A new survey from broadband comparison website Top 10 Broadband has found that broadband speed is a more important factor in choosing where to live in the UK than the proximity to a local pub. And that’s really saying something for Blighty.

Furthermore, almost 40 per cent of people said that poor broadband speed and patchy network connection were likely to actually put them off moving to a new area.

With a rise in the number of people working at home and others turning to the internet for everything from online dating to researching holidays and shopping, having a good internet service is crucial.

When I moved into my new home, we had no internet, TV or phone for three weeks – guess which one I missed the most.

The research also revealed that the British public is suffering from broadband envy. Six out of 10 people admitted that they would be annoyed and envious to find out a neighbour was receiving faster speeds than them.

So, today, in a true curtain twitching style, Top 10 Broadband has launched the UK’s first broadband speed test that allows you to see what broadband speeds your neighbours receive – taking keeping up with the Jones to a whole new level.

The StreetStats technology allows users to zoom into your postcode area and see the broadband providers people are using on your street – and the speeds they are achieving.

Alex Buttle, Director at Top 10 Broadband, said, “Until now broadband speed tests have only let you check your own speed. This is the first time everyone will be able to see what speeds their neighbours are getting and which broadband providers they are signed up to.

“As our broadband StreetStats show, despite all the competition between the major UK broadband providers there’s still huge variation in the speeds their customers receive – even on the same street. Our new speed test makes the broadband landscape more transparent than ever.”

Top 10 Broadband has already added 170,000 speed tests to its map and expects to collect over two million by the end of the year.

StreetStats gives you the ability to view broadband speed test results on your own street, with ground-breaking interactive speed maps. Users can zoom and pan around a Google map exploring the broadband speeds of any street in the UK.

To take the test and see your neighbours’ speeds, visit http://www.top10-broadband.co.uk/speedtest.

For more information on property in the UK and the market in general, please visit http://www.themovechannel.co.uk/

-ENDS-

Notes to editors:

TheMoveChannel.com is a property website that was founded in 1999 as an online resource for buying, selling and learning about property. It now receives as many as 300,000 visits per month and advertises over 50,000 properties in nearly 90 countries, which are listed by over 500 partner organisations.

For further information as well as images and interview possibilities, please contact:

Dan Johnson
Managing Director
www.themovechannel.com
0207 952 7650

Twinning towns is a concept whereby towns or cities in geographically and politically distinct areas are paired, with the goal of fostering human contact and cultural links between their inhabitants.

Some towns don't spring to mind as having twin potential. The Midlands cathedral town of Worcester recently tried to twin itself with Gaza in a show of support for the Palestinian people. Unsurprisingly, this twin-ship was turned down.

The earliest form of town twinning in Europe was between the German city of Paderborn and the French city of Le Mans in 836, although this was not officially established as a modern town twinning arrangement until 1967.

The first recorded modern twinning agreement was between Keighley, West Yorkshire and Poix-du-Nord, Nord, France in 1920 following the end of World War I. The practice was continued after the Second World War as a way to bring European people into a closer understanding of each other and to promote cross-border projects of mutual benefit. Coventry twinned with Dresden as an act of peace and reconciliation as both cities having been heavily bombed during the war.

Now, Walt Disney World in Florida is on the hunt for its very own UK town to twin with.

Anyone who thinks their town, village or city is worthy of being twinned with Mickey and Minnie’s hometown should apply in writing to a panel of judges and include photos or a video of their town to prove why it has that X-factor.

The judges say they will be focusing on the following key factors:

How does your town celebrate its traditions?
How does your town appeal to people of all ages?
How does your town look to the future?
How is your town family friendly?
Who’s your town’s inspirational person?

Entries on the website so far include Newquay, Leeds and Reigate, Surrey.

Whoever submits the winning nomination will win a holiday to Florida for the official twinning ceremony at Walt Disney World, presided over by the mayor of Main Street.

Better get your skates on – applications are only being accepted until the 22nd November, so check out www.waltdisneyworldtwinnedtown.co.uk for more information on how to enter.

For more information on properties in the UK and the market in general, please visit http://www.themovechannel.co.uk/

-ENDS-

Notes to editors:

TheMoveChannel.com is a property website that was founded in 1999 as an online resource for buying, selling and learning about property. It now receives as many as 300,000 visits per month and advertises over 50,000 properties in nearly 90 countries, which are listed by over 500 partner organisations.

For further information as well as images and interview possibilities, please contact:

Dan Johnson
Managing Director
www.themovechannel.com
0207 952 7650

Now, we all know that us Brits love a good old moan. And the failings of our country and its weather is one of our favourite moaning topics. But here is actual research to show that we may have a point!

