Lesley Willis from Alton, Hampshire can barely contain her glee about the electric bike she bought a year ago for just under £1,000. She is 76 and says she feels liberated: “I now sail up the hills. It’s absolutely glorious.” After just a few months she convinced her husband, James, to buy one too. He…
London leavers bought 73,950 homes outside the capital in 2020, as the coronavirus pandemic led the biggest exodus from London in four years. People from London bought homes worth a collective £27.6bn over the course of the year – the largest amount spent since 2007, according to research by the estate agent Hamptons. The dash…
New fences, fresh floor coverings and plenty of paint: home improvement has become the national pastime during the coronavirus pandemic as the nation has spent more time at home – and rediscovered a passion for DIY renovations after a decade of decline. The closure of pubs, restaurants and sporting venues, financial pressures and the need…
E.ON has caused fury among UK customers by taking payments for January 11 days early from 1.5m accounts and telling those affected that they will not get a refund until after Christmas. Hundreds of angry customers have confronted the energy company on Twitter to complain about the early direct debit, which they say threatens to…
My family is desperate to get probate for my mother’s will after applying in June. It is basic and the only issue was that she did not put a full date when she signed in 1990. As requested by the probate office, we provided evidence of when it was completed. This was mislaid for eight…
The upper end of the country house market may just have witnessed its most active year since the 1980s, according to an estate agency. Savills said substantial country houses around the £2m price point have typically increased in value by £111,000 this year, as demand for larger homes with gardens has grown. House prices will…
