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Original poster

Garden a short walk away from flat- deal breaker?

39 replies

mussinboots · 02/03/2022 20:29

We've got very few properties coming to the market that tick all our boxes. We're currently in a flat and (I) don't want to move from the area so am trying to convince my husband to consider a sideways move and consider a bigger flat with perks we don't have in our current flat- garden and parking.

We came across a flat today. It's a duplex over two floors and has a garden but the garden isn't directly accessible from the flat itself. In order to access the garden, you'd come out the door and walking a couple of meters to the side to reach it IYSWIM. Would that be a dealbreaker? I'm not sure how I feel about that. We have toddler twins and they and I NEED us to have a garden but not one where I have to walk them to it and stay with them to keep an eye on them.

OP posts:
MrsSkylerWhite · 02/03/2022 20:31

Dealbreaker, sorry. There are times, especially as they grow, when you need to be able to open the back door and let them go out by themselves.
I wouldn’t consider it.

WindyKnickers · 02/03/2022 20:36

Although it doesn't sound ideal my friend lived in a flat as a child that had a garden some distance away. It was an old mansion split into numerous smaller properties and their private garden was in the grounds - at least a 5 min walk away. It was lovely and big and had a pond. However they also had a large courtyard shared with other flats straight outside the back door for hanging washing and that would have been safe to play in/ride bikes. So, in short, not a deal breaker in itself.

Kilimanjaro97 · 02/03/2022 20:37

Does the duplex include the ground floor? Can you see the garden from the window? Could you change an existing window into French doors?

Original poster
mussinboots · 02/03/2022 20:40

@Kilimanjaro97

Does the duplex include the ground floor? Can you see the garden from the window? Could you change an existing window into French doors?
It doesn't sadly :/ as soon as you enter the front door, there are stairs leading you up to the first floor and then another set of stairs for the second floor. The downstairs flat is owned by someone else. However, the flat is freehold so I wonder if stairs from the upstairs, leading directly into the garden downstairs might be a possibility?
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Original poster
mussinboots · 02/03/2022 20:41

@MrsSkylerWhite

Dealbreaker, sorry. There are times, especially as they grow, when you need to be able to open the back door and let them go out by themselves. I wouldn’t consider it.

I face those times now- they're so bloody loud at times and I wish we had a private garden to let them run riot in.

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Original poster
mussinboots · 02/03/2022 20:42

@WindyKnickers

Although it doesn't sound ideal my friend lived in a flat as a child that had a garden some distance away. It was an old mansion split into numerous smaller properties and their private garden was in the grounds - at least a 5 min walk away. It was lovely and big and had a pond. However they also had a large courtyard shared with other flats straight outside the back door for hanging washing and that would have been safe to play in/ride bikes. So, in short, not a deal breaker in itself.

This is an Edwardian semi, sadly not a mansion :(

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nearlyspringyay · 02/03/2022 20:43

Dealbreaker for me. I lived in a maisonette like this for a while. We just didn't use the garden.

Haus1234 · 02/03/2022 20:46

Our flat is like this and we still use and enjoy the garden, but we don’t have toddlers! It has stopped us getting a dog for now. I agree you couldn’t let them out unsupervised so if that’s a dealbreaker for you then this probably isn’t the one.

Kilimanjaro97 · 02/03/2022 20:59

There are quite a few of those maisonettes in London where they are able to access the garden via a metal staircase to the first floor. I assume it depends on the layout and the terms of the lease. Might be an option to explore?

Calmdown14 · 02/03/2022 21:05

It's a no for me. We swapped two rooms in our house. Previously the garden could only be seen if I stood on my tiptoes in the (depressing) kitchen and the door was in the utility room.
We knocked this space into one, lowered the window and it now has a corner sofa under it.
Before I couldn't relax as couldn't see kids playing. Only so long you can wash up for.
Nowi can have a cuppa with my feet up and the sun on me.
Same garden, same house, world of difference

Similarly you want to be able to peg out washing in your pyjamas. I had a flat with shared garden and it wasn't the same

ComtesseDeSpair · 02/03/2022 21:16

I think for a family home, it’s not ideal but with secure fencing and gate, is fine for older children 5+ (in fact, they’d probably love being out of your sight and adventuring “alone.”)

We used to have a maisonette with a garden like this and it was fucking fantastic - surrounded by our neighbours’ gardens but only about 10 metres from our door, enclosed by trees - it felt like a secret garden in the middle of London. And it was a brilliant party garden because it wasn’t near any neighbouring houses. We sold easily to another childfree couple who loved it for exactly that reason.

MikeWozniaksMohawk · 02/03/2022 21:21

You know the answer to this. It’s not what you need with toddler twins. They will need supervising in the garden for years yet.

