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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To buy a house next to a petrol station?

84 replies

BeatriceAndBeau · 29/07/2025 22:39

The sale is due to complete in a few weeks and now I’m having second thoughts. Help!

Finally found our unicorn home - within budget, in our preferred area and nicely presented with no major renovations needing done. The only issue is it has now dawned on me that it might be slightly cheaper than comparable houses in the area for a reason..

It is 20m down the road from a 24hr service station. I love the house and really don’t want to let it go but I’m now panicking that this could pose safety issues - eg: bad air quality, risk of explosion. I don’t mind the fact that there will be noise and vehicles around as that’s the price. you pay to live in the city. I really just don’t want to put us in any danger or risk health problems.

OP posts:
MayaPinion · 30/07/2025 05:48

It’ll likely be gone in the next 5-10 years as we switch to EV. I wouldn’t be concerned about the garage; I’d be more concerned about what will replace it.

solando · 30/07/2025 05:50

It would be the noise and traffic 24/7 which would put me off but if you are used to living in noisy places it will be fine, the shop that always come with these will be very handy.

solando · 30/07/2025 05:55

MayaPinion · 30/07/2025 05:48

It’ll likely be gone in the next 5-10 years as we switch to EV. I wouldn’t be concerned about the garage; I’d be more concerned about what will replace it.

Not as much worry as a house overlooking an empty field...

MrBallenIsaFittie · 30/07/2025 05:58

I think yabvu to only be considering this 2 weeks before exchange.
I hope there isn't a chain full of people relying on your purchase going through.

dogcatkitten · 30/07/2025 06:04

20m seems OK, we are a bit further away and don't get the fumes. I walk past often and I wouldn't like to live next door because of the smell, I suppose frequent little spills as people fill up and just coming off the fuel as it is put into the cars. Not to mention car doors banging all day.

NigelPonsonbySmallpiece · 30/07/2025 06:06

SaintGermain · 29/07/2025 23:00

You say 24 hour petrol station, I say 24 hour chocolate! 😬

Yes, my waist line would be a concern. And the noise.

Shouldbeworkingnotreadingtalk · 30/07/2025 06:09

@BeatriceAndBeau - it’s not the fumes you need to to worry about. . Or the thing exploding. . From first hand experience PLEASE rethink. . Whilst the noise of cars, traffic etc seems normal in a busy city, the NOISE of a TANNOY randomly shouting out

“pump number 7, press the button / put the nozzle back properly / no mobile phones on the forecourt “ …
will drive you INSANE….

It doesn’t fade into the background. It grates on you and makes you jump EVEY SINGLE TIME. May only be 5 / 10 times over a 24hr period but trust me it’s AWFUL.

dogcatkitten · 30/07/2025 06:09

MayaPinion · 30/07/2025 05:48

It’ll likely be gone in the next 5-10 years as we switch to EV. I wouldn’t be concerned about the garage; I’d be more concerned about what will replace it.

Where is all the electricity coming from to power all these EVs? We don't have it. Sales are dropping off, and second hand is a disaster, no one wants cars with older batteries new batteries cost more than the car is worth. Not to mention the fire hazard, you can't put the batteries out once they go up.

solando · 30/07/2025 06:19

dogcatkitten · 30/07/2025 06:09

Where is all the electricity coming from to power all these EVs? We don't have it. Sales are dropping off, and second hand is a disaster, no one wants cars with older batteries new batteries cost more than the car is worth. Not to mention the fire hazard, you can't put the batteries out once they go up.

Show quote history

Yes, we are buying a newish ICE car, we are hoping it will see us through as we are in our mid/late 60s

AppropriateAdult · 30/07/2025 06:29

We live on a corner diagonally across from a petrol station, so probably a similar distance to the house you’re buying, OP. I’ve never considered it either a risk or a nuisance, and seven years on have no regrets. It’s handy when the lawnmower runs out of petrol and we can just nip across. There’s traffic noise anyway because it’s a junction, but that’s par for the course with city living and has never bothered any of us.

VeryStressedMum · 30/07/2025 06:35

chattyness · 29/07/2025 23:45

We live close to a petrol station, roughly a 5 minute drive away and luckily we don't have any fumes where we live. I hate going to a petrol station to fill the car up, the fumes really make me feel headachey and sick, so I wouldn't want to live by one.

A 5 minute drive away is really not close at all

Tumbleweed101 · 30/07/2025 07:14

I’ve lived close to one in the past and don’t recall any particular noise or smell. It was handy for snacks though!

