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Original poster

Would you buy a semi with no side access to the back garden?

67 replies

stickygotstuck · 20/02/2021 11:58

Just that.

We just viewed a house that's pretty much perfect inside. All the room we need, nice garden, nice spot too.

However, it's a semi that has been extended right to the boundary line, in such a way that there is no access to the back garden via the side of the house.

No garage but two large sheds in the back garden for all the garden equipment etc.

We love it but we were after a detached house ideally, and this one is top of our budget. Would that be a compromise too far for you?

Background - We had a purchase fall through last October that had been dragging on since March because of lockdown, and very few suitable houses have come into the market since then in our area. Also, prices have gone up since our offer was accepted and we're close to being priced out altogether.

OP posts:
skippy67 · 21/02/2021 10:55

We live in a semi with no side access. Our bins are kept at the front of the house. We have a half garage where bikes etc are stored. We signed up to our local authority's garden waste collection last year, so every other week we have to wheel the garden bin through. Not a major issue. When we had the patio done a few years ago, all the materials had to come through the house. That was annoying but it's done now and won't need doing again for 20 or so years. So, all in all, we don't miss having a side access at all.

Clymene · 21/02/2021 11:00

Forever house? Not a chance. Sorry but I think you're going to have to keep looking

Original poster
stickygotstuck · 21/02/2021 20:28

Thanks everybody.

To answer a PP, it is a matter of both affordability and availability. But mostly availability. Unfortunately, there have been very few houses coming up here lately and we're worried the more we wait the more unaffordable it will be.

The house backs onto a park and other neighbours have a gate, so we could do that. That would be good for access for the bikes. However there is no vehicular access at all and it's at the very end, as far from the road as you can get. So no garden work, no deliveries of large items and no direct removal of garden waste.

I think you're all right, it would be too much of a pain. Sadly!

OP posts:
Africa2go · 21/02/2021 20:37

Further to your update OP, I wouldn't buy a property that backed onto a park, end of. Wouldn't matter whether it was detached, ticked every box...

Keep looking.

Original poster
stickygotstuck · 21/02/2021 21:29

@Africa2go That's interesting. Why is that? To my mind that's the best spot in town. Is it for security reasons?

OP posts:
Africa2go · 21/02/2021 21:40

Security, anti social behaviour / young people hanging round, noise (depending on whether it had a children's play park) selling off of land in the future ....

StanfordPines · 21/02/2021 22:22

@Africa2go

Security, anti social behaviour / young people hanging round, noise (depending on whether it had a children's play park) selling off of land in the future ....
See now I back onto a park and it’s never been a problem. There is a wooded area between me and the park so no one comes as far as my fence. The land won’t get sold off as it cannot be built on. Almost no noise except for the wild life. It all depends on the kind of park really.
Original poster
stickygotstuck · 21/02/2021 22:32

Thanks, I see what you mean.

This is a largish urban park in a small town, it also has a cricket and a rugby pitch. The house is in the far, 'boring' side. The playpark etc are at the other end. It's usually very quiet and no chance of building.

We did think security issues but we don't know of anybody having had any trouble, and we know the area.

I wish we felt this was an issue. At least I'd feel justified to walk away. As it is, it almost feels like we are making excuses not to go for it!

OP posts:
MrsJamin · 22/02/2021 06:44

I can see both sides. We are presently in a semi detached with extension to the side return which means no access to the garden from the front. I quite like the safety of not having easy access to the back, but the big cons are trailing muddy bikes through the house. We have the children's bikes at the front in a small shed but we have five bikes in total which couldn't all be stored at the front securely. We are moving to a detached house with routes both sides to the garden. I'm looking forward to be able to have access without going through the house (for eg when you can meet in gardens again, this will be good) and as the garden is bigger we will have more garden waste which will be nice not to have to traipse through the house. Plus we will have more work done to the garden so being able to have a small digger or equipment not going through the house will be great. It depends what else is a plus in the house, I don't think it's a massive clanger if you like a lot of the other features but if you are compromising a lot with other features it might be annoying in the future.

whatisthislifesofullofcare · 22/02/2021 07:01

I’m thinking of walking wet muddy dogs through the house all winter. Nope.,

Onmyleft · 22/02/2021 07:35

People in terrace houses cope with these things. Some inconvenience yes but it wouldn’t put me off.

HazelWong · 22/02/2021 08:22

@Onmyleft

People in terrace houses cope with these things. Some inconvenience yes but it wouldn’t put me off.
I think a lot of it is about pricing - I have lives in a terraced house and we did cope but it was a real pain at times. I would only consider it again for a house priced accordingly
StanfordPines · 22/02/2021 10:14

But in a terrace house you usually have a back passage. It might be longer but you don’t have to take stuff though the house.

longtompot · 22/02/2021 10:31

Our plan is to extend out current utility which is in our rear access, to become a full length new hallway and utility. It will have straight through access to the garden, and we will be getting a hard wearing and mopable flooring so hopefully it'll stay looking good. I would consider a house with no rear access if it had good clear access through the house from the front door.

Original poster
stickygotstuck · 22/02/2021 12:24

@Onmyleft

People in terrace houses cope with these things. Some inconvenience yes but it wouldn’t put me off.
Of course.

Except we haven't had that inconvenience for 10+ years, so we'd be going through the hassle and the expense of moving in order to acquire that very inconvenience.

And yes, it's definitely about pricing. This not a cheaper option, it's pretty much top of our budget. If it gave us more breathing space we'd jump at the chance.

OP posts:
Coolandclamy · 22/02/2021 13:18

OP if you are moving because you want more or easier access then it is a no brainer but if you main reason for moving is some other reason then see whether you can compromise on this depending on where direct access is in your list of priorities.

Original poster
stickygotstuck · 22/02/2021 17:26

We are moving both for extra space and for an improvement on the general neighbourhood.

Access is not something we thought about beforehand as we were looking for a detached house ideally.

We looked at this one despite it being a semi as a compromise. The side access issue only became apparent when we viewed it, so ir would be an extra compromise we weren't planning on.

As I said, the issue is lack of availability around here, but we've been waiting and patient for a long time now.

OP posts:
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