Latest news with #WestHampstead
Telegraph
26-05-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
‘I've slashed my asking price by £150k. I still can't sell my flat'
London flat owners are in trouble. Not only has the average price of the city's apartments stagnated over the past nine years, according to Zoopla, many blocks have been marred by cladding scandals and a wider realisation about the perils of leasehold and uncapped service charges. As a result, flat owners in the capital have seen their investment lose a quarter of its value in real terms, on average – and in some cases they have been unable to sell up, leaving them trapped or faced with making a significant loss. Telegraph Money speaks to three such homeowners, who face the grim reality of selling their homes for far less than they believed them to be worth. 'It's devastating' Laoise Davidson, 56, has been forced to reduce the asking price of her London flat by £150,000 since putting it up for sale last February. She bought her two-bedroom leasehold flat in West Hampstead, in a converted synagogue, in 2004 for £350,000. By 2016, the flat had been given a valuation of £800,000, so Davidson assumed that she was well on her way to making a healthy profit. But after putting her property on the market for £725,000 last year – the amount an estate agent told her it was worth – she was unable to secure a sale. 'The estate agent did a social media campaign and loads of work to get interest. He got us three viewings in three months, but then we never heard back,' she says. As Davidson was getting married in July, she and her now-husband took the flat off the market for a few months. 'The signs were saying that the economy was doing well, so we put it back on at the end of August with a local agent – there was more interest.' But in the space of less than a year, Davidson has been forced to slash the asking price to £575,000. 'It's devastating. It's still not really getting any interest – we had one viewing last week and one this week, and we haven't had feedback from either of them yet. 'My husband and I want to buy our forever home in London – we can't both live in my flat, as he is a piano teacher and needs more space. We are looking at houses, but it is really tricky as house prices are going up while flats aren't. We can't afford the house we are looking for, and we are really stuck.... I wish I'd sold in 2016.' Davidson attributes part of her trouble selling to the service charge she pays on her flat, which rose from around £3,000 a year to almost £4,000 after there was a water leak in her building, raising its insurance premiums. 'There is a smaller flat on the other side of my road which has a lower service charge, and that includes a swimming pool, a gym and somebody looking after the place. We don't have any of that, but there is nothing I can do about it,' she says. Nonetheless, Davidson thinks negative attitudes towards leasehold properties are overblown. 'I think leaseholds get a bad name – there are benefits not being discussed, it seems to be one-sided. We have a good managing agent and the building is looked after… if you [buy freehold] you have to do your own repairs and maintenance, so you end up spending a similar amount,' she says. 'But that said, I wouldn't want to go leasehold again – but that's the phase of my life that I'm in.' 'The property ladder myth is still hurting me now' Liam Chennells, 35, bought his leasehold flat in Willesden, north-west London, in 2016. Since then, the value of the property has fallen by around 15pc, and Chennells finds himself unable to sell the property, in part because of the building's ongoing cladding issues, and the fact that it comes with an annual service charge of almost £3,000. 'The property ladder myth got me at the age of 25, and is still hurting me now. I had worked hard enough to save a significant deposit of 10pc while renting in London – I didn't have any help from my parents. It seemed like an excellent idea. 'I think we are hard-coded in Britain to get on the property ladder – it's one of the things people want to check off. It's an aspirational thing when you're doing well.' But Liam – who now lives in Hertfordshire and has resorted to renting out his London flat – seriously regrets his purchase. He urges young people to think very carefully about buying property and taking on a mortgage, as his experience has left him wishing he had just rented instead. 'Rent everything – you get freedom, flexibility. Mortgage rates are a joke. If you extrapolate the information about the payments you have to make and for how long, it's nonsense. 'One of my big things is education – we don't get taught any of this stuff in school.' 'I won't break even. It's a bitter pill to swallow' Eliza*, 39, who wished to remain anonymous as her property is still for sale, purchased a one-bedroom leasehold apartment in Stepney Green – a trendy area of East London – in 2016, for £440,000. She used the Help to Buy scheme to fund 40pc of the purchase. This government-backed initiative ran in England and Scotland from 2013 to 2023, giving buyers a government loan to help them purchase a new-build home. While the loan is interest-free for the first five years, after this time interest of 1.75pc is charged on the amount borrowed, which must be repaid alongside mortgage repayments. 'I couldn't afford a flat in Zone 1 or 2 without the Help to Buy scheme,' she says. 