House backing on to a canal, avoid or not?

[OneofPansPeople]

Seen a house for sale, ticks most boxes but you can get to the canal from the garden, through a gate.
Would this be a no go for you ?

My home town is a canal town. Those with mooring rights were premium price. So usually occupied by people who loved the canal anyway!.
Never flooded. Midges an issue for some houses. Towpath fairly busy but with people riding bikes, prams etc. And going to the pub further up.
I wouldn't have bought with little kids but older ones are fine. If I remember it's only about 6 feet deep.

My parents and gran have lived near, not on, a canal for decades. I would happily buy one of the houses where the garden ends the canal begins, but I wouldn't buy a house that backs on to the towpath. It is used as quick getaway for criminals

Is there a tow path on your side? I live near to a canal network and growing up had several friends who lived in houses that backed on to the canal.

On the whole it was fine, some had mooring rights and were able to fish from small jetties at the bottom of the garden. The towpath was on the opposite side to the house which afforded them a little more privacy. If it's a towpath popular with walkers, you may find your privacy is reduced as you'll have a lot of people able to see straight into your garden.

Security wise it was usually ok, however there was always a spate of garden burglaries during harsh winters as people were able to cross the frozen canal straight into the garden.

My house is on the canal - it's at the bottom of our back garden. I can confirm the canal doesn't smell at all, I've never noticed any flies, we've had no rat problems, our insurance isn't affected because canals don't often flood (water levels are managed), and I absolutely love it. It's so pretty and even though we have a toddler and therefore have to make sure the garden is secure, I'm so happy to live here!

I wouldn’t want people looking into my garden as they walk on by .

Does it come with a mooring? I would try to purchase the mooring at the end of the garden and have a little boat there that I could escape to or put visiting relatives in. It would also mean that you don't have to worry about noisy neighbours mooring there.

I spent a day on a friend’s canal boat, around Oxford. I was very envious of the people whose houses backed in to the canal, and we observed the ways they had made the nest of it: end of garden decking for the view, easy access for their own little rowing boats etc.

I managed to bring up 2 small children without them getting out of the front in to a road so I would have confidence in my common sense to manage a locked gate from the back, while they were small. It wouldn’t put me off at all.

If you like the idea and love the house, buy it. In future, there is no reason why anyone else wouldn’t.

And happy memories of kids hanging around the locks in the hols to help and sometimes getting 50p. Simpler times!

I lived on a canal, it was beautiful. The path was on the opposite side so no real issue with privacy. It wasn't noisy or a crime/asbo hot bed. Mainly just people strolling on sunny days.

We also had a small garden on the other side of the house too so put visiting small children there to play. We (and most of our neighbours) had kayaks. There were lots of small children in the street and no one ever fell in. They were all taught not to go on that side by the canal alone, and all knew swimming and water safety very young.

The birds could be a little loud at night during mating season and there were some rats on the other side but the wildlife was generally the nice kind!

The house sounds similar to some houses in my town. Theres loads of houses that back on to the Leeds Liverpool canal. The gardens go up to the canal side do there is no footpath for fisherman so no maggot issue. The houses have long gardens. Some have a fence put up. I guess young children lived or have lived there, others have a more open look with steps down to the water.

The houses sell quickly.
I would consider buying one if it ticked all the boxes.

I'd love it but would make sure that gate is ver secure if I had young children.

Ooh, lead me to it!

Mmm my issue would be kids so I wouldn't personally.

I have just bought a place that backs onto a canal, and it is beautiful. No issues with flies (though maybe the height of summer will be the best judge of it), and honestly, it makes me smile every time I look at it. Boats go past sometimes, the sunsets are amazing.
The only thing I’d not considered is how windy it gets with no ‘back’ to the garden, there’s no other houses or buildings to act as a buffer. But really, that’s not a problem at al for me, just something I was surprised at!

I live in Manchester and the houses tend to back on to the towpath and it’s often a big break in issue.
If you live in a nicer area than Newton Heath it may be less of a problem

Slightly different, but I know someone who is currently selling their home which has a river at the bottom of the garden. They are selling due to the problems they are having with rats!!!

Rats would be my concern. I live nearish a canal, and people who live right by it have an awful problem.

Security would be an issue based on the people who use the canal in my area