According to the uSwitch.com European Quality of Life Index, Great Britain was found to come absolute bottom in the quality of life list.

Despite Brits enjoying the highest after-tax household income, which, at £35,730-a-year, is more than £10,000 above the European average, high incomes were cancelled out by other negatives including poor annual leave and high food costs.

Researchers weighed up official data for ten European countries, including France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Sweden and Poland and looked at 17 quality of life measures, the study put Britain at the bottom of the list, with Ireland second from last. The best quality of life could be found in France and Spain.

We have to pay far more for basics than those living in other countries, with petrol very pricey in Blighty and a basket of food costing on average £20 more than in France.

Britons can expect to work three years longer and die two years younger than their French counterparts.

Annual household energy bills come in at £1,239 on average, with Britons paying the third-highest electricity charges.

Only Ireland and Sweden pays more for a round of drinks than the UK, and only the Irish pay more for cigarettes.

We are also working for longer – while the average European retirement age is 62 years, UK workers can expect to carry on six months longer – and living for less time – while Britons can expect to live to 78.9, the French can expect to reach 80.9.

Ann Robinson, Director of consumer policy at uSwitch.com, said, “There is more to good living than money and this report shows why so many Brits are giving up on living in the UK and heading to France and Spain.

“For too long the focus in the UK has been on standard of living rather than quality of life. As a result we have lost all sense of balance between wealth and well-being,” she added.

For more information on UK property and the market in general, please visit http://www.themovechannel.co.uk/

-ENDS-

Notes to editors:

TheMoveChannel.com is a property website that was founded in 1999 as an online resource for buying, selling and learning about property. It now receives as many as 300,000 visits per month and advertises over 50,000 properties in nearly 90 countries, which are listed by over 500 partner organisations.

For further information as well as images and interview possibilities, please contact:

Dan Johnson
Managing Director
www.themovechannel.com
0207 952 7650

The online version, which I wrote about earlier this month, was the biggest ever version of the game and allowed players to buy up real estate from all over the world.

The National Trust’s Monopoly set keeps players closer to home – all of the property is in the UK and all of it has a strong sense of heritage and history.

The Trust Monopoly set features 26 places across England, Wales and Northern Ireland and houses and hotels are replaced with visitor centres and holiday cottages.

Whilst on the traditional version of the game, the most expensive properties on the board are Mayfair and Park Lane, these will be swapped for Lyme Park in Cheshire – best known for the famous scene in the BBC version of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, in which Mr Darcy emerges from the lake in a glamorous take on a wet T-shirt contest, making women all over England swoon.

Park Lane will be swapped for Hardwick Hall in Derbyshire, which is one of the country’s most beautiful and famous Elizabethan houses.

The Workhouse at Southwell occupies the Pentonville Road site.

Shopping favourite Bond Street is replaced by Snowdonia and Fleet Street by the gardens of Stourhead.

Sir Winston Churchill’s family home also features on the board.

The Trust Monopoly set is also the first ever charity version of the game, in which profits from the sale of the boards will go direct to help to maintain the historic places featured on the board.

Fiona Reynolds, Director-General of the Trust, said, “It's fantastic to see so many of the Trust's amazing places on the famous Monopoly board.

“Sales of the game go directly to helping us look after the real versions of these special places, so even the most ruthless Monopoly player will be doing their bit for conservation,” she added.

The grouping of National Trust locations including countryside, beaches, grand mansions, industrial works and beautiful gardens reflect the range of sites cared for by the Trust.

Could this be the most perfect Christmas pressie for all those parents and grandparents out there?

The National Trust board goes on sale tomorrow, Thursday October 1st.

For more information on UK properties and the market in general, please visit http://www.themovechannel.co.uk/

-ENDS-

Notes to editors:

TheMoveChannel.com is a property website that was founded in 1999 as an online resource for buying, selling and learning about property. It now receives as many as 300,000 visits per month and advertises over 50,000 properties in nearly 90 countries, which are listed by over 500 partner organisations.

For further information as well as images and interview possibilities, please contact:

Dan Johnson
Managing Director
www.themovechannel.com
0207 952 7650

In a bid to boost visitor numbers, attractions are being forced to come up with ever more creative ways to pull in the punters.

Alton Towers in Staffordshire knows that sex sells – so they have turned to speed dating.

You may not look your best hurtling round corners at 100 miles an hour and it’s a definite no-go if you are likely to go green halfway round, but adrenaline junkies may well find their perfect match.

The UK theme park has introduced special ‘singles’ queue lines to many of its big rollercoaster rides including Rita – Queen of Speed and Spinball Whizzer.

