Property website Zoopla has just published its house price hotspots, following a study of commuter towns across the country. The study takes us from around the capital to near Newcastle.
Zoopla looked at annual house price data for towns found within an hour’s commute of ten UK cities: Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and Sheffield. The property website found Swanley in Kent, with swift access to the capital, to be the best in terms of house price performance, with a 10.78% increase (equivalent to around £36,500 on average) over the previous year.
The face of figures: Natasha Worland, AAT, Accounts
Industry accredited Natasha (AAT) knows our property businesses inside out. Over eleven years at Gateway, she has seen the Group expand rapidly and her role evolve. Today, she acts as Accounts Supervisor, overseeing daily transactions across our departments and companies with a close team of colleagues. As Gateway Property Management’s portfolio increases, Natasha also supports with property integrations and is regarded as the go-to person for all matters financial.
At Gateway Property Management’s website, leaseholders will find a quick guide to their key responsibilities, alongside information on relevant property topics.
You can read about everything from what to do before making any sort of property alteration through to how to renew a tenancy. You’ll find clear guidance on emergency repairs, health and safety assessments and service levels you can expect from our proactive approach to property management. There’s also advice on arranging insurance, maintaining your property, repairs we might need to carry out from time to time and simple steps to prevent water leaks, avoiding a lot of unnecessary trouble and heartache.
From a property’s doorstep to our head office, Gateway Property Management meets a strict code of conduct, including always being able to speak to one of our team in the UK. We use our expertise to address issues straightaway and avoid common problems before they happen.
Our focus on setting the industry benchmark for service is supported by statistics. In an entire year, for instance, Gateway Property Management received just three formal complaints. Two of these were resolved by us and the single Ombudsman case was found in our favour. We treat customers fairly and are pleased to receive such positive feedback.
Oxford and Cambridge: Property’s least affordable UK cities
The country’s two famous university destinations have been ranked the least affordable cities in Britain, following a recent survey by Lloyds Bank.
Oxford topped the list again, reported The Telegraph this month, ‘with property prices 11.5 times higher than average annual earnings in the region’. The ratio for London, in comparison, is 10.2 times. The average cost for an Oxford home is now almost £430,000, with rises fueled by people moving out of the capital to seek greater property value for money. Cambridge came second (10.5 ratio), no doubt in large part to the area’s thriving science and technology industries.