Off-grid living
Self-sufficient homes, smallholdings and properties built for life off the mains.
Off-grid property is a small but growing niche in the UK — homes that don't depend on mains gas, electricity, water or drainage. Some are deliberately remote; others are rural properties that simply pre-date the grid and have stayed independent.
Our off-grid properties for sale include Welsh hill smallholdings, Scottish crofts, Devon woodland homes, Pennine farmsteads and self-sufficient country cottages — all suited to buyers who want energy independence, simplicity or genuine isolation.
Browse the homes below; if there are no off-grid listings live right now, sign up for alerts or browse our rural properties collection.
Off-grid typically means no connection to mains gas (very common in rural UK) and often no mains electricity — instead relying on solar PV, batteries, wind, hydro or generators. Water comes from borehole, well or spring; drainage is septic tank or reed-bed.
Things to evaluate: water supply rights and quality, solar/wind feasibility, battery capacity, broadband (Starlink is a common solution), planning consents, and the realistic maintenance burden. Insurance and mortgages can be more specialist.
Often yes, but the lender pool is smaller. Specialist rural and eco mortgage brokers usually find options. Properties with solid construction and good access tend to be more mortgageable than truly remote off-grid homes.
Long-term, often yes — no standing charges, lower bills once systems are paid off. Upfront cost (solar, battery, borehole, septic) can be significant. Maintenance time is higher.
Wales (especially Mid and West Wales), the Scottish Highlands and Islands, rural Devon and Cornwall, the Pennines and Northumberland have the highest concentrations of off-grid properties.
If you're buying an existing off-grid home, usually no. For new installations (solar arrays, wind turbines, additional outbuildings), planning may be needed — especially in National Parks and AONBs.
Get Hidden Homes WeeklyOne curated email a week. Unsubscribe anytime.