Whitbourne Hall, Whitbourne, Worcester

A unique opportunity to own a spacious and well presented apartment in a Grade II* listed building.

Stepping into the property there is a porch area before the main living accommodation perfect for storing coats and shoes. Moving into the stunning living room there are many characterful features including a fireplace with wood-burning stove and original tiled hearth and a huge sash window flooding the room with natural light. This area benefits from built-in cupboards and acts as the heart of the home.

To the side is a cloakroom with a WC, handwash basin and space and plumbing for a washing machine. Following on is the kitchen diner again, with a huge sash window overlooking the extensive grounds, this room comprises of wooden wall and base units with work surfaces including a sink, dishwasher, hob with extract, double ovens and fridge freezer.

The staircase is located in the far right corner of the living room and rises to the mezzanine landing.


Upstairs
The mezzanine landing overlooks the living room has two useful storage cupboards which can be found directly at the top of the stairs. From the landing there is a further staircase to the top floor and access to bedroom two and the current office.

The versatile office space leading from the landing could occasionally be used as a guest bedroom if required.

Bedroom two to the side is quite spacious allowing for a double bed and room for free-standing furniture. Two floor-to-ceiling length windows bring natural light into the room.

Following up the second staircase you are welcomed into the master bedroom, neutrally decorated; the white walls bounce the light from the Velux windows around the room creating a bright and airy feel. There are several built-in cupboards for storage and the room flows into the bathroom.

The contemporary bathroom has grey marble effect cushioned flooring and is fitted with a low level shower, bath, bidet, WC and handwash basin. Extra storage can be accessed from a cupboard door.


Outside
Within the communal gardens, there are two large immaculately mown lawn areas, the Italian style knot garden with topiary yew hedging centred on a fountain, an orangery with a small, paved terrace area, a sheltered border garden perfect for catching the sun and a colourful rockery. A large Victorian walled kitchen garden is now worked as allotments by some residents, as are several large Victorian glasshouses.

Beyond the gardens, the grounds are a mixture of woodland and meadow areas through which one can walk or find a private spot to sit and read or picnic. A few residents keep free range chickens and another resident recently acquired three beehives. Like the surrounding Whitbourne Estate, the gardens and grounds of Whitbourne Hall are managed on organic principles, encouraging a wide variety of birds and butterflies.

There is ample parking close to the property, for residents and their guests. Residents have an entitlement to park two cars. Garages situated close by, but out of sight within the grounds, become available to purchase from time to time.


Leasehold information
The tenure is leasehold plus a share of the freehold. The original lease has 999 years from the 3rd of March 1980.

A maintenance charge of £2,784.00 per annum (2021 figure) covers buildings insurance, exterior buildings' maintenance, the maintenance of all communal rooms, and common parts including cleaning, and maintenance of the gardens and grounds. It also covers the maintenance of communal Victorian drainage and sewage system. Mains water is purchased in bulk and then metered separately for each property.

There is an annual ground rent charge of £10.00 per year.


Other information
Residents may hold private functions in all or any of the communal rooms by prior arrangement, including the dining room, drawing room, morning room, library and catering kitchen. There is a large basement which residents may apply to use for additional storage, e.g. as a wine cellar or to keep additional household appliances, such as a freezer.

There are around 9 acres of communal gardens and grounds for residents to enjoy. Residents may apply for an allotment within the walled Victorian kitchen garden and/or for space within one of the Victorian greenhouses. There is ample space for residents' and visitor parking. Residents may own one garage. Garages become available to purchase from time to time and there is a waiting list system for allocating them.

Whitbourne Hall is nestled in the rolling pastoral countryside on the Worcestershire and Herefordshire borders. Footpaths criss-cross the countryside right from the doorstep and it is possible to walk to the National Trust property Brockhampton Manor, the Bromyard Downs and Bringsty Common.

Whitbourne Village is about a mile away and has a church, a pub, a village hall, a playing field, a children’s playground, and a thriving not-for-profit village shop run by a veritable army of local volunteers. The nearest little town, Bromyard, lies about seven miles away, and offers an array of bespoke shops, restaurants and a supermarket. Malvern, Hereford and Worcester are also within easy reach.

Services
Mains water, mains electricity, LPG gas heating, communal private Victorian drainage and sewage system, broadband.

GigaClear Ultra-fast fibre should become available in the near future and is already laid up to the Hall.

Council tax band B

Administration Fee - refundable on exchange

An administration fee, refundable on exchange, is payable prior to the issue of the Memorandum of Sale and after which the property may be marked as Sold Subject to Contract. The fee will be reimbursed upon the successful Exchange of Contracts.

The fee will be retained by Andrew Grant in the event that you the buyer withdraws from the purchase or does not Exchange within 6 months of the fee being received other than for one or more of the following reasons:

1. Any significant material issues highlighted in a survey that were not evident or drawn to the attention of you the buyer prior to the Memorandum of Sale being issued.
2. Serious and material defect in the seller’s legal title.
3. Local search revealing a matter that has a material adverse effect on the market value of the property that was previously undeclared and not in the public domain.
4. The vendor withdrawing the property from sale.

The administration fee levels are as follows:
an agreed offer under £500,000 will be £750 inclusive of vat
an agreed offer between £500,000 and £1,000,000 will be £2,000 inclusive of vat
all agreed offers over £1,000,000 will be £3,000 inclusive of vat

The administration fee is payable upon acceptance by the vendor of an offer from a buyer and a positive completion of an assessment of the buyer’s financial status and ability to proceed.
Should a buyer’s financial position regarding the funding of the property prove to be fundamentally different from that declared by the buyer when the Memorandum of Sale was completed, then the Vendor has the right to withdraw from the sale and the administration fee retained. For example, where the buyer declares themselves as a cash buyer but are in fact relying on an unsecured sale of their property.

Once the administration fee has been paid, any renegotiation of the price stated in the memorandum of sale for any reason other than those covered in points 1 to 3 above will lead to the reservation fee being retained. A further fee will be levied on any subsequent reduced offer that is accepted by the vendor. This further fee will be subject to the same conditions that prevail for all administration fees outlined above.