than sell frequently so I can't really give examples of sales in the last 6 months which is what the mortgage company wants.

I'm still baffled - I don't see how this can give it a value of £0.

Just trying to decide whether it is worth paying for a separate survey and trying to convince the mortgage company, or whether to look at other options. I don't know whether a company would just be too edgy in the current climate.

Doozergirl

Go for a different mortgage?.

If you have legal right of way across the land for access then I wouldn't have an issue with it at all. Lots of rural properties seem to be accessed this way.

I'd be interested in how the lane was maintained. I've driven down a few tracks before and realised the house would have to come with a 4x4 thrown in to be able to get to it! The longer the lane, the greater the expense of course.