The 5-Point Due Diligence Checklist Before Making an Offer
1. Inspect the Physical Surface Condition: Walk the entire road length. Look for severe potholes, crumbling sub-base, rutting, and standing water indicating failed drainage.
2. Review Title Deeds for Access Easements: Ensure your property has an express right of way with vehicles at all times over the private road to reach the public highway.
3. Examine the Residents' Maintenance Agreement: Is there a formal legal agreement or Residents' Company? If informal, collecting money from uncooperative neighbours is notoriously fraught.
4. Check Refuse and Delivery Access: Do council refuse trucks drive down the road, or must bins be dragged hundreds of metres to the public highway junction?
5. Model Worst-Case Adoption Costs: If the council resolves to adopt the road, frontagers are billed to upgrade kerbs and tarmac to adoptable highway standards.