Original poster
mussinboots · 02/03/2022 21:29

It's a period property listed at the top end of our budget and needs at least 80-100k of working doing to it to bring it up to modern standards but I love the inside- it's packed full of period features and is a short walk to the station on a lovely road. It's just the garden that's putting me off :/ we currently have a communal garden where we are and I hate going down from our first floor flat and sitting around while the twins faff about.

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Dilbertian · 02/03/2022 21:33

When our dc were little we lived in a flat several floors up. The block had a lovely shared garden, but I could not leave the children alone in it. In summer I would leave a covered paddling pool out overnight, but everything else had to come down with us and go back up with us. It was like a trip to the park, buggy and all.

If the garden had been private to us, we could have had a shed down there with all the outdoor toys in it, and even a supply of snacks, nappies etc.

Yes, a garden attached directly to your home is lovely, but we thoroughly enjoyed 'our' garden. If a secure garden that you have to accompany the twins into is the compromise which will also get you more space and parking, I think it's worth it.

Dilbertian · 02/03/2022 21:34

Cross posted. Doesn't sound like it will work for you then. TBH I loved the downtime it enforced on me.

Original poster
mussinboots · 02/03/2022 21:40

Yes, a garden attached directly to your home is lovely, but we thoroughly enjoyed 'our' garden. If a secure garden that you have to accompany the twins into is the compromise which will also get you more space and parking, I think it's worth it.

This has actually made me feel better. This flat is twice the size as houses in our local areas. Maybe I could compromise...

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Rrrob · 02/03/2022 21:44

I have toddler twins too and this would be a deal breaker for me. My garden is also crap (steep slope with sharp deathtrap drop onto the patio) and I would love to be in the kitchen and open the door for them to play outside. It doesn’t sound like the garden of this dulpex offers that either, hence saying it would be a dealbreaker for me.

Easterbunnyiswindowshopping · 02/03/2022 21:46

Once lived in an upstairs flat with a front garden. Had 2, then 3, then 4 dc. Absolute nightmare and hardly ever went out..

Porridgeislife · 02/03/2022 22:33

Until very recently I lived in a row of houses where each flat had 1/2 or 1/3 of the garden, mostly accessed from the 1st floor.

Very few people used their gardens unless they had direct access. It’s a complete faff if you want eg a BBQ - everything has to be hauled down various flights of steps and taken back up again, if you realise you’ve forgotten the ketchup then it’s a hike up and down to get it.

You’re also completely overlooked in this set up by other houses, and few buyers consider them to be “garden” flats - one neighbour sold for less in 2021 than purchase 8 years ago.

friendlycat · 02/03/2022 22:44

This would drive you mad in reality. It’s not the right property for you. I’ve had this type of arrangement in my first flat and it was just me and was annoying.

With twins it would not work.

Frecklespy · 02/03/2022 22:55

It doesn't sadly :/ as soon as you enter the front door, there are stairs leading you up to the first floor and then another set of stairs for the second floor. The downstairs flat is owned by someone else. However, the flat is freehold so I wonder if stairs from the upstairs, leading directly into the garden downstairs might be a possibility?

Dealbreaker for me too, sorry.

Just wanted to add, though, that it is highly unlikely that the flat is freehold. More likely that you are buying a leasehold flat, but with a share of the freehold split between you and the other owners.

Bideyinn · 02/03/2022 22:57

I think it could work. The flat sounds perfect and realistically you are going to have supervise them closely in any garden for a while yet. You can investigate the possibility of stairs over time. A shed or other storage for toys, chairs etc?

Original poster
mussinboots · 02/03/2022 23:01

@Frecklespy

It doesn't sadly :/ as soon as you enter the front door, there are stairs leading you up to the first floor and then another set of stairs for the second floor. The downstairs flat is owned by someone else. However, the flat is freehold so I wonder if stairs from the upstairs, leading directly into the garden downstairs might be a possibility?

Dealbreaker for me too, sorry.

Just wanted to add, though, that it is highly unlikely that the flat is freehold. More likely that you are buying a leasehold flat, but with a share of the freehold split between you and the other owners.

It's 100% freehold since the gentleman who owned it, owned the entire building. He was quite a businessman and had quite a few properties on the same road. The EA has said he'll double check if the sale of the flat will include the leasehold for the flat below.
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Original poster
mussinboots · 02/03/2022 23:02

@Bideyinn

I think it could work. The flat sounds perfect and realistically you are going to have supervise them closely in any garden for a while yet. You can investigate the possibility of stairs over time. A shed or other storage for toys, chairs etc?

It's a fenced-off landscaped garden with shed and greenhouse, etc.

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Dazedandconfused10 · 02/03/2022 23:09

100% freehold as in you're in charge of the leases for everyone else? In which case do you know what that entails?