Despite the house being bigger than her Gleeson home, it did not have any of the modern conveniences of a new build home. Leah’s rented house didn’t have gas central heating, meaning she used a coal fire and a back burner, and electric radiators to heat her home. This old fashioned electrical system was also used to heat the water in the house, so Leah’s electricity bills were extortionate. In addition to this, Leah’s rented house did not have any mains plumbing, and was attached to a private septic system which added to her annual maintenance costs as she regularly had to get it emptied and repaired.
First-time buyer Leah was desperate to get out of the rent trap and into her own home, and so she reserved a house with another housebuilder. After receiving poor customer service during the pandemic, Leah dropped out of this purchase, but soon afterwards discovered her local Gleeson development and was impressed with the stone elevations and spacious Mayfield house type with a driveway, and front and rear garden.
Affordability was a big thing for Leah, as she had been unable to live life to the maximum due to her expensive rent. So Leah was delighted that a mortgage for her dream Mayfield would be £399, £251 cheaper per month than her previous rental cost.
After moving in Leah has a new lease of life and is enjoying saving over £600 per month altogether on rent and bills. Leah’s outgoings have halved and she is enjoying the modern conveniences of a new build home and having straight forward, affordable utility bills.
Leah said: “Despite being 32 and technically living alone for a few years in my rented house, being a homeowner makes me feel like a real adult! It's great to be able to have family and friends over at my leisure, I can do the house up the way I want it, the bills are fantastic. I’ve gained so much by buying with Gleeson, not only can I personalise and decorate my home however I want, but I’ve also got a better quality of life in a much more modern home. I can now plan for the future and enjoy the nicer things in life. I feel so settled and part of a community and my neighbours are so lovely, I can’t wait to see what the future holds for me in my first home.”