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Original poster

What do you think of this flat?

120 replies

AfterTheRainComesSun · 05/12/2023 11:27

https://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/64804766/?search_identifier=6b42a58c5882bfa0edb5e0e44deba7cd0b64374e13d948a067e06a716e767d6b

OP posts:
ChristmasSteps295 · 05/12/2023 15:45

It's nice. Probably quite hard to keep warm. But yeah I could live there, if anyone fancied bozzing me half a mil.

AlltheFs · 05/12/2023 15:47

Flat is ok for the money. The tiny kitchen is off putting and the rooms are small. Depends how many it is for.

I’m not a flat fan but it seems light and good area. But it’s smaller than our cottage and there’s only 2 adults and DD in ours and I’d say we’d struggle with less space.

LylaLee · 05/12/2023 15:49

Ginmonkeyagain · 05/12/2023 15:43

Ha ha - there is no way it would be marketed as a one bed flat- in London everything that isn't a kitchen or a bathroom is potentially a bedroom.

Totally agree. Just saying what the reality of the layout is. Next thing you know that lounge will be made into a bedsit and the big hallway made into a separate entrance.

Chuffaluffa · 05/12/2023 15:49

JustWhatWeDontNeed · 05/12/2023 14:07

Please point me in the direction of detached period properties with 10 acres (or less) for 550k.

I want to relocate but am aimless about where and this sounds perfect Grin

Show quote history

I mean, it’s not acres, but it would do! https://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/66172043/?search_identifier=94cbfb6f51f6ff3a401c6f4bb015feac2b3e589b89ab5ef299f7e3a4aab13d20

BrimfulOfMash · 05/12/2023 15:49

I like it a lot.

Brilliant location.

It would be easy to put in a small stud wall porch round the door, but lots of flats (and houses) have the front door directly into a Reception room.

This age of flats were solidly built, I don’t think noise would be too bad at all.

Good value, short walk to station, walk over the bridge to Kingston, the river, Bushy Park is lovely (Londoner).

DidiAskYouThough · 05/12/2023 15:51

AfterTheRainComesSun · 05/12/2023 15:20

@DidiAskYouThough but these type of comments don't really make any sense to me. Of course you need to contextualise your answer.
This is a flat near London, obviously it is never going to be comparable to a 5 bed detached country house in the middle of nowhere up north. Good for you if that's where you like to be and have found your perfect lifestyle but I have absolutely zero reasons to be planning a move to the other side of the country where I'd have no job, no friends, no family and zero connections.

I could say the same thing about your beautiful house btw - yeah stunning but for that price I'd rather get a 1 bed flat in central London as it would suit my lifestyle more :)

Im not ‘up north’, or in England at all ☺️
You contextualise your post, you never said why you want opinions, if you’re selling it, or buying, then chastise others about context.

Butsheisnot · 05/12/2023 15:55

I used to live in this area and it is lovely except for being so busy and overcrowded.

The service charge of £3500 per year would put me right off. As would not knowing the length of the lease.

Other than that, it's quite nice. The bathroom needs modernising though.

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 05/12/2023 16:02

The service charge of £3500 per year would put me right off. As would not knowing the length of the lease

Which makes me suspect it's a short one. A long lease or a recently extended one is a definite selling point

RoachFish · 05/12/2023 16:06

I think it's quite nice although I don't love the kitchen or the bathroom. I would want to build in the front door with stud walls and have a closed off area for coats and shoes and then the dining room being just that. It looks cold as they don' have any rugs, hardly any plants, art, books etc but you can definitely cosy it up if you wanted to.

Original poster
AfterTheRainComesSun · 05/12/2023 16:08

@Butsheisnot the service charge includes heating and water bills and it's a share of freehold for 999 years

OP posts:
Original poster
AfterTheRainComesSun · 05/12/2023 16:09

https://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/65782525/?search_identifier=3f94160d38b201e7d93ec1eba6bd6b09fef24f9373d3b30e1d70141eb0fb8708

2 bed in the same building, I also find it stunning.

To answer other questions, it's me, DH and DC. We are FTBs.

OP posts:
StaunchMomma · 05/12/2023 16:10

It's nice, OP.

I couldn't help but wince at the price, though.

We're in a London commuter village and paid less than that for a 5 bed, Grade II listed old Manor House with a double Garage 😬

WonderingAboutBabies · 05/12/2023 16:10

Ahh, I know this block well! I have various friends who live in different flats in that block. It is in an INCREDIBLE location - opposite Bushy Park, near Hampton Wick and Kingston stations, Teddington High Street and Lock. I'd live there in a heartbeat!

