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Original poster

Misled about south facing garden

279 replies

heregoes74 · 21/11/2021 20:20

Hmmm... Just wondering if anyone has any advice as to what I should do (if anything) about being sold a house with a south facing garden but now we are living in the house it's very quickly dawned on me that it's not in fact a south facing garden 🤔And the compass confirms this.

Does having a south facing garden add to the value of a house (I would have thought so) so should I contact estate agents, or will they think I'm nuts. Hate the thought we have been lied to. Yes, we didn't take a compass with us and check when we viewed, on the 3 viewings it was summer and bright and sunny. Gah, it doesn't spoil the garden but does annoy me.

OP posts:
BikeMyCycle · 21/11/2021 20:58

@mummyh2016

Couldn't you see from google maps that it wasn't south facing?
This is literally my first thought?! I’m confused how you can be misled about such a thing. You’d clearly see it for yourself on a map?!
MrsSkylerWhite · 21/11/2021 20:59

Buyer beware 🤷‍♀️

I don’t imagine the seller wrote the description, it would have been down to the agent. Would you, honestly, have known or cared if someone hadn’t told you?

Struggling to see the problem, tbh. If you love the house and it doesn’t spoil the use of the garden, what’s the problem?

Our front garden is south facing. Pain in the bum. Dry as a bone, tenders don’t stand a chance, our water bill is huge and it’s too hot to sit out in for at least several weeks a year. The back garden is fab. Lovely mix of shade, full sun and everything in between. Far easier to take care of and enjoy.

As global warming becomes steadily worse, the appeal of south facing will seriously waiver. Really, don’t worry about it.

mistermagpie · 21/11/2021 21:02

I'm surprised you didn't actually check, you can usually tell at a casual glance by the way the satellite dishes face, if you can't be bothered to get a compass (most phones have one) out. I don't think you have much recourse now.

Anyway, we have a completely south facing garden. We basically get sun all day long in the summer, it brilliant for me but often too hot for the kids and we basically get no shade unless we put a gazebo up. That said I wouldn't buy a non-south facing garden ever again now, I've been spoiled. On the downside living room is at the front of the house so north facing and can be a bit gloomy even on a sunny day, so it's not all good.

LublinToDublin · 21/11/2021 21:03

What did your compass confirm!!??

CloseThePackWithAClickClack · 21/11/2021 21:04

Personally I don’t like south facing gardens so it definitely doesn’t add value to me. I prefer wear facing.

CallmeHendricks · 21/11/2021 21:09

But how could you not know? Did you not ever see the property on a map?

LaurieSchafferIsAllBitterNow · 21/11/2021 21:09

PP makes a good point about the time of year...we moved earlier this year and the garden IS south facing but we're a small cottage with a taller building in front to the south, and since the clocks changed and the sun is now sooooooo very low in the sky (very far NE Scotland) I am only catching the sun when it goes between the two taller buildings. In the summer I know we are going to boil to death and thank our lucky stars for the north facing sitting room!

Shedmistress · 21/11/2021 21:10

There is southfacing, but also south aspect.

South facing means the house is built on the north side of the garden. South aspect means it slopes with the higher bit in the northern end.

So you can have a north facing garden, but with a South facing aspect. Which people might call south facing.

But for future reference you shouldn't really buy a house without at least looking at it on a map.

JunoMcDuff · 21/11/2021 21:10

You didn't check?!

What else didn't you check?

JunoMcDuff · 21/11/2021 21:12

@heregoes74

Thanks everyone, message received loud and clear, I guess I just hate the fact that some people are utter cunts and can lie about these things. #noideawhythissurprisesmereally
Maybe previous owner never checked and was told by the owner before?
C8H10N4O2 · 21/11/2021 21:12

West facing gardens seem to command a bit of a premium but South facing is much more of a mixed bag as you can see from this thread.

But with a house being a huge investment for most people, most agents make it clear in their T&C that buyers should do their own survey, searches and check key points.

Which direction does it actually face by the compass or map?

RuleWithAWoodenFoot · 21/11/2021 21:12

Which way does it face? I've had south facing gardens and west facing gardens, and reckon west is best. You get sun from mid morning, but also get the evening sun.

