What to do about this sloped garden?

[ThisMustBeMyDream]

I have viewed my first house today. I was the first to view, and there has been no mention of other viewers. I'm sure they will get more viewings though. The owners were lovely, and we found a personal connection (I was the midwife to one of their grandchildren), she was even on the phone to her next door neighbour whilst we were there telling them all about us and telling us how lovely the neighbour was . So I almost feel like this house was meant to be ours in some silly kind of way .
So, there are some small things we would need to do to make it work for us. But there is one big thing, and it might be a deal breaker. There is land to the side of the house, which isn't incorporated in to the back garden. The owners told me that it was because they couldn't be bothered to level it out. But I'm not sure if we even can. I've attached pictures of the land from street view, and from the current rightmove listing. The owners have recently taken out the bushes and laid turf to the side, as you can see from RM. It is leasehold, and I don't know a lot, but I know there are things like covenants. Is there a way to find out before starting the legal process? Or is asking the owners the only way? I'm going to pop a note through with my number later as the estate agents never answer the phone (I had to go their this morning to sort the flipping viewing). She said we can come for a second viewing any time, which is what I'd like to arrange, and I can ask those kind if questions then. I just wondered if any wise Mnetters had any ideas!

There not their . Ooops!

Why is it such a deal breaker? Is the back garden not big enough?

What is the problem with the land to the side (apart from it sloping, which shouldn't affect anything)?

Not sure why this is a problem TBH OP.
It's not as if you would want to sit there in your deck chair - or would you?

The garden is not big enough for what we would like. Space for the children to play, with swing, slide, somewhere to bike, space for a big paddling pool in the summer etc. At the moment it is smaller than we have, and I really don't like mine for space, so moving to somewhere that is smaller is a deal breaker. If we can combine the land to the side as part of the garden, it will give more space, and we could make it work.

I'm going from a 3 bed semi, where the kitchen is too small and the garden too. This is a 3 bed detached but with 4th bedroom downstairs, plus conservatory. However it also has a small kitchen and small back garden, but the land it sits on is much bigger. If I have to compromise (again )on the kitchen, then I don't want to on the garden!

If you wanted to higher the level of the garden you'd need to retain the soil with a retaining wall. As it opens onto a pavement you'd need to meet regs etc (I assume, as its a safety issue). Whether the leaseholder would give permission I couldn't say, as adding a metre to the wall would change the aesthetic.
If you wanted to lower the garden level that would theoretically be easier, but you'd have a drop from house to garden, and you'd surely want to fence in the area for some privacy, again you may need leaseholders permission..

Trust me, as I’m dealing with a retaining wall issue, you won’t get anyone to touch that to level it out. Not to mention the cost, which I don’t think you’d see much change of from £10k. Sorry x

The deal breaker is not the garden but the leasehold! Never ever buy a leasehold house. Someone else owns the land and can charge a fortune for it. If you can buy the lease it will probably cost a fortune. Don't do it!

@Littlepaws18

The deal breaker is not the garden but the leasehold! Never ever buy a leasehold house. Someone else owns the land and can charge a fortune for it. If you can buy the lease it will probably cost a fortune. Don't do it!

Agree. Go for freehold.

The lease is £75 per year. I'm not too concerned. I'd rather freehold, but sometimes you can't be that picky. Unfortunately.

@ThisMustBeMyDream

The lease is £75 per year. I'm not too concerned. I'd rather freehold, but sometimes you can't be that picky. Unfortunately.

I hadn't heard of that before. Id run a mile before agreeing to that.

What?! You've never heard that houses are either freehold or leasehold? Really? It is basic home owning knowledge. Nothing to run from!

Levelling a garden & moving lots of earth is v complex & expensive.

From the photos, there seems to very big shed in the garden - can you remove that to get some more space? you might be able to put a smaller shed on stilts over the sloping bit of garden (if there aren't planning issues) to get some garden storage.

The steep gravel bit would be v hard to change. The bit by the drive which slopes gently is not so bad - you could put a fence around & include it as a sloping area of garden? Put a playhouse there & build in a slide that runs down the slope? but you won't be able to make it flat.

Shed can't move. It's like a garden room. We could get rid of the 2nd shed, but it would mean we have zero storage for anything. The loft is virtually unusable they have told me. They have Christmas decs up there, but that is it. The only other storage space is a cupboard on the landing. So losing the 2nd shed would be a struggle. The garden room is needed for a hobby room.

@ThisMustBeMyDream

What?! You've never heard that houses are either freehold or leasehold? Really? It is basic home owning knowledge. Nothing to run from!

Leasehold houses are comparatively unusual (in England at least) - only about 7%.

It sounds like there are a lot of compromises on this house.

Why does it need levelling? Can't you just move the fence to the property boundary?

Like a pp, I'd be reluctant to touch a leasehold house.

28% of houses in the North West are leasehold, which is where I am. The vast majority of houses in my area are leasehold. My current house is freehold, but the majority are lease. It isn't a big issue. Not here, where it is commonplace.

If we move the fence, there will be no privacy in the garden. The land isn't usable as the slope is too steep as it is now. I want usable land, not just any land.

I just checked my town, and over 50% of properties are leasehold. Like I say, I'm not going to be able to avoid it. It is what it is. The owners tell me it hasn't been an issue, they have had the conservatory and garden room built with permission gained easily. And the lease is only £75 a year, and no massive increases have been made in the 20 years since they bought it as a new build.

I am sorry but I cannot see the appeal. The issues that you mention are huge. That's assuming the leasehold aspect of the sale continues to be plain sailing.

I don't think it's the house for you.

I don’t think you could incorporate that side land into your back garden and fence it in, sorry.

Even if you could combine it in, the steepness would be a death trap. One of my friends fractured her skull falling down the steep bit of her garden and through the fence - and her dad only found out because a random walker at the bottom saw it and started to scream for help. Def not something I’d pick with a young family.

The appeal is it is in the right location, for the right price, with the right number of reception spaces and bedrooms for what we need. Otherwise I wouldn't be considering it! I had thought we may only be able to get a 3 bed extended semi as they seem to be at the price I can afford, however this is detached and has access to the rear which most extended semis here don't. So it is a good plus point for me.
Here's the layout. It is up for 240k.