One thing I will say though, is that the road it is on can get very congested - if you drive a lot, you may find pulling in/out of the parking area very difficult!

tara66 · 05/12/2023 16:10

Don't buy leasehold property. There is, however new Bill at the moment which was in last King's Speech regarding reform of leasehold eg for ground rent to make it only peppercorn etc.
BUT leasehold = fleecehold. Meaning money can be spent by managing agent that has to be paid by leaseholders who often do not get shown the accounts.
I do not see what length of lease is here - leases below 80 years are not good and may not get mortgages.

Thatfeatherthere · 05/12/2023 16:15

I really liked it until I saw the size of the kitchen. It's tiny when you look at the floor plan and not the misleading photos I don't think it's big enough for a family.

Original poster
AfterTheRainComesSun · 05/12/2023 16:16

@tara66 lease is 900+ years

OP posts:
dotdotdotdash · 05/12/2023 16:16

tara66 · 05/12/2023 16:10

Don't buy leasehold property. There is, however new Bill at the moment which was in last King's Speech regarding reform of leasehold eg for ground rent to make it only peppercorn etc.
BUT leasehold = fleecehold. Meaning money can be spent by managing agent that has to be paid by leaseholders who often do not get shown the accounts.
I do not see what length of lease is here - leases below 80 years are not good and may not get mortgages.

It's a share of freehold with a 999 year lease. It's in the particulars!

tara66 · 05/12/2023 16:16

I see you added it's a 999year lease - so that's very good. That will mean the GR is peppercorn.

KievLoverTwo · 05/12/2023 16:19

tara66 · 05/12/2023 16:10

Don't buy leasehold property. There is, however new Bill at the moment which was in last King's Speech regarding reform of leasehold eg for ground rent to make it only peppercorn etc.
BUT leasehold = fleecehold. Meaning money can be spent by managing agent that has to be paid by leaseholders who often do not get shown the accounts.
I do not see what length of lease is here - leases below 80 years are not good and may not get mortgages.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-67569517

But the government says the ban will be added to the bill at a later stage in its passage through Parliament.

Yeah? Don't hold your breath.

But some are disappointed a ban on the sale of new leaseholds does not include flats. There are an estimated five million leasehold homes in England - 70% of which are flats.
"Not only does this long overdue piece of legislation not ensure that new flats will be sold as freehold, contrary to what ministers have claimed it doesn't even do what it says on the tin and ban the sale of new leasehold houses," Labour's shadow housing minister Matthew Pennycook said.

If they don't even have the balls to do it on new flats, how long do you think it will take the government to implement changes for old flats?

New housing north of Winchester in England in 2021

Leasehold ban not included in housing reform law

Ministers say the ban will be added to the law at a later stage, raising doubts about its inclusion.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-67569517

Snippit · 05/12/2023 16:21

I’d be concerned about heating it as it’s quite open plan, but then again if the service charge does include heating and water it’s not such an issue, lovely and spacious.

MissyB1 · 05/12/2023 16:23

Oh im in love with that two bedroom one!! I want it!

Ginmonkeyagain · 05/12/2023 16:27

I think what is noted as the "dining room" on the plant is actually just quite a big entrance hall - we have a thirties flat and our hallway is massive - big enough for a big shoe storage unit, the recycling bin, a built in cupboad and a double moving wall with a small cloakeroom and other storage behind with no loss of space to move between rooms.

It seems to be a thing in flats of this era.

I think the current owners have tired to open up the living room to make the entrance hall space more usable as living space, but it doesn't quite work somehow. I wonder if they perhaps removed a dividing wall in that space.

Mothmansknickers · 05/12/2023 16:28

Beautiful building and grounds and if your gas is included in the service charge, that's fab.
The bedrooms are a bit small though so I'd probably go for a two-bedroom with the same square footage.

devildeepbluesea · 05/12/2023 16:29

If I needed to be close to London and this was my budget I’d absolutely go for it. Actually I’d go for the 2 bed. I think they’re both great.

tara66 · 05/12/2023 16:30

Honestly check if you will get regular copies of accounts for the service charges. Ask to see copy of accounts for last service charges.
I am in a leasehold and service charges just go up and up - we haven't had accounts for 10 years. You may have hot water and heating included but does the management try to control costs? The corridors in our communal parts at the moment are like living in the Caribbean!