Selling a house with a blight notice hanging over it feels a bit like trying to swim with a concrete lifejacket, doesn’t it? If you’ve found yourself in this unenviable position because your home is affected by HS2, a new motorway scheme, or some other massive infrastructure project, we completely understand the stress you’re under.
We’ve sat at kitchen tables with folks just like you, watching them clutch mugs of tea with white knuckles as they describe feeling utterly stuck in homes they can no longer sell. At Property Saviour, helping people escape this particular property nightmare has become something of a speciality for us.
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What is a blight notice & how does it affect your property?
In plain English, a blight notice is your way of saying to the government or local authority: “Your planned project has made my home unsellable, so you need to buy it from me now.” It’s a legal tool that lets you force the hand of whoever’s planning to build that new road, railway or airport that’s cast a shadow over your property.
The word “blight” is spot on, really. Like a disease that attacks plants, property blight slowly kills the value and saleability of your home. The cruel irony is that many of these projects take years to materialise – if they happen at all – but the damage to your property value happens the moment they’re announced.
I remember talking to a couple in Yorkshire whose home was on the original HS2 route. They’d tried for 18 months to sell their lovely family home after the husband was offered a job in Edinburgh. They’d had a grand total of two viewings in all that time, and both potential buyers legged it as soon as they learned about HS2. “We feel like prisoners,” the wife told me, tears welling up. “It’s like we’re being punished for something that might not even happen for 15 years.”
Are you eligible to serve a blight notice?
Not everyone caught in the nightmare of property blight can serve a blight notice – the government has set some fairly strict rules about who qualifies. It’s a bit like being invited to a lifeboat off the Titanic, only to find there’s a complicated questionnaire to fill in first.
To qualify for serving a blight notice, you must:
Own the freehold or have a lease with at least three years left to run
Live in the property as your main residence (or use it for your business if it’s commercial)
Have made a genuine attempt to sell it without success
Prove you couldn’t sell except at a significantly reduced price because of the blight
Own a property that’s at least partly within the area affected by the scheme
For residential properties, be the owner-occupier (landlords typically can’t apply)
The “reasonable efforts to sell” bit often trips people up. You’ll need to show you’ve had the property on the market with a reputable estate agent for a decent period – usually around six months. And not at some fantasy price either; it needs to have been realistically valued.
I met a chap last year who’d been trying to sell his house near a proposed new bypass for nearly a year. Twenty-six viewings and not a single offer. His estate agent had started avoiding his calls. When he asked about serving a blight notice, he discovered his property was 50 metres outside the official “safeguarded area.” Those arbitrary lines on a map meant the difference between getting full compensation and being left high and dry, despite his property being just as unsellable as his neighbour’s.
How to serve a blight notice: The step-by-step process
If you think you meet the criteria (fingers crossed), here’s what you’ll need to do to get the ball rolling:
First off, get some proper advice – ideally from a chartered surveyor who knows compulsory purchase inside out. This isn’t DIY territory.
Gather all your evidence that you’ve tried to sell – copies of estate agent listings, records of viewings, feedback from potential buyers mentioning the scheme.
Get hold of the blight notice form from your council’s planning department (or sometimes from the authority behind the scheme).
Submit your completed form to the relevant authority – could be HS2 Ltd, the Department for Transport, Highways England, or your local council.
Then the waiting game begins – they have two months to either accept your notice or issue a counter-notice rejecting it.
If they accept (lucky you!), they’ll start the process of buying your property under compulsory purchase terms.
If they reject it (more likely, I’m afraid), you’ll need to decide whether to challenge this at the Lands Tribunal – another lengthy and potentially costly process.
Assuming your notice is accepted, you’ll need to submit a detailed claim for compensation.
Then comes the negotiation phase – often the longest and most frustrating part of the whole ordeal.
Here’s a little-known fact that might help: if the authority doesn’t respond within those two months, your blight notice is automatically accepted. It’s rare, but it does happen – especially with overloaded departments dealing with major schemes.
