To be wary of moving next to a holiday cottage?

[Sallygoround631]

I’m due to move soon, I rent and live in the Lake District. Have lived/worked here for past 5 years and am very happy in general. My partner lives in Lancaster although we stay at my place mostly when his work allows.

I am self employed, work from home. Mid forties, no kiddies. Major priorities for me where I live are usually peace and quiet and not in a flat block.
Been to view and been offered a gorgeous place in Ambleside, close to the museum. It is a lovely period property, not overlooked, mountain view and access to great walks (I’m a keen fell walker) a great price and has only one joined on neighbour - a couple who stay in summer only.

Since putting down a holding deposit I have done a bit more research. There are a couple of nice holiday cottages adjacent to my property, which looked quiet and empty when viewing. Since doing a bit of web research it seems the one right next to me is a 4 bed family friendly cottage allowing 3 pets.

It is not attached to my property, but about 6 steps away from my door/side.

I love kids, and dogs, and Im fairly cool with most of the touristy stuff in the lakes - am used to it now. But this worries me a bit as we’d share the side patio (our outdoor sheds are in it, so their comings and going would be close to my front door). The place sleeps 7 and is permanently fully booked, according to the agents who let it out.

Would I be mad to take this?
Their parking is also close to my door but I don’t use a vehicle so not too worried about that.
If I back out I loose the £100 deposit, so just not sure.

And yes I ought to have researched prior to slapping the money down but hey ho, it’s been a funny few weeks.

Put a smiley there, not sure why it grimaced!

Your photo is fab @Sallygoround631. I dont live too far from Bowness, about an hours drive, and long overdue a visit. You do live in a lovely part of the world, hope your moving decision works out ok.

I personally wouldn’t. I value leave and quiet more than anything else if staying/living remotely. The shared patio is the biggest no for me. It’s not just 2weeks. It will be most of the year with new people all of the time. You’ve said it’s fully booked. Absolute deal breaker for me and I wonder if that’s why it’s on the market ??
Having said all of that you might be fine with it !

@HuggedTheRedwoods thank you! I will always love bowness, it was the first place I ever stayed in Cumbria and is responsible for the path I took in life.

We live next to a holiday cottage.

Do not do it.

@HeronLanyon I’m kind of cut two ways. I’m drawn to it, understanding the potential pitfalls, and weighing them up against the massive plus points (for me, personally).

@BackyardChickens have you had bad experiences? It seems to get a mixed response.

I'd be more concerned about changeover days. Holiday makers will be packing up early, banging car doors and boots, putting rubbish in bins etc to be out by 10. Then the cleaning crew will arrive and possibly a gardener........ rushing round getting everything done for the new people to arrive after 4pm. Most changeovers are Saturdays.

And you have to imagine weeknights when you're ready for bed at 10pm but the people in the cottage are super relaxed and still drinking wine and chatting outside at 1am..............especially on a hot summer evening.

I am nowhere near Ambleside, but do live next to an Airbnb. Tbh, while I miss having 'normal' neighbours to chat to, the Airbnb has been no bother. Most guests are out all day & often in the evening as well. If anything, they seem far less likely to have parties than some of the student-aged residents who live near us.

Everything Toria said.

Also people are on holiday. There are there for a short time. They don’t care if they piss the neighbours off.

Thing is, I’ve been in and around holiday cottages for a few years now and never found changeovers or cleaning to be an issue at all.

There’s often a burst of noise, car doors, some jovial chatter in gardens in evening (esp if smokers) and the occasional dog yap, but nothing like the crap I experienced when I lived in a large town in greater manchester.

The only time I’ve spent in a holiday let that drove me a bit crazy was when next to three very energetic kiddies. They ran and screamed for about 4 hours in morning then resumed when family returned every evening. And they were having fun, so of course you can’t really begrudge that, and you certainly wouldn’t complain...but oh wow it was tiring!

I would have no party walls here, so no fears of pounding feet on. Wood boards.

Gotta think some more I suppose.

Not worried about evenings as I work really late, or end up on Netflix till 2 😁

It seems to me that you’ve made your decision!

I think you need to check if it's mostly families, or adults, who use the cottage. Just ring the letting agent and ask.

Have you ever stayed at Centerparcs? It's practically silent after 10pm because it's all families and they've all retreated to their cottages and put the children to bed, ready for the next day's activities.

It seems to be families or small groups of adults - reviewers didn’t ‘seem’ young or unattached. Not party types. Dog people, etc.

No, never been to centre-arcs , o fuck this iPad - I tried typing that 4 times and gave up!

Not made a decision, but I’m going to have to hurry as things are due to be signed.

There’s good, there’s bad. I’m 50/50 at moment!

Thanks again everyone.

If you can cope with incessant car noise, you can cope with a slammed boot now and again.

You obviously want the house so go for it.

I do, it’s just lovely, but I’m a tad wary.

I’d certainly feel better with the drone and rumble of constant traffic than with sudden impact/slamming noise. I think we are all disturbed by different types of noise, really.

I’d rent it. I think most people going to the Lakes on holiday aren’t party animals. Even if you get the odd group who are there for a celebration event group booking rather than walking, etc they will be gone in a week.

You might get a few raucous BBQs in the summer I guess. Hopefully people would be out exploring most of the time.

I wouldn't buy the house, but as you want to rent I think it's worth taking the risk. If it does turn out to be unbearable you only have to put up with it for six months.

I’ve decided to give it a go, it will be a great location for me, and of course I can always reconsider after 6 months.

What swung of for me is that at my budget I am unlikely to find anywhere else that doesn’t share a significant party wall - the joined on property shares only one wall with me and it is a hall/wc.

It isn’t overlooked, either, which I’d struggle to find generally speaking.

Thank you for everyone’s advice and thoughts, it’s been so incredibly helpful and I appreciate the time you’ve spent writing replies.

X

I also live in the Lake District. I live in a small block of flats in Windermere. All the other flats are let out as Air Bnb and I am the only permanent resident. I was slightly worried but it's actually really good - quite often there's no one else around mid-week, especially during the winter and I have never really had any issues with noise or mess. I prefer it to having permanent neighbours

Wouldn't bother me. Ambleside is gorgeous.

well done op !

I’d much rather have holiday renters than the twats who live adjacent to me and will never move. Go for it, most will be lovely, it’s not the sort of area that attracts drunk and rowdy types.