Petrol station behind house

[Burnthurst187]

Hi,

We've seen a really nice house for sale and the only negative that we can see is that there's a petrol station behind it (only really visible if upstairs)

Would this bother you, if so why?

I've been thinking there may be deliveries in the night or there could be associated noise. Maybe pumps etc.

The EA reckoned the property is priced with the petrol station taken in to account. I did think it might be worth asking neighbour's how they find backing on to it but with Covid they might not appreciate a random knocking the door. Or

It'll be quite brightly lit at night (possibly all night if it's open 24 hours) - will that bother you?

@Larach

It'll be quite brightly lit at night (possibly all night if it's open 24 hours) - will that bother you?

If that is the case, it wouldn't be ideal but I guess we could get blackout curtains. I plan to go by one night and have a look. I think noise would be my main concern, not sure if 24hr but most seem to be now with contactless pumps

I would be tempted to visit the petrol station and area at various times... Is it busy early hours.. Will this bother you? My only concerns would be the potential noise...

Will there be any insurance problems with the fire risk? No idea if there would be.

I think that would put me off, honestly. You could do some recon work and visit the area a few times to see what nighttime is like. I would be concerned about rowdy teens and other undesirables hanging about.

I’d also get a specific survey for land contamination risk.

I vaguely remember a post on here a while ago from someone trying to buy or sell a house near a petrol station and the searches said the land was contaminated. (Apparently all petrol station land is classed as contaminated?) No idea what impact this has on mortgages and prices though.

We viewed a house in a similar position and decided it would be too intrusive with light and noise pretty much 24/7. I also had (possibly irrational!) fears about safety.

I would worry about fumes from the petrol but also fumes and noise from the many cars stopping and restarting their engine there. I really thought petrol stations were forbidden in residential areas.

Also if they have a car wash or one of those hand held jet wash things they can be noisy

Sorry that would really put me off.

So they have late night fuel deliveries?

In my early twenties I lived above a Tesco express store - the late night/ very early morning lorry deliveries absolutely drive me up the wall.

You'll want to check your mortgage company will mortgage the property, that home insurance is available and not extortionate, as you'll be an exceptionally high risk property. They don't often go bang these places, but when they do it's carastrophic and risk-based companies like insurance and mortgage don't like them.

That's very close indeed to your property. Ground soak of fuel is common, so it becomes heavily contaminated land.

You'll have the constant smell of fuel in operating hours. A lot of noise - music from cars, engines, shouting between people coming and going, doors slamming, pump noises, the garage refuelling trucks (tend not to be at night in residential areas).... And the garage owner has little to no control over most of the noise.

I wouldn't touch it with a bargepole personally.....

Do they sell alcohol and cigarettes all night? I know one where the shop is busy all night from people who live nearby not even buying petrol.

Thanks everybody

It's a real shame because it's in a super quiet cul de sac and minutes from the high st but, it's been listed since Jan

I suspect it needs a specialist mortgage, that's probably part of it.

It might also be worth doing some research into the impact of diesel/petrol fumes on health, especially if you have children.

I wouldn't - there are real documented health concerns because of the risk of contamination.

I wouldn't, we recently objected for planning for one behind our house -hated being NIMBYish but they are a massive concern, 24 hour operation, lights, noise, pollution, safety, risks about insurance and being unmortgagable if we sell. The only positive I could see was if I got a snack cravings

No way would I even consider buying this place for so many reasons

1. Security - it looks like your fence backs on to the petrol station
2. Health - petrol and car exhaust fumes
3. Safety - fire risk
4. Noise - from cars, delivery lorries etc
5. Light - through night
6. Resell - it will put off a lot of buyers so will be difficult to sell. There will be a few people who would consider it but you might have to wait for a long time to find them.
7. Higher home insurance

I wouldn’t like it all. I’d worry about noise, light, the smell, pollution & people hanging around.

It wouldn’t be very relaxing in the garden with all the noise of engines & people talking in the petrol station.

Gosh no way I'm afraid!

It’s not ideal but I would consider it if it’s cheaper and given it otherwise sounds like a good road and convenient location. I’d just invest in pleached trees at the back not to see it.

As a teenager we used to live a 2 min walk from a petrol station, when we got to the age of going out and drinking we would stop off at the petrol station at all hours of the night (and morning) to buy alcohol and use the cash machine, and we weren't particularly quiet (as teenagers aren't!). I wouldn't OP, plus the H&S aspect would put me off. Cars are known for idling for a couple of minutes in petrol stations with their engines on, the pollution from that alone would put me off

Thank you people, head needs to come before heart. The search continues..