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Escape to the (smelly) country

Guy Dresser, This is Money
10 September 2004

HOUSEHUNTERS who base the search for their dream property on an idealised view of country life could be in for a big shock.

Many people downshifting from a hectic City lifestyle to a cosy rural cottage may simply find they are swapping new frustrations for old.

And with the growth in rural house prices still comfortably outpacing those of properties in big towns they may not even have the compensation of making huge financial savings by getting out of the rat race.

They may be expecting to wake to mornings free of the roar of rush-hour traffic followed by a friendly chat with the neighbours on the way to the local shop for a paper and a pint of milk.

But the reality could be rich farmyard smells, limited local services and roads clogged with slow moving tractors. And forget the friendly chat, even assuming there is still a village shop, because if your rural neighbours do talk to you it's only because they're nosy. Once they've found out all they want to know, the chances are they'll cold-shoulder you as an outsider for decades.

Anecdotal evidence suggests rural dwellers have long since tired of 'incomers' moaning about the poor provision of public transport, the lack of anything for youngsters to do and even the sound of church bells on Sundays.

A boat repair marina in Northampton sums up the view of many who resent the newcomers' intrusions - a sign erected by Concoform Marine on the canalside at Weedon warns potential purchasers of homes on the opposite bank that they should think hard before buying:

'This is a working boatyard and it has been here for 25 years. If you do not like the noise, the view or other activities essential to our business then do not come and live opposite and complain.'

Complaints about bell ringers and boat yards are still not top of the list of downshifters' pet hates, however. Lack of public transport comes in at number one, according to a new survey from estate agents Charles Lister. And second on the list is another rural favourite: country smells.

According to Charles Lister founder Henry Pryor, the problem is that people have become much less tolerant. 'Country smells from pig farms are nothing new but people often have an idealised view of the countryside. These days people just aren't prepared to put up with things they don't like. They forget that the agricultural industry is hard at work and it's just not realistic to think the countryside is only about great views, peace and quiet and not much else.'

Smelly pig farms notwithstanding, Britain's rural population has grown seven times faster than that of its cities in recent years, according to the Countryside Agency's annual state-of-the-countryside report. And demand from incomers has fuelled house prices accordingly. The average price of a rural property has more than doubled from £60,000 in 1998 to £140,000 today.

Incomers may still just about find affordable once they've sold their big-city pad - but their gain is someone else's loss. And while they whinge about the smells, locals are sure to be complaining about the loss of affordable property in their area.