We are in the process of looking for a new house, and have seen something that ticks lots of boxes.

Only sticking point for me is that the road is unadopted.

We are going to see it next week where I will have a proper chat with the vendor, but there are a couple of big potholes that look like they have been there for a while.

Any experience of issues around private roads?

Relatives live on one. No big problems. Every so often they fill in the potholes. Bit of a community thing. Of course it is an additional liability but only a fairly minor one.

Friend lives on one. Every few years they get a tipper load of aggregate and the whole road spends the weekend wheelbarrowing it about.

An old unmaintained pothole strewn road wouldn’t bother me. Had a few friends live on those without issue. As above you just chip in a fill the potholes occasionally. On a new housing estate I’d be wary of maintenance charges and suddenly getting a big bill.

Thanks. Sounds like I need to speak to the neighbours as well as the vendors.

I need to check with mortgage provider and insurance people as well I guess, could there potentially be issues with drainage/services?

What’s the deal on parking on these roads?

I know of one in a city that’s always a bone of contention between residents and commuters, as it’s in a very busy and heavily enforced area and thus is one of the few areas to park for the hordes of school-droppers, commuters and shoppers. When I used it I received a passive-aggressive note on my windscreen 🙂

Oh, and we bought a house on a new estate with unadopted roads but with a clause for when they’d be adopted. No problems there either – builder finished the estate, all roads adopted as per agreement with council.

Try and find out who owns the road if you can.

We moved into a house on an unadopted road recently and have had problems with a “neighbour” parking across the front of our property making it hard to get the car in/out. When questioned said neighbour said they are allowed to park there as the road isn’t our property! What makes it worse is that they don’t even live on the road!

Another thing to check is the drains and sewage system as this won’t be maintained by the council.

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I know a little bit as I own one, albeit an access track across marshland to riverside properties.

Check the deeds of the property you are looking to buy, there is a good chance that each property is required to maintain the road and the services that run under it on an equal share basis. Find out what this annual fee is and has been.

Find out what services run under the road, also try to find out who actually organises maintenance and repairs. It’s a good idea to talk with your potential neighbours to find out how often and expediently repairs and maintenance are undertaken.

Some potholes are good as they can keep traffic speeds down.

I lived on one for years, my mortgage provider wanted an indemnity policy to cover the event of the road owner restricting access to the property, but apart from that there were no real issues.

I live in one, there’s no maintenance at all but I’m not planning to be here long term so I don’t mind. Some residents repave outside their houses but most don’t bother.

Parking is easy but there’s some mystery people who seem to have a stick up their ass about it. I got notes left on my car for the first year I lived here. Someone also likes to cone off ‘their’ spaces.

It’s still a public highway so as far as I know anyone can legally park on the road. Downside is some of the things people assume you could do like leaving an untaxed/sorned car on the street, you technically shouldn’t but I’ve done it with no issues.

Indeed, which is why checking the deeds is important, there will hopefully be a clause which states something to the effect of property owners and their guests be allowed to pass and re-pass.

We live on an unadopted road. If the council are resurfacing the local roads I often pester the tarmac guys to drop off a load of the old chippings for potholes. A couple of us will then spend an afternoon filling them in.

My dad lives on one. I get rude notes left on my windscreen about parking my van there pretty much every time I go and see him.

Bear in mind that you can always request that the local highway authority adopt the road, although in these straightened times it may be unlikely.

It’s commonly accepted that unless the road is owned privately then the owners of the properties adjoining the highway, the frontagers, will likely be responsible for maintaining the road and and drainage of it. This implies that you can be held accountable for accidents caused by poor maintenance.

Topper

I live on one. It’s quite badly potholed but in the spring we all chip in £15 per household and have a couple of days repairing the worst of it with hardcore and cement. One of the blokes is a builder and organises it all. It’s great actually. We set a date and the fit and able blokes do the graft and the wives sort the beers/teas etc. It’s all very neighbourly and ends up a bit like a street party.

I also like the fact that the road is a bit rough as it doesn’t get used as a rat run and cars drive forcibly slowly. No issues with parking as it’s a quiet area.

. I get rude notes left on my windscreen about parking my van there pretty much every time I go and see him.

I’d be leaving a rude note telling them to mind their own sodding business, otherwise my dad at number… would be having words!

I lived on one, it was all gravel and potholes. Bought a Tamiya lunchbox to mess about on it, great fun, I was also able to own a ‘parts car’.

I’d do it again.

Bear in mind that you can always request that the local highway authority adopt the road, although in these straightened times it may be unlikely.[\b]
IME they won’t adopt it until it is already up to spec. and you also lose whatever ownership you might have had on the land as you’ve given it to the council. Having been there myself (and being the mug organising and filling in all the holes) I’d never do it again.

The biggest pain in the arse is when utilities companies dig it up, as they know they can do a s**t job.