A rural home.
A patient beginning.

What we hope to create

A welcoming garden, seasonal food growing, an orchard and room to spend unhurried time outdoors. In the longer term, we would like to explore a small number of places to stay and practical, carefully supervised creative activities.

The exact scale will follow the land, existing buildings, neighbours, permissions and available funding. We are not accepting bookings or recruiting people to work on a site.

Picture the place and its systems

Explore three new illustrations of our small retreat vision: the land and buildings, solar energy and storage, and separate rainwater, drinking-water and wastewater systems.

Where we are looking

We are searching in two areas: close to Luton, generally within around an hour by car, and around Hampton, Sunbury, Shepperton and Chertsey. A property does not need to be within an hour of both areas.

A listing is only a starting point. We need to understand lawful residential use, boundaries, access, services, condition and the potential for the intended activities. Travel time needs checking for the actual address and time of day.

A plan with clear decision points

1. Find a suitable place. Establish the property facts and listen to the owner’s priorities.
2. Check the whole commitment. Review affordability, surveys, title, access and the planning position before agreeing a transaction.
3. Secure the right agreement. Both sides take independent advice. Any lease, purchase option or sale must describe the rights, payments and responsibilities clearly.
4. Start with care and observation. Once entitled to use the site, assess the seasons, buildings, soil, water and habitats. Agree any maintenance or alterations first.
5. Test the retreat idea. Develop a property-specific proposal with advisers and the local planning authority. Introduce guest use only when the required permissions and operating arrangements are in place.

Why might an owner consider rent to buy?

For some owners, a period of rental income and an agreed future purchase route may fit their plans. Others need the full sale proceeds immediately, or prefer an ordinary sale. We would begin by understanding that difference.

A lease with an option to purchase is one possible arrangement. It gives the buyer a right to buy on specified terms; it is not, by itself, a guarantee that the purchase will happen. A seller would need to weigh the income and any option payment against the delay, property responsibilities and risk of a purchase not completing.

We would discuss the purchase price, option period, upfront payment, rent, any explicitly agreed purchase credits and credible funding for completion. These figures have not yet been agreed. We would also document permitted use, repairs, insurance, alterations, inspections and what happens if the option is not exercised.

Expiry of an option does not automatically end an occupier’s tenancy rights. The appropriate legal structure needs property-specific advice.

Read our fieldnotes on the practical questions →

From an overlooked place to a long-term home

We hope to add value through careful investigation, appropriate permissions and practical improvements. A low asking price is only a starting point: the full cost includes acquisition, professional advice, services, works and a reserve for unexpected problems.

1. Find the right place. Look for an underused site or building where the location, condition and lawful use support a realistic proposal.
2. Check the facts. Match the title and boundaries to the planning documents. Review access, services, structural condition and any restrictions.
3. Explore the terms. Listen to the owner’s priorities. Where appropriate, discuss a lease with an option to purchase, with the price, period, payments and any purchase credits expressly agreed.
4. Protect both sides. Obtain independent legal advice, agree permitted activities, maintenance, insurance and treatment of improvements, and establish credible funding for the purchase.
5. Develop in phases. Begin only when entitled to do so and with the necessary permissions and funding. A purchase may need to happen before substantial works. Residential use, private storage and any future guest activities each need an appropriate legal basis.
6. Own and care for it. Our intention is to retain the property. Any later refinancing would depend on the completed property, valuation, title, borrower and lender requirements.

When might this suit an owner?

An owner with a vacant or underused property may value rental income during an agreed period and a defined route to a later sale. A flexible timetable may also help someone planning a gradual change. We would ask what matters to that owner before suggesting terms.

The arrangement also has costs and risks: delayed sale proceeds, limits on marketing the property elsewhere, maintenance responsibilities and the possibility that the buyer does not complete. It is unlikely to suit an owner who needs an immediate, unconditional sale. Neither a future purchase nor tax savings should be assumed.

A written proposal would explain the initial payment and its refund or credit rules, rent and additional charges, option deadline, purchase price, funding checks and what happens if planning or finance is unavailable. Expiry of an option does not necessarily end tenancy rights.

For background, see HMRC guidance on purchase options and SDLT and HM Land Registry guidance on protecting interests. These are general resources; the agreement needs advice for the particular property.

What we can bring to a first conversation

A clear description of the project, an organised list of questions and a willingness to listen. Paweł is coordinating the search and preparation. We will distinguish research and design work from completed projects and bring in the relevant property, planning and financial advisers as the proposal develops.

Our interest in growing, reuse, music and practical learning gives the project its character. The website is a record of that direction, rather than a promise that every idea will be built.