IamGusFring · 21/11/2021 21:13

@heregoes74

I'm obviously really Fucking stupid as I just assumed the estate agents would verify what the vendors might have claimed, otherwise we could all just bloody lie about anything in our houses. Clearly I shouldn't have been so trusting 😱 (read : stupid) but also, I don't expect to be lied to or professionals to not question these things especially if it is part of the blurb to draw people in.

Nothing on documents we've received yet, won't get land registry docs for at least 6months apparently because of backlog

It ALWAYS says on estate agents blurb to check things and they cannot be held accountable. Did you not see a plan of where your house boundaries extend to ?
DaisyNGO · 21/11/2021 21:13

We are flat hunting and every EA leaflet says you need to check the details yourself.

A lot of documents will be copy and paste and it might be from there

I don't really get what you want to complain about. You don't leave the car showroom with a manual when you wanted an automatic.

MonicaGellerHyphenBing · 21/11/2021 21:14

@Softwonder

In terms of desirability it goes South, West, East, North. However especially if it's quite a small garden, south can be really overpowering in summer. Best is west in my opinion. Mine is south east and has great sun in the morning but we lose all sun I the summer at about 7pm in a small area in the far corner, then that's it.
Hmm not sure I’d agree with this. Our first house had a south-facing garden and it was far too hot for our dogs in the summer, there was just no shade and then the sun completely disappeared in the evening when we were sitting out. Our current house has a large north-facing garden and during the summer we get sun all day in over 2/3 of the garden, then in the bottom corner right the way into the evening. The shade is also ideal for our children/dogs. I always said I’d never have a north facing garden but the house was so perfect that we compromised and it ended up being so much brighter and sunnier than we thought.

Depends entirely on the size and surroundings of the garden IMO. And OP you really should have checked this yourself, it’s one of the simplest things to check when viewing a property.

Hollyhead · 21/11/2021 21:14

I’m sorry, you bought a house without looking at it on google maps?!

olivehater · 21/11/2021 21:15

We have a south west facing garden which I think is actually the best option - get a bit of shade. Could it be that which might make you feel better or is it the opposite.

catfunk · 21/11/2021 21:16

I honestly don't know how you didn't check/ spot this at viewing.

I'll try again - which direction does it face ?

Mine is south west and it's great.

BarkminsterBlue · 21/11/2021 21:17

You never once looked it up on Google Maps?

Postdatedpandemic · 21/11/2021 21:18

If you're not going to answer what way the garden faces, could you consider telling us if you have counted the bedrooms and checked against EA claims.

MrsBobDylan · 21/11/2021 21:19

This has got a 'cancel the check' vibe...

What way does the garden face op?

TonTonMacoute · 21/11/2021 21:19

I just hate the fact that some people are utter cunts and can lie about these things

Perhaps they didn't lie, perhaps they are just as clueless as you are!

CaledonianSleeper · 21/11/2021 21:19

We’ve a south facing garden and we had to get special glass put in the back of the house as it’s so bloody hot in all the bedrooms in summer. We can’t open the bedroom windows to cool the place down before 10pm in summer so child regularly has to go to sleep in temps over 26 degrees. We have to drag tables and chairs off the patio to the back of the garden to get some shade because it’s so bloody hot. Did I say it’s hot!?!
So you know, be careful what you wish for.
Also, please do some basic research next time you buy a house. “Estate agent” is almost literally synonymous with “bullshit artist”.

Gazelda · 21/11/2021 21:23

Was a south facing garden one of your key requirements? If it was, and you told the estate agents, then I think it'd be reasonable to complain. It sounds as though it was marketed as a particular feature of the property which the vendor believed to add value.

But I wouldn't expect any compensation resulting from the complaint. I think that if it was important to you then it would be reasonable to expect you to check.

TreborBore · 21/11/2021 21:25

Tell us which way your garden does face and what you want from it, and maybe we can make some suggestions. I have a north eastern facing corner to my garden and it is possible to grow nice albeit a more restricted range of plants.