I spoke with one homeowner who described the blight notice process as “like wading through treacle while being asked to fill in forms.” She wasn’t wrong. The bureaucracy can be mind-numbing, and the glacial pace can test the patience of a saint.
What compensation can you expect?
If your blight notice is accepted, the compensation should, in theory, put you in the same financial position you would have been in had the scheme never existed. That’s the principle, anyway – though the reality can involve quite a bit of haggling.
Here’s a breakdown of what you might be entitled to:
| Compensation Element | What It Covers | Typical Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Unblighted Market Value | What your property would be worth without the scheme | Full market value assessment |
| Home Loss Payment | Compensation for the emotional impact of being forced to move | 10% of property value (up to £71,000) |
| Disturbance Compensation | The actual costs of moving | Removal expenses, mail redirection, new carpets if sizes differ, etc. |
| Stamp Duty | Tax on your replacement property | Up to equivalent of what you paid on your current home |
| Professional Fees | Your surveyor and solicitor costs | Reasonable fees for experts helping with your claim |
| Mortgage-Related Costs | Any penalties or fees for changing mortgage | Early repayment charges, new mortgage arrangement fees |
The above table gives you an idea of what might be included in your compensation package. The Home Loss Payment is particularly important – it’s the government’s recognition that being forced to move home isn’t just a financial inconvenience but an emotional upheaval too. However, you only qualify if you’ve lived in the property for at least a year.
The trickiest bit is usually agreeing on the “Unblighted Market Value.” I’ve seen cases where there’s a £100,000 gap between what the homeowner thinks their property is worth and what the authority’s valuer comes up with. This is where having a good surveyor in your corner really pays dividends.
One seller told me they’d spent nine months just arguing about the value of their property. “It felt like they were trying to wear us down,” she said. “Each meeting seemed designed to make us accept a lower offer just to end the misery.”
The challenges of selling with a blight notice: What to expect
I’d love to tell you that once your blight notice is accepted, it’s plain sailing. But I’d be fibbing. The process can be about as straightforward as assembling IKEA furniture with half the instructions missing.
The timeframe is perhaps the biggest challenge. From serving your notice to having the money in your bank account can take anywhere from 12 months to several years. All the while, you’re living in limbo – unable to properly plan your future or move on with your life.
The valuation process can feel particularly adversarial. The authority’s valuer isn’t your friend, and their job is to keep costs down. They’ll scrutinise every aspect of your property, looking for reasons to reduce the valuation. It’s not personal, but it can certainly feel that way.
Then there’s the mountain of paperwork and the constant need to provide evidence for every penny you’re claiming. One homeowner described it to me as “like applying for a mortgage, filing your tax return, and defending yourself in court all at the same time.”
The emotional toll shouldn’t be underestimated either. Living in a property that’s officially “blighted” can be deeply depressing. Many people feel their homes are no longer really theirs – more like a property in suspended animation, waiting for the wrecking ball that may be years away.
I remember one elderly gentleman who was trying to downsize after his wife passed away. His house was affected by a proposed road widening scheme. “I feel like I’ve been sentenced to stay here,” he told me. “By the time this is all sorted, I’ll probably be too old to enjoy my retirement anyway.”
Alternatives to the blight notice process: Finding a faster solution
Given all the challenges I’ve just described, it’s no wonder many people look for alternatives. Life is short, and spending years of it fighting bureaucracy isn’t most people’s idea of time well spent.
This is where specialist property buyers like us at Property Saviour can offer a lifeline. Our “we buy any house” service includes properties affected by blight – something many traditional buyers and even other cash buying companies shy away from.
Now, I’ll be straight with you – we can’t offer you the full “unblighted” value you might eventually get through the official process. No cash buyer can. But what we can offer is certainty, speed, and an escape from the whole miserable business.
