ex-council houses to buy - any issues to consider?

[CatAndHisKit]

I'm looking to buy atm and had to settle on lowish offer for my house so now have to downgrade my budget.
In budget, it's between a 2-bed nice Victorian ones or 3-bed ex-council, the one I'd consider is 60s-70s built, a terrace but in a good area.

Just not sure if there ar hidden issues with these - are they built lerss solidly? Tiny shower room, would I need any permissions from council to enlarge the bathroom (even though they don't own the house, I assume they own the patch).

Also are any searches to be done are more comlicated than with a usual private ;andord owning the land?
TIA

@buzz she said it is a freehold so not relevant

@destroyedpeople same here both work and 2 kids and just the cars we drive , sorry to disappoint the stereotype

@tyhere they look like concrete houses that have been clawed are they ?

@notytthere I mean re concrete houses

@nottytthere I will start again the picture looks like council houses that are concrete or non standard construction ? That have been classed are they ?

struggling I don't think that picture shows concrete houses, it's just a painted wall - I think concrete ones have flat roof usually, not the deep tiled one like that.

We bought an ex council house for a rental, it's a semi and still had the old 50s fireplaces in, which we took out and replaced with a log burner. There was an old grubby downstairs WC next to a useless cupboard (decent upstairs bathroom though) and we upgraded the WC to a shower room. The house is pretty spacious, 3-bed and and with good sized front and back gardens, garage and off road parking. The 50s ones are great, as they are definitely more spacious than the new builds these days. Worth any extra work there might be.

If you buy the house, you can apply for planning permission to do whatever you want, you will be subject to the same considerations and building regulations as any other private property owner.

My first house was ex-council, built late 1950s. Very solidly built, large rooms, large garden, semi-rural area. Absolutely lovely and very good value.

I lived in an ex council house, built in 1970. Sturdy, structurally sound, airy. Thick walls, never any problem with noise. Was there for 7 years and never had any issues with anything. Had a long lease, Council took care of everything. Was fab and super stress free. Did plenty of interior design and decoration and never any issues.

Ardnassa - good to hear that (re good walls), still does depend on neighbours as even with good walls you don't want loud music blaring etc! Well if you wre a tenant that's very stress free, obvs as an owner still work to do, but sounds good.

Where I'm now they love to have a row in a house opposite - in summer the whole street hear it as windows open - not a council estate, just shows. It's mainly the woman shouting, I imagine he does snide remarks...

Little would a pernisiion be needed to knocj the wall between shower room and loo? I assume a stud wall.

Ariela I can imagine in semi riral setting it doesn;t even feel like an estate. I@d never live in a big enclosed estate in a large city.

I lived in an ex council house, built in 1970.....Had a long lease, Council took care of everything.

You were a private owner yet the council still took care of things?

"would a pernisiion be needed to knocj the wall between shower room and loo? I assume a stud wall."

That wouldn't need planning permission but work must be done in line with building regulations. The Planning portal is a very useful resource for you:
www.planningportal.co.uk/info/200130/common_projects/33/internal_walls#:~:text=Planning%20Permission,Getting%20your%20job%20done%20safely.

It may not be a stud wall. Mine is blockwork. The important thing is whether it is a supprting wall, and if there are wires or pipes in it.

If it’s freehold then you would be responsible for works within your boundary. It isn’t like flats where you are asked to pay for roof etc. if council replace doors, windows, roof etc in the terrace they will only work on the properties they still own.

All the work to the grounds, cleaning communal areas, repairs etc. No need for building insurance my end.

I bought an ex-council house last year (build in the 1930’s). It was in bad condition but that was because the people who bought it 30 years ago did no maintenance whatsoever.

4 double bedroom, solid walls and good sized garden. We knocked down the wall between the shower room and the loo and made it into a bathroom. A privately built 4 bed could have cost £150k more!

We bought an ex-council house built in the late sixties. DH has to buy a more powerful drill just to hang pictures on the walls, they are that solid.

In comparison, we moved from a 1930s house which ate up maintenance money and heating bills and there were two areas in the house that were always damp no matter what we did. NEVER AGAIN.

The ugliness