House dilemma (with diagram)

OneGreyBiscuit · 2025-02-26T08:42:54+00:00

Need some quick thoughts for this please as I'm on a timer. I went to look at a house through social housing yesterday, it's mine if I want it. There's a new bathroom and kitchen although everywhere else needs tlc. My main issue is that the next door neighbours have access to the back garden from their property, would this put anyone off? Diagram for looking at below. The arrows is where next door can walk through.

Cantbelieveit888 · 26/02/2025 08:59

Put a blind?

Cantbelieveit888 · 26/02/2025 09:01

Why do they have access into your garden?

Original poster

OneGreyBiscuit · 26/02/2025 09:03

Cantbelieveit888 · 26/02/2025 08:59

Put a blind?

The blind is something I've thought of, it's just people walking through the garden. Even the housing officer said she didn't like the thought of being in the garden and people going through it.

OP posts:

LoveWatchingTheSea · 26/02/2025 09:03

Hmm that would put me right off tbh, I know in older terraces this was quite common but you’d think it could’ve been designed better in a newer house.
it’s not just the lack of privacy in the house but also if you were sunbathing in the garden or having bbq with friends/family and your neighbours walk through.
Even if the current tenants are ok you never know who’s going to live there in the future!

On the flip side I’ve been on the social housing list for years while paying private rent and I know how life changing it would be for me to get one so it’s a real dilemma…

The only thing I can think of is to put privacy screening on the kitchen window and put a line of fast growing bushes a few feet away from the house to create a ‘private’ part to the rest of your garden

Original poster

OneGreyBiscuit · 26/02/2025 09:05

Cantbelieveit888 · 26/02/2025 09:01

Why do they have access into your garden?

It's in a row of 4 houses and the only way the two in the middle can get access to their gardens from the back. They were built a long time ago when things were a bit different I guess.

OP posts:

ViaRia01 · 26/02/2025 09:08

I thought it was odd when my friends house has this arrangement with next door but I’ve since learnt it’s not entirely uncommon.

To be honest, for me, I would make it judgement call based on what I thought the neighbours might be like (and keeping in mind that this could also change in the future). It wouldn’t be ideal but I also think you hear so many people finding it difficult to get access to affordable housing and so if this is the one big compromise (and if I wasn’t scared on the neighbours!!) then I’d probably go with it. Just accept that you’ll bump into the neighbour from time to time and don’t stand naked in the window!

As far as I’m aware, most reasonable people would use that access eg to bring out waste or if they needs house renovation (at least that’s temporary!) but not really use it day to day for popping in and out of their house.

Original poster

OneGreyBiscuit · 26/02/2025 09:08

LoveWatchingTheSea · 26/02/2025 09:03

Hmm that would put me right off tbh, I know in older terraces this was quite common but you’d think it could’ve been designed better in a newer house.
it’s not just the lack of privacy in the house but also if you were sunbathing in the garden or having bbq with friends/family and your neighbours walk through.
Even if the current tenants are ok you never know who’s going to live there in the future!

On the flip side I’ve been on the social housing list for years while paying private rent and I know how life changing it would be for me to get one so it’s a real dilemma…

The only thing I can think of is to put privacy screening on the kitchen window and put a line of fast growing bushes a few feet away from the house to create a ‘private’ part to the rest of your garden

The bushes is a really good idea. I only have until about 12 to decide, it's my first offer.

OP posts:

Original poster

OneGreyBiscuit · 26/02/2025 09:10

ViaRia01 · 26/02/2025 09:08

I thought it was odd when my friends house has this arrangement with next door but I’ve since learnt it’s not entirely uncommon.

To be honest, for me, I would make it judgement call based on what I thought the neighbours might be like (and keeping in mind that this could also change in the future). It wouldn’t be ideal but I also think you hear so many people finding it difficult to get access to affordable housing and so if this is the one big compromise (and if I wasn’t scared on the neighbours!!) then I’d probably go with it. Just accept that you’ll bump into the neighbour from time to time and don’t stand naked in the window!

As far as I’m aware, most reasonable people would use that access eg to bring out waste or if they needs house renovation (at least that’s temporary!) but not really use it day to day for popping in and out of their house.

The man living there walked past with his child while we was there, although the housing officer said it might be because they know it's empty at the moment.

OP posts:

Fuuuuuckit · 26/02/2025 09:10

My mum lived in a house where the neighbour had access like yours. He only went past maybe once a week max, for the best part of 40 years. And never in winter. The back garden DOES have access through the house, surely?

Plenty of houses in the UK have access like this. Really not a biggie though I appreciate the naked house wandering might be cautious (but seriously, how often are you standing at the window with your norks out?)

BooomShakeTheRoom · 26/02/2025 09:11

Right of way is extremely common in terraces to allow people to put bins out and bring large things into their garden (sheds etc).

It wouldn’t put me off.

