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Not wrong at all. To be fair it already happens. The only way they escape this is to have school lotteries and bussing.

Its a pretty cheap large city to visit once you've covered accommodation costs. Free museums, lots of free sightseeing within walking distance, no real hassle with transport.

Ah, thought I could prove my point and have failed so far! This is an example of the sort of place I was looking at on rightmove: https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/141095834#/?channel=RES_BUY. I found loads of them which looked great until seeing the charges. Looking again today most places seem to have more reasonable annual costs. Years ago I pondered a move to Birmingham so had a look around. Some amazing places which were clearly cheaper than older blocks nearby due to the charges. Perhaps there was a period of time when people or mortgage lenders ignored this?

I can swallow £1000 a year. I like outsourcing building works! I see places advertised which are much more expensive for no obvious reason. https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/140936567#/?channel=RES_BUY £2k a year for ground rent and service charge. Another one which would be at least £2k: https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/141313370#/?channel=RES_BUY There are some (perhaps due to lifts?) which are well over £3k a year. Maybe that keeps the prices lower? From a rough look I'd say the average service charges/ ground rents in Newcastle are much more than equivalent sized flats I've seen in great London and the South East.

Many thanks to all. Hopefully I'll get a chance to spend a long weekend exploring. Got to say - some flats look lovely and with great locations, but amazingly high service charges. Makes the whole thing a lot tougher.

Any updates from Newcastle? I'm considering an escape from London.

I'd have guessed that the variance to Northampton would be greater than that. How much are you expecting to spend (2 bed terrace)? Covid seems to have messed up all my ideas for places which were cheapish. There just don't seem to be the options there were 5 years ago.

Sounds great! Some nice architecture and coastline around there. How did you think about Hull by the way? Its not a place people normally consider - perhaps as its not on a normal route to drive through or visit.

Love the plan! Any ideas where? I'm researching cheapish areas for early retirement. Be interested in your suggestions.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6471154/seriously-need-to-take-action-before-we-lose-everything#latest Same person?

Thats too 'cheap'. There must be something strange going on.

There is an unwillingness to say this in public. Would the Guardian publish this comment? I wonder how much of the unwillingness to build new houses is due to people not understanding how much the population has grown?

Broadly speaking (I'm sure there are notable exceptions) I don't believe in bailing out business owners. If there state wishes to support an organisation it should receive shares in return for investment.

Good luck. I've just read todays emails - one from the letting agency talking about a renewal in July...... Perfectly reasonably written but they are never normally prompt on such things. Also read a couple of posts from younger people on forums who are being asked for guarantors in places they have rented without for a couple of years. One was told it was now a legal requirement.

Plus the word is out now - if there is ever a crisis you don't need to pay your rent. But anyway - I'm sure all the sophisticated investors understood political risk so no issue there.