The streets where it's four times harder for owners to sell their homes

Homeowners living on a road with a rude, silly or controversial street name are four times less likely to sell their property compared to those living on neighouring streets, new research suggests.

Britain's rudest roads include the likes of Crotch Crescent in Oxford, Dumb Womans Lane in Rye, Spanker Lane in Belper and Backside Lane in Doncaster.

Data from online estate agents HouseSimple shows that the number of house sales over the past 20 years on some of the UK’s more unusually named streets are up to four times lower than on adjoining streets with more conventional names.

For instance, house sales on Dumb Womans Lane have been few and far between since 1997, with four times fewer house sales than on neighbouring Station Road.

Spiders Lane and Lickers Lane have also had four times fewer property sales than on neighbouring streets Lime Grove and Parkwood Road, respectively.

The study found that there have been just five sales on Rats Lane since 1997, and four on Loveless Gardens.

Not all of the streets have suffered such dismal house sales, however. Crotch Crescent has seen 15pc more homes sell than nearby Derwent Avenue, while there are 34pc more property sales on Titty Ho than on neighbouring Wellington Road.  

Alex Gosling, chief executive of HouseSimple, said that buyers will often pay more to live on an Avenue or Crescent versus a Street or Road. "However, the actual name of a street could also have a significant impact on the salability and value of your house," he said.

Some of the most embarrassing street names in Britain have successfully been replaced over the past few years following complaints from residents. 

The inhabitants of Butt Hole Road, for example, which is thought to refer to a communal water butt once located in the area, changed the name of their street to Archers Way after years spent putting up with guffawing US tourists having their pictures taken near the road sign.

Bladder Lane in Plymouth was renamed Boniface Lane at the request of a St Boniface's Catholic College, situated on the same road, which was unhappy with the former road name.

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