Buying a Hut at Carbeth
The Carbeth Hutters Community Company has an extensive waiting list which has been closed to further applications. However huts for sale come along occasionally.
NEVER buy a hut before contacting the elected Committee who run the Carbeth Hutters Community Company for the community’s benefit. No matter how much you’ve paid to buy a hut, you have no right to keep it on land at Carbeth until you have signed a lease with the Company. On signing a lease, you become a member of the Community Company, with the right to vote for Committee members, and to stand to join the Committee.
Leases cannot be bought or sold. They are issued at the discretion of the company, CHCC. When a hut changes hands two new leases are drawn up, detailing the legal aspects of the agreement and the details of the new owner. They are signed by the new hutter then signed and witnessed by two company members. A copy is issued to the new hutter and a copy is retained by the company.
It is important to note that when you purchase a hut at Carbeth you do NOT purchase the plot of land that the hut sits on, nor do you have any claim to it. The land at Carbeth is owned by the community company, CHCC. Every hutter is a member of the community company, consequently the land is owned collectively. No individual hutter can own land on the Carbeth Estate. This is bound in law to protect the integrety of community ownership.
Huts come in a variety of shapes and sizes and in varying states of repair. This can make it difficult to assess a fair price for any hut. In addition there are a number of regulations in respect of the community needs, conservation requirements and Stirling Council planning rules. We are providing this guide for buyers in the hope that it will allow people to make informed choices when buying a hut and to avoid any misunderstandings.
Hut Prices – It is difficult to be precise about hut prices but the following information is intended to help buyers and sellers to come to an agreement about a fair price.
The hutting community has been in existence for over 100 years. This is reflected in hut style and quality. We have huts that are 100 years old and huts that have been built in the past few years. Building materials and their costs, and in particular insulation and wood sheeting, have evolved considerably leading to a wide variation in quality and style. They do however follow the design guidelines on our 'Building a Hut' pages on this website. We currently have 176 huts on site. No two huts are the same which contributes to Carbeth's uniqueness.
Ultimately the price will be agreed between the buyer and seller, however we would be happy to provide a guide price if requested by either party. To avoid any problems we would advise that no money should change hands until you have checked all details with the committee.
Conservation Status – The Carbeth Estate is covered by a Conservation Order. This applies to both the huts and the natural environment. This means that huts cannot be demolished or rebuilt without the consent of both the CHCC and Stirling Council. It is the belief of the CHCC that all huts can be preserved or restored and therefore we will, as a matter of course oppose any applications to remove or demolish a hut.
All trees, whether on your hut site or not, are the property of CHCC and should not be cut down or pruned without consent.
Other information
• Carbeth Hutters Community Co. have taken out a loan of £1.5 million over 20 years.
• All new hutters will become members of the community company. As company members they will be jointly responsible for the repayment of the loan.
• All new hutters will be required to sign a 20 year lease.
• Each hut shall be entitled to have one ordinary member of the Community Company.
• Rents have now been set at £1000 per year. This will be reviewed five yearly.
• Huts can only be sold or transferred with the approval of the Community Company.
• New hutters will not be permitted to sell their hut within the first five years. In exceptional circumstances the committee may approve a sale, but no profit can be made from this sale.
• The lease states that the huts are for recreational use only. It will not be permitted for anyone to live in a hut as their primary residence.
• Hut sites shall be no larger than 60 feet x 60 feet.
• Any subsequent extensions or alterations must be agreed by the committee and where necessary planning permission should be sought.
• Conservation area status applies to the natural environment. No trees may be cut down without appropriate consents.
Additional Information - Welcome to Carbeth