KPPlumbing · 30/07/2025 07:18

It wouldn't put me off. Petrol stations are pretty quiet, and they rarely go under and close down - so you can rely on it being there for the long term and not getting sold off to become flats etc.

LlynTegid · 30/07/2025 07:19

Noise would be enough to put me off. Those who accelerate noisily (usually men who feel inadequate about a certain body part) can be at any time of day or night.

Lurkingandlearning · 30/07/2025 07:23

If you’re having serious doubts pull out. Gut feelings are real and a blessing.

But I think your concerns are a bit skewed. If you have used a petrol station or even only walked past one, you know they don’t smell. The explosion you mentioned is the only one I’ve heard of in my entire life. I wouldn’t have thought about getting an insurance quote, that was clever. If an insurance company doesn’t see a petrol station being near as a reason to hike up premiums, the risk must be minute. Petrol companies place their outlets on roads that are already busy, so the air quality on that road wouldn’t be significantly better if the petrol station wasn’t there. The house is in a busy road so that’s the air you’re going to get.

Think of the convenience. 20m from a mini supermarket.

But when all that is said and done, don’t make such a massive financial commitment if you aren’t sure.

SparklyGlitterballs · 30/07/2025 07:35

My concern would be potential nighttime noise (tannoy messages/noisy engines/people slamming doors etc).

I know it doesn't happen often, but what about when we have petrol shortages and cars are queuing round the block twice to try and seek petrol? With unrest in the countries that supply, always a danger it will happen more.

It's probably more annoying where I live with a bus stop immediately outside. Don't get me started with the problems that causes!

Sadcafe · 30/07/2025 07:37

Wouldn’t be concerns over air pollution, rather the noise from traffic, but as OP says live in a city so less of an issue.

Lulu1919 · 30/07/2025 07:55

live close to one...like three houses away..it's in a main road and we lobe on a road branching off .
Can't see it from the house ..apart from one bedroom if we look sideways we can see a bit of it
Can see from garden if we stand on tip toes and look over a couple of gardens
No fumes
Occasionally people forget to turn music off in cars when they stop ..
Sometimes can hear the delivery - fuel and shop but it really doesn't bother us at all.

NewsdeskJC · 30/07/2025 07:56

We lived next to one. Rented so only there a year.
Noise issues. Little boys gathering on motorbikes in good weather.
They put in a car wash which was incredibly noisy. They limited the hrs til 8pm after complaints.

Bjorkdidit · 30/07/2025 08:10

MayaPinion · 30/07/2025 05:48

It’ll likely be gone in the next 5-10 years as we switch to EV. I wouldn’t be concerned about the garage; I’d be more concerned about what will replace it.

Don't be ridiculous. New petrol cars are still being sold and will still be on the road in 25/30 years time. Look around you. Plenty of 20+ YO cars still running around in decent condition.

butterflies898 · 30/07/2025 08:17

I bought a flat next to a petrol station because we were in a rush to find somewhere and didn’t think about it at the time as young naive first time buyers. There were no problems with the sale or mortgage, loads of properties are near to petrol stations. There were also no problems living by it and no smell etc - only some noise when there was the petrol shortage and long queues. There is now research I think about the effect on children which worried me but I tried not to think about it, particularly because we live in London anyway.

However, it proved hugely difficult when we came to sell. Nobody wanted to buy it. The estate agent we bought from admitted she had done 70 viewings at the time and ours was the only offer. It turned into a nightmare although we did eventually find a buyer, but it was very stressful. I was worried we’d get stuck with it.

butterflies898 · 30/07/2025 08:19

(And I should mention the petrol station was the reason cited for nobody wanting to buy it!)

Bumblebee72 · 30/07/2025 08:25

It will certainly has been cheaper next to a petrol station. The majority of house purchases have compromises somewhere so I suppose you just need to decide if a petrol station is one.

Simsxo · 31/07/2025 18:21

Hi, what mortgage provider are you with if you don’t mind me asking? We’re in a similar position but no mortgage lender is lending because of the petrol station

Original poster
BeatriceAndBeau · 31/07/2025 18:22

Simsxo · 31/07/2025 18:21

Hi, what mortgage provider are you with if you don’t mind me asking? We’re in a similar position but no mortgage lender is lending because of the petrol station

Halifax via a local mortgage broker. Getting it was absolutely no problem and we had plenty of offers from different providers.

OP posts:
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