Buyers in swanky development told not to hang washing out

If you fancy living in an 'exclusive' development in Beverley, then this is your chance to snap up one of 55 new properties. However, if you have a large and messy family, you should know that ownership comes with an unusual rule: you won't be allowed to hang your washing out.

The Hull Daily Mail has reported that the developers, PJ Livesey Group, are concerned that it will 'detract from the Victorian legacy of the buildings', which are on the former Beverley Westwood hospital site. Presumably they're not keen on people airing their smalls and lowering the tone of the area either.

Anyone who buys a house or flat in the development will have to sign a contract stating that they won't hang out washing in a way that will "detract from the visual enjoyment of the building".

The properties, which start at £349,950 for a three-bedroom house, will come with a washer and dryer - to encourage people to spend the money on drying their clothes in a more aesthetically pleasing way.

They also feature a number of other usual rules to protect the look of the area - including demanding people have a specific kind of shed, and that they don't park caravans or trailers on the driveways.
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Unusual rules

It's not the only development that comes with unusual restrictions. Plenty of property companies add what are known as Restrictive Covenants, which insist that long after they have sold, certain rules have to be obeyed.

The rule about caravans and trailers is a relatively common one, and a few developers have added in rules that say anyone repairing a car at the property must do so behind a screen.

Bournville, the village originally built for Cadbury factory workers on the outskirts of Birmingham, has some of the most famous rules - enforced by the Bournville Village Trust. Buyers cannot erect satellite dishes, play loud music, replace their picket fence with a hedge, paint the garage door another colour, or leave the grass to grow too long.

Satellite dish rules are in place in a number of areas, as are restrictions about the colour of the front door - and in some cases rules about the colour the entire property can and cannot be painted.

Occasionally solicitors come across some very specific rules - including properties where rubbish bins must not be kept somewhere they can be seen from the street.

But what do you think? Do you mind rules like this? And would it put you off buying a property? Let us know in the comments.