Renting property in Bedminster

With would-be first-time buyers still facing considerable obstacles to buying their own homes, many of them believe they have no prospect at all of getting on the property ladder, a survey published today has suggested.

Halifax polled 4,000 people and found that with banks' tougher lending criteria and demands for higher deposits, two-thirds of first-time buyers believe that most first-time buyers will be rejected by banks.

Beliefs like these have contributed to a rise in the number of people looking to rent – although this has coincided with a reduction in the number of properties available to rent following the difficulties in the buy to let market.

On that score, at least, there are signs of improvement. Writing on Bedminster People recently, local letting company Igloo Lets said the buy to let mortgage market had stabilised, with new and existing lenders returning to the market.

And not everyone is keen to take on the responsibilities of a mortgage anyway, even if they could afford the deposit.

Bedminster resident Natalie Evans,30, rents a flat near West Street in Bedminster.

She said: "I don't see the point in buying. I have much more flexibility renting. If I lose my job next week, I can rent a smaller flat or a room in a shared house. I can't see how it's better to be locked into a mortgage. It's not worth the worry at the moment."

The average asking price for a studio flat to rent in Bedminster is £433, rising to £547 and £691 for one and two-bedroom flats respectively.

If you're looking to rent, there are several letting agencies in the Bedminster area, including Northwood, Ocean, Barons Property Centre, Edwards and Zed & Co.

And if you've used one of those agencies recently, why not do a quick review of them to let other people know what they're like?