Real estate in the UK

Exteriors of English houses are at the same time conservative, practical and refined. Residents of the UK love their homes and even give them names. The main real estate formats in the country are: terraced houses or townhouses, bungalows, semi-detached houses, mansions.

What houses do the British live in?

The bulk of the British live in terraced houses. These are two-story buildings, which are a series of houses in which there are two common walls with neighbors. In front and behind - an open space where parking is arranged, a small garden. The average area of ​​such houses is 50-70 sq.m. The number of rooms is determined by the number of bedrooms.

Semi-detached houses, similar to duplexes, have one common wall. The design and architectural execution of each part may be different or the same. This property is popular among the middle class, whose representatives preferred the format to terraced houses.

Detached mansions - luxury real estate. The buildings are designed for one family. On the adjacent territory, which is the private property of the owners, you can build any structures, equip pools, gazebos. The characteristic features of the mansions are Georgian style, symmetrical layout, bay windows, vintage brickwork. The British value privacy, but do not surround houses with high fences. More often you can find hedges that completely hide the personal life of the owners from prying eyes.

One-story bungalows are found mainly in rural areas. A true Englishman will always prefer a house to an apartment. Apartment buildings are presented in the Tower blocks format, this is municipal housing for low-income families. The apartments are small in size, with low ceilings.

The cost of housing in the UK depends on the location, format.

Property prices in the UK

The English real estate market is one of the most expensive in the world. The buying and selling market is going through a phase of growth. For the year, the price per square meter rises, on average, by 10%. The most expensive houses are in London, the cheapest ones are in Northern Ireland. Average cost of objects:

• semi-detached houses - 256,000 pounds, the figure varies by region;
• row houses of terraced type - 230 thousand pounds;
• mansions - from 400,000 pounds. In London, Chelsea, Kensington, the price exceeds one million pounds.

The cost is influenced by the general state of the economy, the interest rate on loans set by the National Bank of Great Britain, the ratio of supply and demand in a particular region.

Registration of residence

Registration. In the usual sense for citizens of the former CIS, it is not practiced in England. There is no home address field on a British passport. However, there is an institute for registering UK citizens. There is a public register for registration, but in England it does not include records of the exact place of residence.

The address of residence is fixed. To confirm it, it is enough to provide the authorized bodies with a letter in your name, which indicates the address of permanent or temporary residence or an invoice for utility bills. Without fixing the address, it is impossible to open a bank account, receive social benefits, find a job, apply for citizenship.

The cost of maintaining the property

The rules for maintaining real estate are the same for residents and foreigners. Expenses include utility bills and council tax. Due to the council tax, the police, state, institutions are supported, lighting and cleanliness of the streets are maintained. The amount of tax depends on the region, varies from 700 to 5.5 thousand pounds. There are benefits for people with disabilities, people with low annual income.

In apartment buildings, homeowners pay an additional fee, at the expense of which the owner of the building maintains the adjacent territory, ensures the operation of elevators, communication networks.

Meters for electricity, gas, water are installed in houses and apartments. The amount of payments depends on the volume of consumption. The average utility bill in London is £2,000 a year.

Estimated rates:

• water supply - 2.5GBP per cubic meter;
• electricity - 0.19 GBP per kilowatt. In the north of the country, electricity tariffs are higher;
• gas - 0.73 GBP per cubic meter. A two-bedroom apartment costs about £500-970 a year, and if a gas fireplace is installed, more than a thousand pounds.

For connecting housing to television, you need to pay a tax, regardless of whether the owners watch TV. Landline phone and Internet connection are paid separately.

To receive services, the owner concludes an agreement with the supplier, monthly sends meter readings, and pays the invoices received. This can be done through the Internet bank, the mobile application of the management company.