'I didn't have a big inheritance or anything like that, and thought it was a no-brainer. I love the flat – it was perfect, with great transport links.' However, having recently had a baby with her husband, Eliza is now desperately trying to sell up in order to buy a house outside the city. But, despite being on the market since last March, the flat remains unsold. 'The first estate agent wanted to put it on at £490,000, but we had no offers. We got an offer for £450,000, only £10,000 more than I [paid for it], so I would not break even with all the interest. That's a bitter pill to swallow. And then that offer fell through. 'We put it back on at £450,000,' she says, 'but we didn't get too much interest as it was winter.' Eliza and her partner have made an offer for their dream home, but as the flat is still not selling, it looks like it will fall through. 'We're going to lose this house that we really want. I'm on maternity leave, so I'm not going to get another mortgage like that unless I work full-time, which I don't want to do.' Eliza believes there are several factors at play that are prolonging the sale of her flat. One is the £240 monthly service charge. 'All the stories of service charges escalating and getting out of control are putting people off, and people generally don't think investing in a flat in London is a good idea,' she says. She also suspects that if she had put her flat on the market at a more competitive price in the first place, it may have sold, and she would be moving into her dream home with her partner today. 'Estate agents tell you what you want to hear so you'll go with them. If they'd told me my flat was worth £450,000 originally, would I have gone with them? Probably not.' Ultimately, Eliza thinks the price she paid for the flat in 2016 was inflated due to the Help to Buy scheme. The scheme has been criticised by experts and MPs for contributing to higher flat prices when it was active, and may have 'encouraged people to buy property they couldn't actually afford', according to Ranald Mitchell, of Charwin Private Clients. 'I do blame Help to Buy for inflating house prices,' she says. 'They knew people needed the scheme, and that it sounded great on paper.' All things considered, Eliza is not particularly hopeful about selling her flat in future. 'We might just have to auction it and move on.'
The Sun
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire's Jeremy Clarkson left stunned as contestant makes ‘show history'
JEREMY Clarkson has declared one contestant 'one of his favourites' after a risky gamble on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? On Sunday night's episode, the Clarkson's Farm star returned to his presenting duties on the beloved ITV game show, with a host of new contestants trying to win the coveted cash. 5 5 5 First up was Nicholas Bennett, who earned his place in the hot seat after fastest finger first. The West Hampstead data analyst was supported by his family as he made his way through the questions, starting an impressive run as he made his way to his first safety net of £125,000 with no pressure. In an impressive run of questions, Nicholas managed to make it to the all-important £1million question with lifelines still in his back pocket. However, he then ran into trouble, and needed to use his remaining two lifelines in order to try and secure the win. Jeremy asked him: 'Which of these words, each coined by a famous writer, was derived from the title of a fairytale about three princes: Pandamonium, Serendipity, Utopia or Yahoo.' Using the lifeline to ask Jeremy, the host admitted: 'I'm loathe to say anything… because if I do say something…' Noting that all four potential answers must have been coined by an author, Jeremy struggled before admitting: 'I can't think of a fairytale that's about three princes.' Nicholas noted that it had 'twigged something in his head' – saying he had recently been to see a puppet show while in Spain about three princes, but it was in Spanish so he wasn't sure what they were saying… but thought someone was saying Yahoo. Jeremy then sadly bowed out, saying he didn't know the answer. So with that falling flat, Nicholas opted for his second lifeline to phone a friend in order to call his roommate, Meg. Who Wants To Be A Milionaire contestant forced to use two lifelines on tricky pop star question - would you know it- Once calling her, Jeremy told her just how much was on the line, but she didn't know either. Despite this, Nicholas decided he was going to gamble and pick an answer anyway, leaving Jeremy stunned. '£375,000 is what you're gambling,' Jeremy reminded him. 'I know you still go away with a lot but…' But Nicholas had made his mind up, saying Yahoo as his final answer – prompting a round of grimacing noises from the audience. Sadly, he was wrong – the right answer was Serendipity – and he walked away with just £125,000. Despite not becoming a millionaire, Jeremy noted: 'A couple things I'm trying to work out is, is that the biggest loss we've had in Who Wants To Be A Millionaire history, and I don't think I've had a contestant that I've enjoyed more than you.' But Nicholas seemed content with taking home the £125,000 – and walked away happy. As the scenes played out on screen, one fan wrote: "Unlucky to the bloke for not getting the million-pound question. But fair play to him for giving it go. "He seemed [like] a really nice guy. Gutted for him!" noted another, while a third said: "What a shame. Fair play to the lad for giving it a go." 5 5
Daily Mail
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire contestant uses two lifelines on £1m question and LOSES on tricky question - but could YOU get it?