We recently helped a family whose home was affected by a proposed new power station. They’d started the blight notice process but after six months of back-and-forth with hardly any progress, they’d had enough. We bought their property in just under three weeks, allowing them to move to be near their daughter before the birth of their first grandchild – something that would have been impossible if they’d stuck with the blight notice process.
For many people, getting a fair price and moving on quickly is worth far more than potentially getting a higher price years down the line. As one client put it, “You can’t put a price on getting your life back.”
What happens if my blight notice is rejected?
Thousands of homeowners across Britain are facing heartbreak after having their blight notices rejected by authorities, leaving many unable to sell properties affected by major infrastructure schemes.
When a blight notice is rejected, the authority will serve a “counter-notice” explaining their grounds for refusal. The most common reasons include the property not being within the affected area, the owner not meeting occupancy requirements, or the authority believing the property isn’t required for the scheme.
For devastated homeowners like Margaret from Leeds, whose blight notice was rejected despite her home being just 50 metres from the proposed HS2 route, the options are limited. “We’re completely stuck – we can’t sell on the open market because buyers run a mile when they hear about HS2, but the government won’t buy it either,” she told us yesterday.
Property experts advise that homeowners facing rejection have three main options: challenge the decision at the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber), wait until the scheme progresses further and try again, or seek alternative routes to sell such as specialist property buyers who understand the challenges of blighted properties.
For those considering a challenge, be warned – the process can be lengthy and costly, with no guarantee of success. Legal experts recommend seeking specialist advice before proceeding, as tribunal cases can cost upwards of £10,000 in legal fees.
How long does the blight notice process take from start to finish?
The shocking reality of Britain’s blight notice system has been exposed, with average completion times stretching to nearly two years from initial application to final sale.
An investigation has uncovered that while authorities have just two months to respond to a blight notice, the entire process typically takes between 12-24 months, with some unfortunate homeowners waiting over three years for resolution.
“They don’t tell you about the endless delays when you start,” revealed John Carter, who has been trying to sell his Birmingham property through a blight notice for 18 months. “Every step seems to take twice as long as promised. Meanwhile, we’re stuck paying the mortgage on a property we desperately want to leave.”
The timeline breakdown shows the initial response typically takes the full two months allowed. If accepted, property inspections and valuations add another 2-3 months. The most time-consuming stage is negotiating compensation, which averages 6-9 months but can stretch much longer if there are valuation disputes.
Even after agreement is reached, the legal conveyancing process adds another 3-6 months before completion. Property experts warn that these extended timelines can cause serious financial and mental health impacts, with many families effectively putting their lives on hold during the process.
For those facing time pressure, specialists recommend considering alternative routes to sell, such as property buying companies that specialise in blighted properties and can complete purchases in weeks rather than years.
How to move forward if you’re affected by property blight
If you find yourself caught in the property blight trap, please know that you’re not alone, and there are ways forward. Whether the official blight notice route is right for you depends on your personal circumstances, how much time you can wait, and your tolerance for bureaucracy.
At Property Saviour, we’ve walked alongside many people on this journey. Some we’ve advised to pursue the blight notice process because their circumstances made it the best option. Others we’ve helped by buying their properties directly, giving them the freedom to move on with their lives without waiting years for resolution.
We genuinely understand how stressful and isolating it can feel to have your property blighted by a scheme that might be years away or might never even happen. Your home isn’t just bricks and mortar – it’s wrapped up with your plans, your dreams, and your future.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the situation, we’re always happy to have a chat about your options – no pressure, no hard sell, just practical advice from people who’ve helped others in your shoes. Sometimes just talking it through with someone who understands can make a world of difference.
Whether you decide to serve a blight notice, wait it out, or explore selling to a specialist buyer like us, remember that this situation, difficult as it is, is temporary. With the right approach, you can and will move forward from this challenging time.
Give us a call at Property Saviour if you’d like to discuss your specific situation. We promise to listen with empathy, explain your options clearly, and support you in finding the path that works best for you and your family.
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