Property
Britain’s longest running planning row ends after 60 YEARS…but claimants have died
One of Britain’s longest legal disputes - a row over a tiny rural footpath which has rumbled on so long that the original claimants died - has finally been resolved. Nearly 60 years after a footpath was wrongly included on a local authority map and the family who were besieged with walkers traipsing past their front door objected to it being listed as a public right of way, the saga has finally been wrapped up in their favour. After long-drawn...
Incredible real-life hobbit house in Yorkshire up for sale
A real-life 'hobbit house' is set to go under the hammer. The straw bale shepherds' hut, which is built into a hillside, is located in just over an acre of land and resembles a glamping pod. The home, which offers picturesque views of Holme Valley, West Yorks., was originally built by hobby farmers as somewhere for them and their sheep to shelter. The design is based on a medieval round house and the owners had help from one of the...
Couple spend just £1,200 a year living in off-grid hilltop coastal fort
A free-spirited couple have told how they live totally off-grid in a hilltop coastal fort - spending just £1,200 a YEAR. Trained teacher Sarah Simpson, 27, and estate manager Nigel Mepham, 44, decided to leave behind conventional life two years ago in a bid to live a more simple and sustainable existence. They get to live rent-free in their 18th Century Cornish coastal fort in exchange for tending the land, and second-hand solar panels give them all their electricity. Mini...
Watch – Garish Lego brick extension nominated as Britain’s ugliest house
This garish Lego brick-style house has been nominated for the unflattering crown of Britain's UGLIEST building. The four storey Victorian villa - which has a pitched tiled roof, decorative stone facades and light cream steps - looks from certain angles to be a picturesque, historic property. However, neighbours were left in horror when the owners erected a huge extension - which locals say resembles a light industrial unit - in July this year. The vast rectangular box was put together...
London worst hit by UK gazumping
London is worst hit when reviewing gazumping rates across the UK There has been an increase in gazumping across the UK over the past 24 months, a new study finds. As house prices continue to rise to meet high levels of demand and low levels of stock on the market, gazumping rates have risen from 13 percent in 2015 to 36 percent now. Gazumping is when a property seller accepts an offer from a buyer and then accepts an even...
Scottish island famous for murder case, bought just weeks after being on the market
A Scottish island which became famous for a high-profile murder case more than 50 years ago has been snapped up just weeks after it went on the market. Little Ross Island, off the coast of south west Scotland, was advertised for offers over £325,000 -- around the same price as a two-bedroom flat in Edinburgh city centre. The 29-acre island is home to a 19th-century, fully automated lighthouse tower. Little Ross gained national media attention in August 1960 when two...
How to secure long-term tenants for your property
Whether you’re a seasoned investor or about to embark on your first buy-to-let property, the value of having good, long-term tenants can never be under estimated. However, getting such tenants is not always simple, nor is it easy. Landlords can suffer from a high turnover of unsuitable tenants and the time and effort taken to replace occupants can be expensive. The ideal scenario is to have long-term tenants for your property who you can trust and get on with well....
Britain’s first ‘micro-home’ installed to tackle the country’s homelessness and housing crisis
Britain's first 'micro-home' to tackle rough sleeping has been installed in a city after being billed as a cure to the the country's homelessness and housing crisis. The cosy 186 square foot (17.25sqm) space will be used put a roof over the head of a homeless person in what is believed to be the first project of its kind in the world. The one-person iKozie - which cost just £40,000 to build - is based on the layout of a...
These are the parties that do well in the wealthiest areas of Britain
Green Party supporters own the most expensive properties in the UK, according to new research, with Liberal Democrats ranking in second place. The findings from Bridging Loan Hub reveal that, when analysing the average house price in all 650 UK constituencies, at £394,577, the sole Green constituency (Brighton, Pavilion) pips the Lib Dems, with an average value of £368,517. Despite a reputation for ‘looking after the rich’ Conservative seats are only the third most expensive in Britain, averaging £330,585 per home. That...