Buying a west London flat with mobile mast

[Mougly]

I just won my offer on a 1930's 2 bed flat above a shop before realising the roof terrace has mobile masts placed out. ( please view image)
They are just above my 3 windows facing the street. The 2 bedrooms and the living room.
I've googled the net and some research says it's more likely to effect you if you are further away than really close to the mast. A lot of research suggest there is no harm at all.
I'm guessing this could be why the tenants are not useing the roof terrace
( current owner has lived there for 17 years) but they are also African, Caribbean families with small children so not your regular roof garden hipsters.
The roof is not really advertised but accessible but my main concern is if it's safe to live below the masts? And the resale of the property. I've been looking for over a year and half and couple of bids have fallen through so really looking to move. I would try to go back and see if the emmit any noise when window is open though it was when I viewed and I couldn't hear any. I also went on the large roof and couldn't even see them till I looked at street view. They are not very tall.
I'm just sitting in Starbucks in soho and amazed over how good the wifi is realised there are two masts exactly the same type on a building few doors down!
What would you do? Considering health and resale and the really difficult London market for a first time buyer.

Thank you!

[specialsubject]

NHS site says that the phone (which presumably you are right next to now) produces more radiation than the mast. And if you were worried about 'electrosmog' I doubt you would live in London!

with all of London hard at it on the phone and wi-fi there will be hundreds of these around you. I wouldn't worry.

the only thing to check is any legals regarding freehold, maintenance etc of the common space.

[JoJoSM2]

If you've done your health research and it seems that they should be ok, then I wouldn't worry too much. I'd be a bit worried about being above commercial premises in case it gets smelly (e.g. a pizza or kebab shop stink) or there is scope for people to hang around and be noisy outside.
As that sort of location makes properties less desirable and cheaper - is it reflected in the price? Re the roof terrace - just because there is access, doesn't mean you own it or are allowed to use it so I'd double check that.

It all depends on the budget and the location you want to be in, but personally I'd probably prefer to sacrifice property size and move a tad further out to be in a nicer immediate area.

[evilkitten]

One of the worst places for getting mobile phone reception is directly below the mast, so I wouldn't worry about those particularly. I wouldn't go onto the roof and stand in front of them though.

In London, they are also likely to be extremely low power - this keeps the cell size small and allows the reuse of spectrum nearby, which is necessary to get the density of capacity needed in urban areas.

You will be getting a bigger dose of radiation from your own phone, your wifi network and your microwave.

[Justaboy]

evilkitten has that about right. The main radiated field will be at right angles to the vertical axis of the aerials, the minima is to be on the vertical axis which when you think of it it makes sense you don't want to service customers up in the sky, nor in the ground. Their sector panels which are directional anyway about the horizontal plane and as said if in London then the power ls likely to be rather low.

There is a website called sitefinder that will tell you but its not that often updated.

Big question is do you get a cut of the rental income from them;-?.

[Mougly]

Thank you for the respose!
I read the same research regarding mobiles being stronger than a mast, just difficult to know who funds the research and if I can trust them. Living in London I've always been more concerned of traffic pollution than masts. The flat is 2nd floor above a bank and next to a kitchenware store so no food outlets. I've lived first floor above shops twice and understand the noise could be an Issue with people hanging around as its a busy road but luckily it's higher up with back access. The location is definetly reflected in the price even though it's less than 0.2 miles from tube station, one of reasons I went for it. I currently live in a converted Victorian above a shop on a very trendy street with a market. The walls are like cardboard so this is why I'm going for a solid build with thick concrete walls. The owner says the roof is communal but as there are only 8 flats and the 4 below have their own terrace no one has shown interest to use it. There is also a management in place for communal areas. It all sounds too good so I got concerned I'm missing something. It needs quite a bit of a refurb so maybe this is reflected in the price as well and a lot of first time buyers wouldn't want to take that on. Here it looks as I get 160sq ft (15 sq m) more space for 15-20k less than a 2 bed Victorian conversion without a garden in houses further away from station and this one has a better layout.

[JoJoSM2]

That sounds good. Being above a bank and a kitchen shop is prolly the best option you could hope for as they shut early, don't smell and aren't likely to be a magnet to dodgy characters :) Good luck :)

[Justaboy]

Being above a bank and a kitchen shop is prolly the best option you could hope for as they shut early, don't smell and aren't likely to be a magnet to dodgy characters

Well maybe a loud explosive bang in the night but do they rob banks anymore these days;?

[Kennington]

Frankly I would be worried about resale. It would put a fair few people off I would imagine.
In Germany - I have been told - they are paranoid to the extent they don't allow mobile phone masts on some buildings, particularly schools and have restrictions on wifi in places.
I have no idea about actual research but I would avoid anything that is an eyesore as well. Could you get it removed?

[YelloDraw]

Could you get it removed?

Doubt it!

[specialsubject]

I wouldn't take Germany as an example - they have a powerful Green lobby who tend not to be too big on rational science. Hence the closure of the nuclear power stations after Fukushima - presumably because of concerns about an earthquake from the fault line on which Germany lies....dear oh dear.

Merkel has a training in physics but is helpless against all this.

meanwhile - no way will you get mobile masts removed in London. Or anyway. Everyone is far too dependent on constant internet access. And in a cluttered street scene there's no 'eyesore' issue - OP can't see them anywaay.

[DesolateWaist]

My only concern would be if it made any kind of hum.

[wowfudge]

Sounds fine to me - your solicitor will need to check what the access arrangements are for the mast owners to carry out maintenance work, etc.