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Original poster

Offer accepted but no dropped kerb

81 replies

GranolaGranola · 28/05/2022 15:31

We had an offer accepted on a house in April which has a driveway with space for 2 cars. However we’ve just been back to look at it again and realised the kerb isn’t actually dropped - not sure how we missed this first time although the kerb is fairly low along the street anyway so it’s not as noticeable as it could be. The owners are parking on it anyway but I understand it means they aren’t legally permitted to access their drive.

I’m not sure what we should do next. Should we lower our offer by the amount it costs to drop the kerb? And potentially pull out if the vendors refuse?

It does look like using the drive should be fine but I’m not happy that potentially the council could stop us using it in the future or people could park across it on the street. I’m also conscious that regardless of the cost of getting it dropped it’s not guaranteed we’d be granted planning permission.

OP posts:
Johnnysgirl · 28/05/2022 15:34

No, I'd imagine they'll refuse to engage with this nonsense. I would.

LIZS · 28/05/2022 15:36

Just check it has not been refused then apply yourselves.

Redouble · 28/05/2022 15:36

Honestly, I think it would be shit to drop your office price. It wasn't their fault that you didn't notice, and it's not their issue that you want a drop kerb.

If it were me, I'd continue and sort it after moving in. It's unlikely you wouldn't get permission.

But if you're actually considering dropping out over this, is this maybe not the right house and you're finding fault?

Redouble · 28/05/2022 15:37

*offer not office!

girlmom21 · 28/05/2022 15:39

Buy the house and pay to get the kerb dropped.

LittleOwl153 · 28/05/2022 15:40

If its listed as a house with a driveway for 2 cars then I'd want to to be a house with a driveway for 2 cars. I'd want to check with the council what the status is - they'll be able to tell you what it woukd cost to do properly too.
I would pull out over this - but then I live in an area where parking is a premium and driveway parking would be high on my list of needs in a house.

Fleur405 · 28/05/2022 15:41

I don’t think the council have people patrolling the streets looking to ban people using their drives! I’d enquire with the vendors why this is and assuming permission hasn’t actually been refused then just sort it out yourself. What is the situation with the other properties on the street?

OrangeBall · 28/05/2022 15:44

We viewed an amazing house that we would have bought but the kerb wasn't dropped. The driveway came out too close to a junction so we knew they would never get permission. I would just check that it's possible to get one or not. This was clear they would never get it - the house was taken off the market in the end

Original poster
GranolaGranola · 28/05/2022 15:46

Most of the houses on the street do have dropped kerbs although there’s a couple that are in the same position as this one. I can’t see an obvious reason why there would be a problem with dropping it but it’s a good idea to check that permission hasn’t previously been refused.

And I take the point about enforcement not being likely but then I know of one local street (albeit different LA) where the council have put bollards up in front of drives without dropped kerbs.

OP posts:
Grumpybutfunny · 28/05/2022 15:48

Have you go the searches back. My parents drive has a low curb not a traditional dropped curb because the road is owned by the residents and that's the style they chose

Original poster
GranolaGranola · 28/05/2022 15:54

Interesting - we haven’t got the searches back yet although I doubt that’s the case here.

OP posts:
Original poster
GranolaGranola · 28/05/2022 15:55

Good mix of replies anyway - thank you. I think we’ll make further enquiries as to why it hasn’t already been done then take it from there.

OP posts:
SW1amp · 28/05/2022 15:58

Where I am, it’s about £350 to get the council to drop the kerb

Clearly you wouldn’t drop the offer by that, or pull out

does the council not have a planning portal on the website for you to check if they’ve previously applied?

Chesneyhawkes1 · 28/05/2022 16:01

We can get 3 cars on our drive. However the kerb is only actually dropped in front of the garage - so for one car.

We still park on our drive. The kerb is low. We will get around to getting it dropped if we decide to stay here longer than another year.

It wasn't something I even noticed when we viewed the house.

Very occasionally someone will park across the non dropped bit blocking my husbands car in, which they are legally entitled to do

JustALittleHelpPlease · 28/05/2022 16:09

Look at the rules and look at the property. Things like position of lampposts affect if you will get a dropped kerb. If you can't I wouldn't proceed personally.

titchy · 28/05/2022 16:10

Very occasionally someone will park across the non dropped bit blocking my husbands car in, which they are legally entitled to do

That's your biggest problem - not the lack of pp.

lassof · 28/05/2022 16:12

yes, ask to reduce your offer by £350, why not?

Original poster
GranolaGranola · 28/05/2022 16:16

Hmmm having looked this up I had in my head that it was a lot more expensive! Although it seems it would likely be a couple of thousand in total rather than £350. So it’s not the offer price but whether we’d be able to do it in future. I’ll have a proper read of the council’s policy and enquire as to whether there’s been a previous application.

OP posts:
BeforeGodAndAllTheFish · 28/05/2022 16:20

How long are you expecting the sale to take to complete? If you're waiting for a chain to all go through then could you ask them to apply for it now?

You do want to get started on it. The council could come and install lampposts or electrical boxes etc on the pavement. They dont install things on the pavement at a dropped kerb, but I'd they plan it and come to do the work, they wont stop just because someone has turned their front garden into a driveway. Theyll put the box in right infront of your drive as it isnt a drive.

Queenoftheashes · 28/05/2022 16:21

As if you’d have the front to lower your offer because you’ve discovered an issue that was clearly visible from the street

easyday · 28/05/2022 16:22

@Fleur405 they certainly do! I did have a dropped curb but wanted to make it an in and out drive and had the driveway done before getting the paperwork in for the exit drop. I got a letter from the council saying they had seen it and I was not allowed to use it until I got permission, and if I did and subsequently damaged the pavement and curb I could be liable.
However I do think I was unlucky - my neighbours are obviously going over the pavement as they have concreted over the whole front garden (it was so pretty before too) and instead of just one car in front of their garage they have a boat and three pick up trucks. It's been like that for four years.

Chesneyhawkes1 · 28/05/2022 16:22

@titchy yep. It's a dick move as we live in a quiet cul de sac - not somewhere with hardly any parking - but until we get the kerb dropped we can't moan about it 😂 well I don't - the husband does

SW1amp · 28/05/2022 16:25

lassof · 28/05/2022 16:12

yes, ask to reduce your offer by £350, why not?

If a buyer tried to reduce an offer by £350, it would be waving more red flags than a communists parade

Don’t be that person…

Floralnomad · 28/05/2022 16:25

SW1amp · 28/05/2022 15:58

Where I am, it’s about £350 to get the council to drop the kerb

Clearly you wouldn’t drop the offer by that, or pull out

does the council not have a planning portal on the website for you to check if they’ve previously applied?

We had our dropped kerb extended a couple of years ago , it was about £350 to get the planning and we had quotes between £1200 -1700 to actually do the job as you have to use someone off an approved council list . In the end we paid about £1700 for everything .

ItsSnowJokes · 28/05/2022 16:36

Around here it's 1200 per piece of dropped kerb. So if you need 3 it's 3600. It's a tot rip off but the council have a good scam going on with local tradesmen who are approved to do the work.