Back-to-back houses - advice/opinions please

[SurreyGuy]

I'm looking to buy a property and have been offered viewings on some back-to-back houses. I've never been in one before, so what are the pros and cons of them please?

T.I.A.

[Ethel]

Are you sure it's a true back to back? If it is, there will only be one entrance/exit and no back garden. You will probably (but not always) have a front yard or garden.

You will have three party walls - one each either side and another at the back. This can cause a lot of noise.

Obviously there will only be windows on one side of the house. As this will be the road side it may be impossibly noisy to have your windows open at night, traffc fumes too.

Back to backs are generally small, with small rooms.

If your three neighbours allow their properties to fall into disrepair there could be a huge impact on your property.

Generally these houses do not appreciate in value as much as a terrace or semi in the same area.

I can't think of any pros to one of these houses.

[jake-the-peg]

I though Back-to-back housing was made illeagal a hundred years ago!

These are named as beingthe last surviving ones:
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-vi sits/w-findaplace/w-birmingham_backtobacks/

and they're a restored museum piece

[Ethel]

Jake - there are still back to back houses in some parts of the UK.

West Yorkshire has quite a few.

[Ethel]

The fourth house in this list is a back-to-back for sale

http://www.fish4.co.uk/iad/homes/result

[SurreyGuy]

Thanks Ethel

Both of the ones I've been sent are end-of-terrace

[jake-the-peg]

Gosh!

Well the main disadvantage is that they were put up as slum dwellings. Absolutely cheapest of everything. As to how much modernisation has been done and how well done is anybody's guess.

I'd be paying attention to possible damp - is there a damp proof course and is it effective?

How much noise gets through?

I'd imagine it's likely to have smallish windows and could be quite dark in winter ( mind you these could have been modernised and enlarged).

I guess you'd have good wall insulation if surrounded on 3 sides but that's the only advantage I can think of.

If there are a lot of houses close like this I'd worry about parking being an issue

I'd definately want a full structural survey if I was going to buy one

[jake-the-peg]

Oh potentiallly nasty if there were to be a fire of course (only one exit)

[SurreyGuy]

From the looks of the pics I'd say these two were built 1980ish - they're both on estates

[jake-the-peg]

Well you learn something every day!

You might like to look at this it's Leeds council's fire recommendations for rented homes but as they point out they are equally applicable to owner occupied and there's a complete section on recommendations for back to back housing.

http://www.leeds.gov.uk/files/2006/week15/inte r__77fcb19f-245c-4e9f-9b26-da9a92e72545_2e4181 9d-4895-497a-93c3-08d65da66dec.pdf

If nothing else it might be a handy bargaining tool with regards to the price if you decide to buy one