Greenwich: the new Olympic Royal Borough
Greenwich is celebrating the summer's Games with spectacular pageantry — and unlocking a bend in the Thames to offer riverside homes with views of the festivities.
Property insider: Camden
Camden offers canalside living in a range of converted period warehouses; first-time buyer studio flats and roomy Victorian family terrace homes. We take a tour of NW1's colourful streets and get the property lowdown.
Spotlight on Stoke Newington
Steeped in history and with a new rail link to the City, “Stokey” is raising its game for home buyers. The mainly Victorian housing stock attracts young professionals and families, who also enjoy the neighbourhood's arty and bohemian vibe.
Commuter watch - Chelmsford
With just over half an hour's train time into Liverpool Street, Chelmsford offers the best of both worlds. Now a £1 billion scheme will give Chelmsford's Beaulieu Park 3,600 new homes to add to the town's desirability.
Steal the style: tibits
In our new series, we visit some of the capital's most striking spaces and show how to get a similar look without breaking the bank. First up is vegetarian restaurant tibits in Heddon Street, where glamour comes with the meat-free menu.
Find a rated tradesman
Want to add value to your property, make your house a home, or sell your place fast? With 1,000s of tradesmen nationwide, rated and recommended by previous customers, this is the smart way to find a reputable tradesman.
Buy of the week: Primrose Hill
This plush flat minutes from Primrose Hill village and Regent’s Park has high-end details which include a bespoke German kitchen, an open-plan reception/dining space and a bedroom with clever storage. Priced at £735,000.
Swap of the week: Odiham
Heavenly views of Odiham’s ancient church in Hampshire come with this £750,000 beauty set just off the high street. It offers 2,000sq ft of space, four bedrooms, three reception rooms and kitchen with an Aga.
Life-changer: Shaldon, Devon
Reduced by £100,000 (now £750,000), this waterfront home overlooking the Teign Estuary, in Shaldon has gorgeous water views from the big windows in all four bedrooms and the open-plan living area. Heaps of B&B potential here.
Spotlight on Stoke Newington
Steeped in history and with a new rail link to the City, “Stokey” is raising its game for home buyers. The mainly Victorian housing stock attracts young professionals and families, who also enjoy the neighbourhood's arty and bohemian vibe.
Property search
Home emergency insurance cover
By Alex Sheridan
A domestic boiler breaks down every 20 seconds in the UK, often leaving their owners stressed and facing a big unexpected bill.Check your household insurance
As well as covering damage caused by, for example, a burst pipe, some policies will cover boilers, plumbing and electrical repairs. Check your policy before signing up to a boiler insurance scheme.
If you are covered, it will probably be detailed in the policy under “home assistance” or “home emergency”. Bradford & Bingley, Co-operative Insurance and Sheila’s Wheels are among the insurers that include such cover - and policies offering this benefit may work out better value than buying separate assistance cover.
Avoid call-out fees
Specialist home assistance policies can cost from less than £100 a year and will cover call-outs of qualified tradespeople, as well as repairs, parts and labour. They can be very good value if you have an older boiler or poor-quality plumbing and wiring.
Utility companies often push their own cover but it is worth shopping around: you don’t have to buy from your energy supplier. Comparison services Uswitch.com, Energyhelpline.com and Moneysupermarket.com can all help find the cheapest stand-alone policies.
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