Would you buy a house near a prison?

[tintodeverano2]

I have seen a beautiful property that fits all our wants and is £50k below our budget. It doesn't need any work doing to it and you could move straight in. The only issue is the proximity to a prison. It's literally 300 yards away. That's why it's so cheap isn't it?

Agree with the pp who ask what your view of the prison is, whether it is adults or young offenders, closed or remand etc.

Young offenders tend to be noisier on an evening and noise carries. A remand prison may have lots of visitors or vans pulling up at all hours. Is it floodlit at night?

Absolutely.

My friend lives in the grounds of an open prison. She pays no council tax and the prisoners do her garden

@FAQs

Randomly the prison near where I live impacts my insurance premiums, crimes stat reported to the Police and not dealt within the prison in-house can raise or lower my house and car insurance. Insurers just tend to look at the postcode. I live in a village which has virtually no crime, it’s always the prison.

Sounds like Denbury?!

I did. Didn't bother me at all. Non existent crime due to the security, my car insurance premiums were cheap. Really quiet.

@positivevibesonly22 not that one but similar scenario.

Yes I would.

This wouldn't bother me at all.

This is a bit grim😀

Hmm I'm not that fussy about location but would prefer not to live near a prison. There is a secure mental hospital in a nearby place we considered moving to but the risk of escapees put me off too much.

It wouldn't bother me

I wouldn't live on the same street as I used to see a quite a lot of people hanging around outside the prison, drones etc going over Wandsworth. but I did live just round the corner and you then didnt see any of it.

Depends on the prison!

Probably a lot less trouble than a secondary school or a pub

What’s parking like for visitors? And staff?

Because my local prison the nearby residents moan about staff parking on the streets, visitors parking on the streets.

I wouldn't be concerned about the inmates. However we have a prison locally and walk nearby, you can hear noise from outside exercise - so I would want to know the extent and amount of that.

(Houses are noticeably cheaper right nearby so it must bother some people).

Grew up on a prison estate and wouldn't hesitate to buy near one. Very secure and IF there's an escape attempt they won't be hanging around nearby.

I'd rather live near a prison than in leafy and desirable Crowthorne in Berkshire where Broadmoor is. They test the escaping detainee alarm every Monday which is slightly alarming.

I think you need to go and walk around at different times of day. I used to walk past Pentonville frequently. Some times silence, sometimes it was super loud, like loads of rowdy shouting and banging continuously, couldn’t have lived with that.

Wouldn’t really bother me. Although, I did work near Strangeways for a while as a temp and the only things that bothered me were when the Cat A prisoners were transferred to court - when Dale Cregan’s court case was taking place the noise from the police escort (cars, vans and helicopters) was ridiculous. Also, you could tell when they were having cabbage because you could smell it half way down Bury New Road.

Wouldn’t bother me at all

Surprised at people saying it’s more safe due to increased security, the prison guards don’t protect the houses nearby and police do not give these houses special service levels, sure they will move fast if there is an escape, but that’s rare, they are not going to move faster if someone smashes your car windows, breaks into your home or mugs you, and of course there will be some dodgey people around at visiting times

For me I don’t think it’s more or less safe than anywhere else, more it would be can I see it and is it an eye sore, is there enough parking or do visitors park on the side streets, and is there any noise from it.

@JenniferAlisonPhilippaSue

I think you need to go and walk around at different times of day. I used to walk past Pentonville frequently. Some times silence, sometimes it was super loud, like loads of rowdy shouting and banging continuously, couldn’t have lived with that.

That's a good point. I think we will take a few drives around the area at different times to see what it's like. It's a cat C prison.

I don't think it is a safety concern. We lived miles from the nearest prison when I was a child, and we had 2 escaped prisoners knock on the door one day.
My Dad left them alone with my toddler sister while he went to get his car keys to give them a lift to the bus stop 🙄 (they said they were injured walkers).
Luckily the police helicopter flew over and they ran off.
They had escaped from prison transport about a mile from our house.

I’d definitely spend some evenings seeing what the noise level is like after bang up. But also be aware it will be a lot quieter this time of year when it’s 0 degrees outside than on a balmy summers evening when they all as much air flow in as possible and are shouting to each other.

I’d also check how close you are to a visitors entrance and if you’re on the route from bus/train etc.

300 yards is really close though, it must be very visible and a big presence. I’d check parking, noise, folks hanging round and visual impact.