Beach hut property prices soar: conveyancing advice for coastal purchases
Beach hut prices have risen over 100% since 2022. Here’s what you need to know about the legal side of buying coastal property.
It’s August, and it’s a time when many people are on holiday or considering the travel plans to do so. The month is one of the most popular to get away from it all. In recent years, particularly in the wake of the pandemic and the increasingly hotter domestic weather, several holidaymakers who would have planned to go abroad for their sun-seeking have opted to holiday at a British location – what has been termed a “staycation”.
Whether that’s a short weekend break, or a longer period, and whether it’s camping, self-catering or staying in a hotel, the British are falling in love with the opportunities that a holiday within the United Kingdom offers.
But, if you are one of the staycationers, have you arrived at a particularly pretty seaside town and enjoyed the local amenities and nightlife so much that you’ve thought about buying a coastal property there?
The rising cost of seaside property and beach huts
Of course, properties in popular coastal locations, especially homes near to the sea and golden sands stretching as far as the eye can see are at a premium. In addition, there are extra legal costs and stamp duty considerations associated with buying a second home, particularly when purchasing property in a popular tourist resort to help prevent the place becoming a ghost town in the off-peak season.
Perhaps the next best thing would be to buy your own piece of beach-front property in the shape of the beach hut – though as we’ll explore, even these require proper conveyancing services to ensure a smooth purchase.
On many of Britain’s seafronts, the beach hut has been a mainstay since Victorian times when they were on wheels for pushing down to the water to protect the modesty of the ladies changing into the full-bodied swimming costumes for a quick dip in the bracing seawater.
Nowadays, the beach hut operates less as a storage place for the ephemera for a day on the beach or on the water and more as a place to relax, perhaps sitting in a deckchair and snoozing in the sun. Many come with electrical power, but you can use camping lights and stoves to illuminate the interior and to brew up that British staple: a nice cup of tea.
Beach hut investment: record price increases across the UK
Since this beach-side property works for many as a home-from-home as a way of getting away from the rat-race, and with more staycations being taken, inevitably the cost of owning a beach hut has gone up with the increased demand.
Over-50s specialist Regency Living has recently carried out some research on the pricing of beach huts in the UK (reported on Property Wire), highlighting the data that shows that, in some of the prime spots, the price tag on a beach hut has increased at a faster rate than any of the house price indexes.
Indeed, they highlight the price in West Sussex for a beach hut has risen 102.1% since 2022 to £33,004. But that price is relatively paltry compared with the average price for a beach hut in Dorset, where the price has risen 66.3% to £102,451 over the same period.
The other coastal property hotspots that Regency Living’s analysis highlights are Essex (£45,878), Kent (£43,661), Hampshire (£32,655) and East Sussex (£30,784), all in the south and south-east corner of England.
All of which astonishing information would suggest that even a modest beach hut would be out of the reach of most people’s pocket, although, with such staggering price increases, if you can afford to buy one, it certainly seems to be a stronger investment opportunity than buying a standard bricks-and-mortar home in the same location.
Legal considerations when buying coastal property
When purchasing any seaside property – whether a beach hut, holiday home, or permanent coastal residence – there are specific legal requirements and potential complications that require expert conveyancing support:
- Leasehold arrangements: Many beach huts are sold on leasehold terms with annual ground rent to local councils
- Planning restrictions: Coastal properties often have additional planning constraints due to conservation areas and flood risk zones
- Insurance requirements: Specialist insurance considerations for properties near the sea
- Access rights: Understanding shared access arrangements common in beach hut developments
- Holiday let regulations: If you’re planning to rent out your coastal property, there are specific legal requirements to consider
Alternative coastal living: park homes and other options
But, for the retiree, there are other coastal living options to look into, such as park homes (usually prefabricated structures built in a location to create a community).
As Tim Simmons, Sales and Marketing Director at Regency Living, said:
“For many retirees and silver downsizers, the dream of living by the sea is starting to feel completely out of reach, with traditional homes in coastal counties commanding premiums of more than 30%.
“With even beach huts now commanding five-figure price tags, it’s no surprise that more buyers are seeking smarter alternatives.
“Park homes are becoming the solution of choice for those who want the benefits of coastal living without the burdens of sky-high property prices or a new mortgage.”
Kindly shared by HOMEWARDLEGAL Image courtesy of Adobe
