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Confusion Over Service Charges Hits House Sales

Prospective home-buyers in Northants are being put off new properties by service charges. Many new estates are passing-on the upkeep of communal areas to their residents.

It's claimed some prospective home-buyers in Northamptonshire are being put off purchasing new properties by service charges. Research by BBC Radio Northampton shows that many of the new estates in the county are passing on the upkeep of communal areas to their residents.

Reporters Carrol Weston and Elinor Cross have been investigating; Carrol sets the scene from a dvelopment at Upton and talks to Charles Orlebar who represents Northamptonshire for the National Association of Estate Agents, while Elinor meets Claire Kew from Northamptonshire Property Online and a prospective purchaser herself.

Stuart talks to Rebecca Brown, who is in the process of buying a house in the Kettering area, and to Bob Smytherman, the chair of the Federation of Private Residents' Associations.

Plus:

* celebrations are taking place in Irthlingborough on Sunday to mark 100 years since a major film was made in the town

* work on a new prestigous development in Towcester has been brought to a halt by nesting birds

* students at the University of Northampton's School of Arts are putting the finishing touches to their end of year shows

* final preparations in place for Northampton Carnival, the annual celebration of community and culture

* a conference on television vampires is being held at the University of Northampton

* the third day of Northamptonshire's County Championship match against Worcestershire at Wantage Road

* & from the national news agenda: the Duke of Edinburgh has spent the night in hospital in London, a new study suggests that speed cameras cut serious accidents by more than a quarter, & the Government launches its fast-track Troops to Teachers training programme

3 hours

Broadcast

  • Fri 7 Jun 2013 06:00

World War One At Home

World War One At Home

Discover incredible stories about life in Northamptonshire during WW1