A contestant on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? used two lifelines on the £1m question - only to lose. Sunday's instalment of the ITV show saw Jeremy Clarkson welcome Nicholas Bennett, from West Hampstead, who attempted to win some cash. The University Challenge alum appeared to get through the first several questions with ease, and soon found himself playing for the £1 million jackpot. Jeremy read out the question: 'Which of these words, each coined by a famous writer, was derived from the tale of of a fairytale about three princes?' The options Nicholas had to choose from were A) Pandemonium, B) Serendipity, C) Utopia and D) Yahoo. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Unsure of the answer, Nicholas opted to use his Ask Jeremy lifeline, but the host was also not sure on the right answer. He also decided to use the last lifeline - Phone A Friend - but his friend ended up not knowing the answer. Before giving his final answer, Jeremy reminded Nicholas that £375,000 was on the line. He went for D) Yahoo, his initial thought, but it turned out the correct answer was B) Serendipity. Despite the devastating loss, Nicholas optimistically said: 'Still get £125,000.' It comes after contestant Paul Sharpe took to the hot seat on a previous episode and had been sailing through the prizes when he got to a US-based question. 'I can't remember ever having a contestant like you,' host Jeremy said of Paul's courage throughout the game - which saw him take multiple risks. He had been slowly climbing the cash ladder and at one point was sitting on £64,000 with a safety net amount of £32,000. He went for D) Yahoo, his initial thought, but it turned out the correct answer was B) Serendipity Paul then made it to a whopping £125,000 question - which would have seen him bag an extra £93,000. But it was a question about US state capitals that tripped him up. 'Which of these is not the name of a US state capital?' Jeremy asked, before Paul was given the options of A) Lincoln, B) Richmond, C) Cambridge or D) Dover. 'I'm pretty sure that Cambridge is the state capital of Massachusetts ,' Paul said, after being left struck by the question. 'I think Dover is in the Mid West somewhere, so my gut feeling says Richmond. Having already used two of his lifelines, Paul opted to ring his dad Dennis for help. Dennis assured his son that he thought Dover was the answer, before adding: 'Pretty sure.' Jeremy praised Dennis's confidence, as he said: 'That's the kind of person you want on the other end of the phone - clear, decisive, possibly wrong but who knows.' Paul revealed most of his answers up until that point had been guesses as he locked in Dover. Gutted Paul was then told the answer was Cambridge and he had lost £32,000 - but would be taking home his safety net.
The Sun
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Devastating moment Who Wants To Be A Millionaire player uses two lifelines on £1m question and LOSES- could you get it?
A WHO Wants To Be A Millionaire player used two lifelines on the £1m question - only to lose in a devastating moment. Jeremy Clarkson welcomed brand new contestants to the iconic ITV game show. 4 4 4 Nicholas Bennett, from West Hampstead, took to the hotseat after winning Fastest Finger First. The University Challenge alum got through several questions with relative ease. He soon found himself playing for the £1 million jackpot - and with two lifelines intact. The question asked: "Which of these words, each coined by a famous writer, was derived from the tale of of a fairytale about three princes?" Meanwhile, the options were A) Pandemonium, B) Serendipity, C) Utopia and D) Yahoo. Nicholas had an early hunch that it may be Yahoo but wasn't certain - so he opted to use his Ask Jeremy lifeline. Unfortunately, the host wasn't quite certain either - although his contribution did spark a thought in the player's mind. Nicholas remembered attending a puppet show in Spain, which was about three princes - and he had a memory of Yahoo being said. To cover all bases, he decided to use the last lifeline - Phone A Friend - although his friend ended up not knowing the answer. Nicholas seemed ready to give his final answer - although Jeremy reminded him that £375,000 was on the line. Millionaire player forced to make a guess after using lifeline on 'easy' £2k soap question - would you have got it correct- He opted for his initial thought, Yahoo - only to soon learn it was incorrect. In the end, the right answer ultimately turned out to be B) Serendipity. Nicholas didn't let much disappointment show, as he optimistically said: "Still get £125,000." Speaking afterwards, Jeremy estimated: "We've just seen a contestant lose what we think is the biggest amount of money in Millionaire history." It comes as another player was forced to make a guess after using her lifeline on an 'easy' £2k soap question. Faridah Oyetunji, a bio medical science student from Abbey Wood, struggled from the start of her game. Despite this, she made it to her safety net of £1000 by confidently answering the next question that came along. However, the £2000 question confused her, when Jeremy asked: "Which recurring TV soap character has been played by Lisa Riley since 1995." Hardest Quiz Show Questions Would you know the answers to some of quizzing TV's hardest questions Who Wants To Be A Millionaire - Earlier this year, fans were left outraged after what they described as the "worst" question in the show's history. Host Jeremy Clarkson asked: 'From the 2000 awards ceremony onwards, the Best Actress Oscar has never been won by a woman whose surname begins with which one of these letters?' The multiple choice answers were between G, K, M and W. In the end, and with the £32,000 safe, player Glen had to make a guess and went for G. It turned out to be correct as Nicole Kidman, Frances McDormand and Kate Winslet are among the stars who have won the Best Actress gong since 2000. The 1% Club - Viewers of Lee Mack's popular ITV show were left dumbfounded by a question that also left the players perplexed. The query went as follows: "Edna's birthday is on the 6th of April and Jen's birthday falls on the 15th of October, therefore Amir's birthday must be the 'X' of January." It turns out the conundrum links the numbers with its position in the sentence, so 6th is the sixth word and 15th is the fifteenth word. Therefore, Amir's birthday is January 24th, corresponding to the 24th word in the sentence. The Chase - The ITV daytime favourite left fans scratching their heads when it threw up one of the most bizarre questions to ever grace the programme. One of the questions asked the player: "Someone with a nightshade intolerance should avoid eating what?" The options were - sweetcorn, potatoes, carrots - with Steve selecting sweetcorn but the correct answer was potatoes. The choices were A. Mandy Dingle, B. Kim Tate, C. Tracy Barlow or D. Sharon Mitchell. Faridah said: "I've got absolutely no clue, I'm not a soap fan." She then decided to use her third lifeline and go 50-50 and was left with A and C - Faridah then took a guess at Mandy Dingle. Who Wants To Be A Millionaire airs on ITV1 and ITVX. 4
Daily Mail
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Lulu, 76, urges fans to open up about mental health as she launches charity trust ahead of sponsored walk
Lulu has called on anyone struggling with their mental health to speak out, as she prepares to lead a charity walk in aid of her new fund. The singer, 76, best known for 1960s hits Shout and Boom Bang-a-Bang, is marking the launch of Lulu's Mental Health Trust with its first fundraising event - a sponsored walk retracing key moments from her six-decade career. Speaking ahead of the event, Lulu told The Mirror: 'If you're struggling, please talk to someone. A friend, a family member, anyone trained to listen. It might feel scary, but you've got this.' The walk will pass the old Decca Studios in West Hampstead, where Lulu recorded Shout, and other London landmarks linked to her life in music. So far, she's raised around £16,000 in sponsorship. Lulu, who launched the trust earlier this year after wrapping up her sell-out farewell tour, was inspired to start the fund while working on a book about her life and recognising the deep impact of mental health, both her own and those close to her. The singer, 76, best known for 1960s hits Shout and Boom Bang-a-Bang, is marking the launch of Lulu's Mental Health Trust with its first fundraising event - a sponsored walk retracing key moments from her six-decade career Reflecting on the shift in public attitudes, she said: 'When I started out, nobody talked about mental health. Now we know how important it is. I want to give back.' She added: 'To be doing this after everything I've been through, it feels full circle. I've always supported charities, but setting up my own to help others really means something.' Taking to her Instagram at the beginning of the year to launch the trust, the star penned: 'I'm proud to announce my very own charitable fund, Lulu's Mental Health Trust. 'Writing my memoir opened my eyes to the huge role mental health has played throughout my life and the lives of the people I love. 'With this charitable fund, I want to give help those going through their own struggles and make a difference. 'For my first initiative, on 16th May I'll be leading a sponsored walk across London. Hit the link in my bio to sponsor me!' It follows Lulu announcing her retirement from touring after a glittering 60-year career in 2024 - saying she felt 'unsupported' dealing with the heavy demands of touring last year. The Scottish star, real name Lulu Kennedy-Cairns, said she found going on the road 'gruelling', while adding she's realised that she has changed. Speaking on the Rosebud podcast last year, the singer explained her reasoning a bit further. She said: 'I turned 75, and I thought, 'You know what, I want to carry on working, but I want to do it a different way'… I've learned. 'And I've also become a slightly different person. I'm not afraid to be vulnerable.' She added: 'To be honest with you, if when I was 15 years old and someone would have suggested I'd be doing a farewell tour when I'm 75, I'd have said 'You are having a laugh.' 'You almost need an army to go on the road and I don't want to do it like this anymore.' Lulu, has been honoured with an OBE and CBE and won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1969 with the hit 'Boom Bang-a-Bang'. It was at the age of just 15 when her version of the Isley Brothers 'Shout' peaked at number seven on the UK chart and she went on to have a hit with with the title song to the 1974 James Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun.
