The Semi-Detached Mystery

[Guest The Relaxation Suite]

Hi All

Just a quick question - why are so many end-of-terraces now being redesignated as semi-detached on all the property websites, like Net House Prices, Zoopla, Mouseprice? Is it because Land Registry has this information wrong, and if so, why does it have it wrong? Are they trying to phase out the term end-of-terrace, or is it not so much sinister conspiracy as incompetence? A deceitful little toerag I know of has just sold his end-of-terrace but marketed it throughout as a semi-detached and it irritated me somewhat.

Thanks in advance.

[South Lorne]

Hi All

Just a quick question - why are so many end-of-terraces now being redesignated as semi-detached on all the property websites, like Net House Prices, Zoopla, Mouseprice? Is it because Land Registry has this information wrong, and if so, why does it have it wrong? Are they trying to phase out the term end-of-terrace, or is it not so much sinister conspiracy as incompetence? A deceitful little toerag I know of has just sold his end-of-terrace but marketed it throughout as a semi-detached and it irritated me somewhat.

Thanks in advance.

...EA spin...?....

[Guest The Relaxation Suite]

...EA spin...?....

But EAs surely can't contravene Trades Description, etc - or does this not apply to property? They can do it if the Land Reg does it, I'm sure - but why is the Land Reg doing it? These places are not semi-detached houses.

[Si1]

I had a topic some time ago - WFT are 'townhouses'

we concluded they are posh terraced houses

[juvenal]

2002 Telegraph article by reformed housebreaker...

"The best deterrent is a dog," says Taylor. "Burglars don't like dogs, even small ones, because they make too much noise. And burglars don't like noise. So a gravel drive is also a good idea. It's probably more of a deterrent than outside lights, because lights can be turned on by animals, so people often ignore them." End-of-terrace houses and detached properties with gardens on all sides are more at risk because neighbours are less likely to hear anything".

So you call it a semi, and it won't get burgled so often.

[South Lorne]

But EAs surely can't contravene Trades Description, etc - or does this not apply to property? They can do it if the Land Reg does it, I'm sure - but why is the Land Reg doing it? These places are not semi-detached houses.

...if you complained to the Trade Descriptions Board / Ombudsman or whatever....you would probably stand a good chance of winning ...

[Guest The Relaxation Suite]

sorry to point out the obvious but maybe it's because they're only attached on one sdie.

We know this. A house that is attached on one side at the end of a terrace of houses is called "end-of-terrace". A house that is attached on one side to one other house is called "semi-detached". It is how we distinguish between the two different types of property.

You wouldn't market your semi-detached as "end-of-terrace" and it is equally incoreect to do so the other way around.

Edited September 28, 2010 by Tecumseh

[fallingbuzzard]

A semi-detached house has one other house attached to it An end-of-terrace house is the one on the end of a block of three or more houses. That the agents lie in this way proves that there is a genuine premium. If there wasn't they wouldn't bother. Snobbery is very important when you're trying to screw money out of people on a "status"

purchase.

There are also differences in construction between semi and end terrace.Construction issues aside, in a semi detached house there is noone with access to your garden. In end terraces, the mid terrace may have right of way round your garden to get to their back door.

Quite a lot of terraced houses are marketed as detached if their construction is seemingly detached. They're still terraced though but a seller will always like to pocket the premium!

Hi All

Just a quick question - why are so many end-of-terraces now being redesignated as semi-detached on all the property websites, like Net House Prices, Zoopla, Mouseprice? Is it because Land Registry has this information wrong, and if so, why does it have it wrong? Are they trying to phase out the term end-of-terrace, or is it not so much sinister conspiracy as incompetence? A deceitful little toerag I know of has just sold his end-of-terrace but marketed it throughout as a semi-detached and it irritated me somewhat.

Thanks in advance.

[Mr. Miyagi]

...if you complained to the Trade Descriptions Board / Ombudsman or whatever....you would probably stand a good chance of winning ...

The legislation is the Property Misdescriptions Act 1991and the Property Misdescriptions (Specified Matters) Order 1992 made under the Act.

The Trade Descriptions Act 1968 is now more or less repealed and never applied to property transactions.

[Si1]

Just a quick question - why are so many end-of-terraces now being redesignated as semi-detached

thisw could take a bearish spin - there are so many f*cking people desperate to sell their house and so f*cking few buyers out there (apart from my f*cking family) that canny sellers (and I mean that term correctly) realise anything - f*cking anything - that can make the house stand out needs to be done, in the sea of desperate sellers and drought of buyers.

Edited September 28, 2010 by Si1

[Self Employed Youth]

the colloquial term of 'nob on the end' is not used anymore? The nob on the end has to pay more for heating, and gets to hear all the neighbours arguing as they walk through the gennel.

[Stop The Ride]

We know this. A house that is attached on one side at the end of a terrace of houses is called "end-of-terrace". A house that is attached on one side to one other house is called "semi-detached". It is how we distinguish between the two different types of property.

