It may be 50 years since John Lennon and the rest of The Beatles sung about the number of holes in Blackburn, Lancashire but the interest in the condition of roads has only intensified in the half decade that has followed. No matter the time of year or no matter the make-up of the local council, one of the biggest problems that people in Stockport have is the quality of roads. You only have to spend a minimal amount of time on social media to realise that potholes, bumps in the road and low quality surfacing is an issue that people face on a daily basis.
You automatically assume that it is the council’s authority to repair these bumps and holes but this isn’t always the case. There are private roads and there are public roads, and this means that some homeowners may actually have to pay for the cost of maintaining the road outside of their property.
Many private roads can still be used by the general public
When it comes to what defines a public road, it is not the ownership or the maintenance of the road that matters, it relates to whether there is a common use or right of use to access the road by the general public. This means that there may be a road that is privately owned, and which there is a named person or organisation, who has responsibility for maintaining the road but everyone has the legal right to access the road.
This is something that potential property owners and buyers may have to consider if their house is considered to lie on a private road. This is because the responsibility, and of course the cost, of maintaining the road falls on the property owners. Owning a home can be expensive and there are a number of costs that you have to consider, including costs that you may not have initially considered.
This is something that should be included in the details of the home, but it is something that is worth asking about. As more new builds are developed, it may be the case that private roads become even more common, ensuring property buyers have another cost they need to factor in.
When it comes to discussing an ideal day in the life of our team, you’ll find that speaking to our customers and clients is something we always look forward to. If you have any questions or queries about the Stockport property market or you are looking for guidance, please get in touch and we’ll be more than happy to help. You can give us a phone on 0161 480 8888 or send us an email at info@spencerharvey.co.uk. For a free valuation please visit: https://www.spencerharvey.co.uk/valuation-enquiry.html