AIBU to worry about buying a house facing a public footpath?

[Housequeryy]

We’ve found a house which ticks most of our boxes. The only issue is that the front of the house faces onto a public footpath. It is a fairly quiet footpath (runs by a lower down stream), but it’s still there.

Photo attached - it’s the faint grey line, the space in front belongs to the house so in theory could be obscured by planting/hedging.

I feel a tad uneasy, DH isn’t bothered. There’s driveway parking at the back of the house and an access gate (so wouldn’t need to walk around to the front via footpath) so no issue there.

Any thoughts/experiences welcome!

Image added

Millions of people live in houses that front directly onto streets and pavements, with and without front gardens. There's nothing wrong with it.

I'd be more worried about the prospect of flooding from the stream.

I agree about the stream.

Otherwise, I think it depends on the footpath. Can you visit it at different times of day and see if there's any loitering/ASB? My neighbours are next to a small footpath and there's no trouble with people hanging around there, BUT they are sick of people putting bags of dog poo in their wheelie bin.

There are thousands of houses like this round my area. The footpath I wouldn't worry about necessarily - but if i did't know the area I would visit the house at different times of day and judge perhaps how busy the path was or if its a hang out area for teenagers etc.

Lots of people don't like "rear facing" properties where you access from the back and the garage is at the back of the house. so that would concern me more than the footpath - just for re-sale value if that could be a concern for you.

We live in front of woodland with lots of trails and a gold course, and there is a footpath running downhill immediately behind ours and the neighbours houses. It doesn't bother us at all and its quite nice hearing people chatting away as they stroll up and down it. The only issues we've had were a lost dog in the garden, who we reunited with her owner, and a very drunk Irish man who had got lost and fallen down the hill into the woods after a boozy round of golf! 🤣

Footpath to where? I’d check it at different times of day but can’t see it would bother me at all. Unless hoarders of teens standing outside.

To me it wouldn't bother me. I mean my house opens directly onto a well used thoroughfare through which people travel to from a very busy station to a university/shopping district. The only thing is people putting food and drink packets in our recycling bin.

I would only be worried about flooding. Or I guess ASB if it's more of a scenic footpath without an actual road attached. As you could get people congregating by the river/stream. Or even getting in the water in summer.

Think it depends on how busy the footpath is.

It's hard for me to see from that photo what is going on. But if it is what I think it is then it would feel intrusive when people walked along it because it is so closed in.

Basically any house close to a footpath is going to be more of a target for burglary and people do tend to lurk in alleyways to do deals etc but tend to prefer closed off routes on both sides rather than one side open.

The biggest issue I think would be people trating the footpath as an extension of your garden if there is not clear barrier inbetween. So off lead dogs straying off the path crapping in your garden etc.

Also, try to work out where the footpath goes and who is likely to move along it.

For example if it links a busy estate to a pub and becomes a motorway for shouting drunks at kicking out time.

Depends. As pp suggests, visit at different times and see if anyone loiters, take a walk down it and see how it smells. Sounds odd I know, but I went for a walk last night and a bit of the footpath goes beside someone’s garden, it was fairly warm and the stench of dog shit from all the people who don’t pick up was disgusting. I would never be able to sit in the garden for the smell.

A pavement runs right outside my front door downstairs bother me

Thanks all, we are going to visit at different times as suggested

Our last 3 houses have been on a footpath. Our current house, it literally runs across our land (we have 5 acres, so runs along the top of one of our fields). Personally, never had any issues. I’d say the only annoying bit is our dog barking at people or chasing off after other dogs. She does recall, but obviously it’s our garden, I’m not keeping her on a lead in our own garden. Never had any actual issues of any sort in 10+ years, other than occasionally we get a lost DoE group wandering aimlessly about the garden. It’s nice seeing people pass by and have a chat.

Uhh, what does this mean? What houses don't have a path in front of them?

@Octagonchecker

That’s a pavement. A public footpath is different.

a public footpath is a legal right of way …between houses for pedestrians only. A pavement is a surfaced path alongside a road intended for pedestrians…

If you have a choice - don’t !

Cant you just put a high fence between your garden and the footpath? If there are security issues paint it with anti climb paint.