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| (click to enlarge) A The Old Nun's Head B The Pyrotechnists Arms C FC Soper D Ayres bakery |
The area’s still low on entertainment though our music section tips the regular Klinker sessions (freeform jazz/poetry/art) and acoustic nights at the Ivy House pub (40 Stuart Road, 020 7732 0222). For outdoor types there’s the famous, and quite spectacular, Victorian cemetery plus the vast expanse of Peckham Rye.
Though Nunhead’s inhabitants are as eclectic as its building stock (with a bias towards OAPs) it’s already on the radar of those who find nearby East Dulwich and, increasingly, Peckham Rye overpriced. Young families are snapping up two- and three-bed houses down prettier streets such as Barfoth Road, Carden Road, Hollydale Road and Ansdell Road, while single professionals cluster towards Queens Road, Peckham for swift links into town. Paul Curtis at estate agent Roy Brooks describes it as ‘first-time-buyer land’ and reports that prices are rising sharply: a two-bed house that he sold for £299,950 in February would have been £245,000 a year ago.
Feature continues
Transport
Nunhead BR is a swift 14 minutes by rail into Blackfriars or 18 minutes into Victoria. The P12 bus will get you to Surrey Quays, the 78 to Shoreditch, the 484 to Camberwell and the 343 to London Bridge.
Estate Agents
Acorn
(020 8516 3666/www.acorn.ltd.uk).
Ludlow Thompson
(020 8299 8777/www.ludlowthompson.com).
Property In
(020 8693 8000/www.propertyin.com).
Roy Brooks
(020 8299 3021/www.roybrooks.co.uk).
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4 comments
what about that wonderful modern wood and zinc building on the corner next to the old nunshead and gordon road
I have had one of the worst experiences in my life with LUDLOW THOMPSON and want to give people a 'heads up' so that they don't have to go through what my wife and I have been through.
Ludlow has been managing a property for me since March 2007. Problems:
(1) Pre-tenancy
The fiasco began with several 'negotiators' from the same office competing with each other - taking deposits etc even before I had a chance to agree anything with no obvious communication between them. Finally I agreed to a prospective tenant and a holding deposit was taken and his details were obtained for referencing. The tenant (from the Netherlands) was 'referenced' (in which - strangely - someone elses credit card details were taken instead of the actual tenants - so that rents could be charged if they later defaulted. I soon learned that the use of this card was unauthorised and my debtor amounts rose swiftly). The tenant was said to be of good credit yet a few weeks after moving in he asked me to sign DSS papers for him (which I declined).
(2) Tenancy
The tenancy was negotiated for 24 months and they took their management fees over 5 months up from for the whole period. Why this is done - I do not know - but the result of it is that once the benefit has been passed to them - there is no further incentive to actually manage the property efficiently. I later learned that the tenant had been accepted and 'tenanted' despite the fact that he had never viewed the property.The next part of the fiasco began when the tenant started to make demands and threats of legal action - apparently all sorts of furniture etc had been promised to him (without my knowledge) even though the tenancy was supposed to be UNFURNISHED. In the end I felt that in the interests of keeping the tenant (whom I beleived to be of good standing at the time) I shelled out a few hundred more to furnish the flat with some basic items.
(3) Management
I have two properties in this (new) block of flats. Both are managed by independent agents. One property - no issues ever other than the usual problem here and there. The property managed by Ludlow - seems to incur more repairs, call-outs and other costs than any other property I own. i.e. the property costs are disproportionate to other assets.It is clear that they get some benefit from contracting out 'repair jobs' - some examples: (a) tenant couldnt use the dishwasher. Solution: Send a qualified engineer to show the tenant how to use the appliance. Cost: over £100. (b) tenant reported a leak in the toilet. Solutiuon: Send a plumber to assess. Cost: £100. (c) tenant reported the same leak (water passing into bowl) Solution: Replace something in the cistern. Cost: approx £250. (d) Tenant reported a 'leak' in the shower. Solution: Quote for new shower (??). Cost: over £1000 (e) Other appliance issues and electrical 'problems' - cost - over £500.
When I gave then the homeserve warranties I was told that if they were managing the property then they would have to use their 'own' contractors or else I would have to make various arrangements like issue keys to contractors and be there for appointments (from 8000 miles away) on my own as they would not take any 'responsibility' for external contractors (like the appliance manufacturers who would repair products for free with their highly trained engineers using new branded spare parts)
(4) Credit Control
The worst I have ever experienced. I am a non resident overseas landlord. I am about 8000 miles and several time zones away from the UK. I rely on these 'managing agents' to look after my best interests. NOT SO. The tenant has been in arrears since he moved in!!! Their version of credit control is a letter to the tenant and a copy to me. I have had about 10 of these letters. Sometimes they take months to get to me - even though I have asked them to email me rather than send letters as I am always travelling.Now my tenant has decided to move on, 9 months early and I email the Client Manager daily and get no response. They have no 'head office' from a customer point of view and although the lettings team are more than happy to get me a new tenant (and charge me hundreds more in new finders fees) the management team are predictably silent and unreachable.If they would refund the balance of the management fees I have paid - i would gladly go elsewhere.
To all you landlords out there - this has been a VERY expensive mistake for me. My tenant owes me £2450 and I can't even get hold of my 'client manager'.
Please, please AVOID Ludlow Thomspon - they are quick to get you a tenant but you will pay for this dearly.
I was sending my opinion to you direct not to be posted can you not post please
It was a nice article but I wonder why you missed out The Restaurant which is the only one in the street. maybe you could review the eating house like many others you have reviewed near by.