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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:
TrickyD · 21/11/2021 21:25

Why on earth would you need a compass? Why didn’t you just look up and see where the sun was; you said it was bright and sunny every time you viewed the house.

RosesAndHellebores · 21/11/2021 21:26

Does anyone have to look at a map, rather than where the sun is in the sky?

Dobbyhasnomaster · 21/11/2021 21:26

Unfortunately the rule for buying property is 'buyer beware', and the onus is on you as the purchaser to do your own research. It is ridiculous but it is the way our legal system currently works.

Nasturs · 21/11/2021 21:26

WHAT WAY DOES IT FACE?!?!?!?!?!?!

MrsSkylerWhite · 21/11/2021 21:27

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

You do realise the agent writes the description?

I have no idea of direction. Far as I’m concerned, up is north, down is south, that’s it.

We took our agent’s word (as it turns out, it was truthful).

You seem to want to be pissed off.

Orangecrisp · 21/11/2021 21:27

Can’t imagine ever buying a house without looking on google maps Confused

tulips27 · 21/11/2021 21:29

As others have said, I like north facing as long as the garden is at least medium sized. You have the sun through your front windows all day and sun in the back garden away from the house (depending on the situation).

twocatsandtwokids · 21/11/2021 21:29

Our garden is south-facing - not ideal as we have really tall trees all round so don’t get loads of sun anyway, but when we do, in the summer, it overheats the whole back of the house!! Our north-facing front garden is much nicer…

Evanna13 · 21/11/2021 21:32

What way does the garden face?

CallmeHendricks · 21/11/2021 21:33

If it was bright and sunny every time you visited the house to the extent that you didn't notice which way the garden was facing, then what's the problem?

ChequerBoard · 21/11/2021 21:35

If having a south facing garden was a deal breaker for you then you would have either a) had the common sense to know whether it was south facing or not on the 3 occasions you visited or b) have made a point of checking on a map.

Frankly if you didn't do either of these things it smacks of you not liking the house and needing to find something to make it someone else's fault.

Silverswirl · 21/11/2021 21:35

When I was viewing houses 2 years ago I got put my phone and used the map app every single time to check which way the garden faced? Why wouldn’t you do that to check?
It’s a huge boon to have a south facing or SE facing garden and was on the top of my list after having a north facing before.

PriamFarrl · 21/11/2021 21:36

iPhones have compasses built in and I’m guessing most other phones do too.

Anyway, we have a south facing garden. We also have a stack of trees and back onto woodland. The top of the garden is in the sun all day with the rest in the shade.

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 21/11/2021 21:36

@Hoesbeforebroes

I don't think anyone takes a compass to a viewing, but it's pretty normal to look at a map of the area?
I always did! Because the EAs never seemed to know, and even if they said they did, I’d want to check for myself, in case they were pulling a fast one.
StormyTeacups · 21/11/2021 21:37

Maybe they thought it was. 🤷 Do most people not just have a vague idea of what direction is what?

AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair · 21/11/2021 21:41

Maybe previous owner never checked and was told by the owner before?

And then never noticed that the sun rose and set in the wrong place? Grin

Chewbecca · 21/11/2021 21:44

What way does it face?

Mamamia344 · 21/11/2021 21:45

So what aspect is it?

BoredZelda · 21/11/2021 21:46

My garden is North facing. I viewed in the middle of summer and it had loads of sun. I do feel a bit short changed at this time of the year when I get a tiny triangle of sun on about 3ft of garden.

Don’t be. With the sun so low in winter, our south facing back garden means our living room (at the back of the house) has the curtains closed most of the day as the sun shines right in our eyes!

Also means the study at the front, which is my office) is freezing all day as it gets no sun at all.

BewareTheBeardedDragon · 21/11/2021 21:46

I hate the fact that some OPs are apparently deliberately obtuse and refuse answer the pertinent question asked by almost every other poster, thereby mildly contributing to the general crappiness of a Sunday evening...

DoubleTweenQueen · 21/11/2021 21:46

@heregoes74 The EA details are not a legally binding description, They are a marketing tool.

I have had arguments with EAs who have advertised 0.75 acres, yet I’ve looked up plans and land has been sold off, so more like 0.4 acres, yet EA disinterested and states that’s what vendor has given them, so they carry on using the false information - as an example.

Also an agent telling me clearly that buyer would own shared access driveway when it’s actually completely the reverse.

It’s very much buyer beware, and study plans and documents, check property and local environment at different times and without alerting vendors, also take compass to viewings if aspect key in your criteria.

South facing just makes a property potentially more desirable to some people, which may or may not increase ‘value’ if the garden attracts a number of buyers to the property who all bid.

’South facing’ could be a loose interpretation of any aspect within the 180 degrees between due West and due East.

Onus is on you to check if it’s a key issue for you personally.

Original poster
heregoes74 · 21/11/2021 21:47

Thanks for the oh so many rude and condescending comments, can always rely on Mumsnet for that 🤔 I'll have to wait until the sun comes up in the morning to check direction, I'll be sure to update you all then 🤣

OP posts:
borntobequiet · 21/11/2021 21:48

@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
They might not be lying, just be clueless about the points of the compass, as you seem to be.
CSJobseeker · 21/11/2021 21:49

I'm utterly perplexed as to how someone could be missold about what direction a garden faces. It's bleeding obvious from a cursory glance at a map.

C8H10N4O2 · 21/11/2021 21:50

@heregoes74

Thanks for the oh so many rude and condescending comments, can always rely on Mumsnet for that 🤔 I'll have to wait until the sun comes up in the morning to check direction, I'll be sure to update you all then 🤣
Or look it up on one of the many free online maps available at the click of a button.

Disadvantage being less scope for dramatic pause in the thread for a day. Hmm