You wouldn't market your semi-detached as "end-of-terrace" and it is equally incoreect to do so the other way around.

Oddly enough when we bought our last house, it as marketed as a terraced and listed in LR as a terraces. When we sold, we sold it as a semi. They were the only pair of semis on the road and we think WW2 bombs must have left them stranded.

[Bloo Loo]

whats the difference between a flat, an apartment and a condo?

No, its not a joke.

[hpc-craig]

We were shown round a MID terrace and the brochure and the EA insisted on calling it a 'semi detached' the reason being (i queried him on it) was because it had a private alleyway to get to the back garden it was 'basically a semi detached'.

Mind you this was January 09 we were looking round and they were trying anything to get a sale.

[hedgefunded]

I always wondered why so many semi-detached houses were ever built, and continue to be.

For the cost of a load of bricks, a bit more mortar and a couple of days labour, you'd have two detached houses.

I know you need a bit of land as well, but we're talking one metre, maybe two. That's usualy available at the other side of the house anyway.

[xux42]

I had a topic some time ago - WFT are 'townhouses'

we concluded they are posh terraced houses

This is a town house:

Ironically they are invariably referred to as part of a regency terrace by EAs.

Any vendor or EA who calls a bog standard terraced house a town house is making themselves look even more foolish than they are.

[xux42]

I always wondered why so many semi-detached houses were ever built, and continue to be.

For the cost of a load of bricks, a bit more mortar and a couple of days labour, you'd have two detached houses.

I know you need a bit of land as well, but we're talking one metre, maybe two. That's usualy available at the other side of the house anyway.

Ongoing energy efficiency?

Our semi had a double thickness wall in the middle so no brick/labour cost saving there. Hardly ever heard the neighbours and I do miss those low heating bills.

[hedgefunded]

Ongoing energy efficiency?

Our semi had a double thickness wall in the middle so no brick/labour cost saving there. Hardly ever heard the neighbours and I do miss those low heating bills.

But back in the 60's/70's, even the 80's, a builder wouldn't have worried too much about energy efficiency.

I live in a small close of about 20 houses. Most, mine included, are semi-detached. There is tons of room between houses and all could be detached.

I just have no idea why they aren't.

[Snugglybear]

I always wondered why so many semi-detached houses were ever built, and continue to be.

For the cost of a load of bricks, a bit more mortar and a couple of days labour, you'd have two detached houses.

I know you need a bit of land as well, but we're talking one metre, maybe two. That's usualy available at the other side of the house anyway.

I think it's because during the period when the largest number were built, between the two world wars, people who wanted a detached house expected a fair bit of garden between their house and next door. You'd have got far fewer detached houses than semi-detached ones on your road / close / avenue.

There are books about this, even, e.g. this one on the RIBA websited

http://www.ribabookshops.com/item/the-english-semi-detached-house-how-and-why-the-semi-became-britains-most-popular-house-type/60923/

[Bloo Loo]

I think it's because during the period when the largest number were built, between the two world wars, people who wanted a detached house expected a fair bit of garden between their house and next door. You'd have got far fewer detached houses than semi-detached ones on your road / close / avenue.

There are books about this, even, e.g. this one on the RIBA websited

http://www.ribabooks...use-type/60923/

and, cos central heating wasnt around much...shared bodily warmth!

[Stop The Ride]

whats the difference between a flat, an apartment and a condo?

No, its not a joke.

Condo refers to the model of ownership / tenure: wikipedia

[Reck B]

Makes me smile when houses are described as 'link-detached'.

A colleague of mine was very proud when he bought his 'detached' house. "I thought you said it was detached", I said pointing to the continuous wall between his and the neighbours garage.

"It is. It's link detached" He beemed.

He bought it for £225k last year from someone who paid £96k for it in 2002

[darwin]

whats the difference between a flat, an apartment and a condo?

No, its not a joke.

Flats are what we have here in the UK. Apartments are what they have in the United States. Condos are similar to commonhold flats, I believe.

For reasons I don't understand, most of the city-centre new build rabbit-hutches in places such as Leeds, Hull and Bradford are referred to as 'apartments'. Or even 'luxury apartments'.

Obviously, it goes without saying that only a narcissistic estate agent with a massively distorted sense of reality would call a 'flat' an 'apartment'.

[Fool's Gold]

But EAs surely can't contravene Trades Description, etc - or does this not apply to property? They can do it if the Land Reg does it, I'm sure - but why is the Land Reg doing it? These places are not semi-detached houses.

  

Sorry.. not laughing at yourself but you must know what 'duckers and divers' estate agents are! Where's my evidence? Well here's a start.. let me remind the board of my post some 3 years ago....

Duckers & Divers

[cardiffone]

The difference between a semi-detached house and an end of terrace, is not in the house itself, but the street.

You pay extra to live in a street of semi detached houses, as they are further apart and thus there is often more greenery and more parking space as most semi have drives or at least there is a higher road to house ratio.

cheers

Edited September 29, 2010 by cardiffone