Avelina · 26/02/2025 09:12

We've recently been helping a family member with clearing their house and they have a similar set up, but it's them that have to go through the neighbours garden to get to their property. I felt so awkward every time we went through, the neighbour was constantly in her kitchen window glaring at us and watching every single thing we were doing. I'm not sure I would like the thought of sharing my garden with other people

SillySeal · 26/02/2025 09:13

Do you need to keep it as a gate and allow access?

There's many new builds in a row of 4 and the back is enclosed and the only way in is through the house.

I'm not sure i would feel comfortable walking through someone's garden myself anyway.

PensionMention · 26/02/2025 09:13

I think it depends on how likely you are to be offered another house and your living situation. There is no way I would personally choose to live in a house like this.

LumpyandBumps · 26/02/2025 09:14

It’s not ideal as it means that you can never secure your back garden, but it might not be too much of a problem if the neighbours only use the access once a week to move their wheelie bins.
Unfortunately there’s no way of knowing. What is availability of housing like where you are? If you will have a long wait for another property it might be worth the compromise.
Another thought is that I bought an ex LA property and the access had been moved so that there was a sort of passageway round the bottom end of the garden. Could that be a possibility? It would almost certainly have to be at your expense and with neighbour’s agreement though.
BTW I love your diagram. My kitchen is at the front but if washing up in the nude is a thing now my postman will get a fright 🤣

nadine90 · 26/02/2025 09:15

I wouldn’t buy a property like this, but I think the benefits of having a HA home far outweigh this one small issue. They are so hard to come by, you could be waiting a very long time for another and the next one might be much worse. I would put some sort of privacy film on your windows or a blind that you can adjust so you can see out but not in.

Thesnoozingsighthound · 26/02/2025 09:15

This is really common, I thought most terraces accessed their gardens from the road via a few passage ways and then rights of way over other properties. I’ve lived in multiple houses with this set up and it never bothered me. Most people just need it get their bins out.

As previous posters suggested you can divide the right of way from rest of your garden. Perhaps some planters with trellis backs to put some clematis or something on to make a wee “hedge”?

Cunningfungus · 26/02/2025 09:16

You could have really shit neighbours who make your life hell without this arrangement. If they do turn out to neighbours from hell, them walking through the garden is probably a very minor issue eg them playing loud music in their garden all the time/late at night, screaming arguments day and night, smoking weed in the garden all day long etc.

Depends how desperate you are to move but you’ll never get the perfect house.

Babbitbaddit · 26/02/2025 09:16

I don’t think it’s a deal breaker for me. How likely are you to be offered another house if you reject this one?

BeSharpBee · 26/02/2025 09:16

It wouldn't put me off, we've had this on many houses in the past. Never been an issue, and I'd be very careful about turning a house down, there's only so many chances you get and the next house might be even less suitable.

Original poster

OneGreyBiscuit · 26/02/2025 09:17

Avelina · 26/02/2025 09:12

We've recently been helping a family member with clearing their house and they have a similar set up, but it's them that have to go through the neighbours garden to get to their property. I felt so awkward every time we went through, the neighbour was constantly in her kitchen window glaring at us and watching every single thing we were doing. I'm not sure I would like the thought of sharing my garden with other people

I don't want end up like that woman!🤦

OP posts:

BlumminFreezin · 26/02/2025 09:18

As far as I’m aware, most reasonable people would use that access eg to bring out waste or if they needs house renovation (at least that’s temporary!) but not really use it day to day for popping in and out of their house

If I was the neighbour, there would have been two teenagers dragging their bikes back and forth a couple of times each day on weekends/half terms. And a younger child's bike being taken in and out by an adult. Plus bins, dh taking the lawnmower from back to front, us going round the back to enter with the dog after a walk rather than towelling her down out the front...

My side access to the back garden is used several times most days. I think it would be naiive to think most people wouldn't use an extremely useful access point.

Original poster

OneGreyBiscuit · 26/02/2025 09:18

SillySeal · 26/02/2025 09:13

Do you need to keep it as a gate and allow access?

There's many new builds in a row of 4 and the back is enclosed and the only way in is through the house.

I'm not sure i would feel comfortable walking through someone's garden myself anyway.

Yes it's the rules I'm afraid, so nothing I can do about it

OP posts:

wherearemypastnames · 26/02/2025 09:19

I have lived like that before and there was no trouble - everyone was respectful. Bin mornings and occasional garden stuff

And if they aren't - well they are likely to be crap Neighbours in other ways to and you can't help that

Longingforspringtime · 26/02/2025 09:19

Take it. Once you have a HA house you can swap it if you're not happy. I live on a new build estate and several people have swapped already.

Hibernatingtilspring · 26/02/2025 09:19

Have you asked about the right of way? We had this in a rented terrace, but the access was only for putting bins out and access for large items. In reality it meant it was only ever used once a week, we had no issues of people wandering through. Are the neighbours also social housing tenants? As if it is limited access then you've hopefully got some scope for it being enforced, eg if they're the same landlord.