Homes & Gardens

North Tawton development is near completion with the final homes remaining

The Allison Homes South West Weavers Place development, is now over 80% sold. There are only a handful of three- and four-bedroom homes left at the site which has proved highly popular.

Located a stone’s throw away from the historic village square and surrounded by countryside, Allison...

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Warning after serious thatch fire

The Service is issuing advice to the owners of thatched properties following a fire which destroyed a thatched cottage in Ide, near Exeter, on Friday (23 January).

Twelve fire engines were at the incident in Little John’s Cross and fire crews have re-visited throughout the weekend to dampen down hotspots.

Firefighters covered neighbouring thatched properties with foam to...

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Plymouth

Devon

British Gas Energy Trust helps tackle fuel poverty

The British Gas Energy Trust has been established since 2004 and has helped over 120,000 individuals and families facing fuel poverty to clear their energy debts or with advice to help them get back on their feet.

Over the past 10 years the business has donated £75 million to the charity which has enabled the Trust to award grants to people in need to help them clear their energy debts...

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Plymouth

Rise in failed deals prompts more to buy homes differently

Think buying a house and you think estate agents. But increasingly people in the South-West are turning to auctions to buy a home or land because they want the certainty a deal will go through.

The number of “fall-throughs” – the term used for when the house buying process falls apart for after a sale has been agreed – has increased by 12% since 2013. Combined with the popularity of TV...

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Young families locked out of home ownership for years

A young couple with a child would have to save for over fourteen years before they could afford to buy a home in the South West, Shelter says today.

Research for the housing charity looked at average wages, house prices, rents and spending on essentials to show the challenge faced by those trying to save for a home of their own in the region.

It found that couples without...

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Make a resolution to fit a smoke alarm

With the New Year underway, Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service are asking people to make one of their resolutions in 2015 to check that their smoke alarms are up to date and are in the right place to protect their home.

Many people see January as an opportunity for a fresh start, and safety should be no exception. So this month we are encouraging everyone to make sure they...

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Private house building fuels growth in SW despite rise in skills shortages

Construction workloads increased in the South West in the final quarter of 2014, albeit at a slightly slower rate, and private housing saw the strongest growth despite the shortage of bricklayers reaching a record high.

Over a third (36% net balance) reported that workloads in the construction sector had grown in the region in Q4 2014 with 57% more respondents saying that the private...

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One in nine people fear missing rent or mortgage payments

Thousands of rent or mortgage payers across the South West might be facing a not-so-happy new year, as new research reveals one in nine are worried they will be unable to make payments this January.

Research from Shelter and YouGov paints a bleak picture for many this winter, with 65% of rent or mortgage payers in the South West revealing they are already struggling to keep up with...

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Last houses available at Duchy of Cornwall site

Award-winning Dorchester-based developers C G Fry & Son Ltd, announces there are the last few new homes for sale on Phase 3 at Tregunnel Hill with the Duchy of Cornwall located on the edge of Newquay.

C G Fry & Son has received numerous regional design and quality awards throughout the South West for developments including the internationally renowned and Poundbury development...

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SW landlords least at risk of rent arrears

Landlords in the South West are least at risk of rent arrears, according to research from the UK’s leading landlord association*.

Those in the South West were found to be less at risk with a quarter (25 per cent) of landlords experiencing rent arrears in the last 12 months, compared to 29 per cent of landlords in the South East.

The research shows that a typical landlord in the...

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SW house prices to increase by 2% in 2015

House prices in the UK will see an average increase of three percent over the course of next year, bolstered by recent changes to Stamp Duty, continuing demand and lack of supply of property, according to the RICS housing forecast for 2015. The forecast looks ahead to the next 12 months, across all parts of the housing market, from house prices, sales, rents and housing starts and repossession...

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