This rather cringe-worthy idea then means that singles (who must be over 18) get paired up to ride the coasters and hopefully love will then blossom from there.

And it had better blossom fast – the pair will have a mere 49 seconds to impress one another before the ride ends.

Morwenna Angove, Sales and Marketing Director at the Alton Towers Resort said, “We have an amazing combination of adrenaline-inducing rides and attractions and we’re confident that combining such thrilling experiences with the added exhilaration of meeting a potential new partner will ensure the most memorable date ever!”

The fastest date in the world is taking place all throughout September, so log onto www.altontowers.com to find out more and to book your tickets, which start at around £29.

For more information on UK property and the market in general, please visit http://www.themovechannel.co.uk/

-ENDS-

Notes to editors:

TheMoveChannel.com is a property website that was founded in 1999 as an online resource for buying, selling and learning about property. It now receives as many as 300,000 visits per month and advertises over 50,000 properties in nearly 90 countries, which are listed by over 500 partner organisations.

For further information as well as images and interview possibilities, please contact:

Dan Johnson
Managing Director
www.themovechannel.com
0207 952 7650

Four out of five Brits plan to remain in the UK over this bank holiday weekend as the Met Office predicts a summer scorcher.

Hoards of sun-seekers are expected to head for the beaches, with many chasing the warmest weather predictions, which will see Brighton in East Sussex and Broadstairs in Kent seeing some of the highest temperatures.

According to VisitEngland, overseas trips have fallen by 10 per cent compared to 2007, with people swapping pricey foreign trips for British staycations.

This predicted spell of hot weather over the coming long weekend will be the perfect time in which to explore some of the stunning British coastline or countryside.

James Berresford, Chief Executive of VisitEngland, said, “All of our research so far this year and anecdotal evidence from the industry confirm that Brits are indeed rediscovering the joys of holidaying at home in 2009.”

Bargain beach

If you are undecided where to head, why not check out the Somerset resort of Minehead, which has been named as the best value beach in Britain.

Whilst the cost of seaside staples such as a 99 flake ice-cream and deck-chair hire can vary widely between beach resorts, some offer better far value than others.

The research, carried out by travel website thetrainline.com, shows the average Britons spend £13.44 each on a day beside the seaside.

So, perfect for those who have been forced to tighten their belts as a result of the credit crunch, a day out in Minehead, including buying fish and chips, ice cream and a bucket and spade – costs on average just £9.10 per person.

Ilfracombe, in north Devon was second best value at £9.70 per person, followed by Skegness and Sidmouth.

Scarborough and Whitby in North Yorkshire ranked as the most expensive, with came with the average family spending £17.03 and £16.95 per person on a day trip.

For more information on property in the UK and the market in general, please visit http://www.themovechannel.co.uk/

-ENDS-

Notes to editors:

TheMoveChannel.com is a property website that was founded in 1999 as an online resource for buying, selling and learning about property. It now receives as many as 300,000 visits per month and advertises over 50,000 properties in nearly 90 countries, which are listed by over 500 partner organisations.

For further information as well as images and interview possibilities, please contact:

Dan Johnson
Managing Director
www.themovechannel.com
0207 952 7650

Now, if I was visiting a tourist hotspot in London city and spotted someone with their hand in my bag I wouldn't automatically assume that they were putting money into it – but more fool me, for that's exactly what 20 former pickpockets are doing.

In a bid to bring a little joy to people's lives and brighten up the gloom of the financial crisis, these ex-crims have turned over a new leaf and will be touring London's hottest tourist sites to slip money back into people's pockets and handbags.

Turning the old pickpocketing trend on its head, this new breed of Santa's little helpers will be giving away notes ranging from £5 to £20 in places such as Covent Garden and Trafalgar Square.

The new scheme is being run and funded by an internet provider and will be in London until the end of August before being rolled out countrywide.

At least £100,000 is up for grabs, but there's nothing you can do to make them choose you- other than leaving your handbag open – which could be dangerous if some old – fashioned pickpockets are lurking.

Not only is it brightening up people's lives, the scheme is also helping to ease the conscience of those former pickpockets.

Chris Fitch, a former pickpocket who now heads TalkTalk's putpocketing initiative, said, "It feels good to give something back for a change – and Britons certainly need it in the current economic climate.

"Every time I put money back in someone's pocket, I feel less guilty about the fact I spent many years taking it out," he added.

Note to tourists: If you do happen to see someone reaching into your handbag, please bear in mind that there is a chance it may not be an example of ‘putpocketing.' (!)

For more information on UK properties and the market in general, please visit http://www.themovechannel.co.uk/

-ENDS-

Notes to editors:

TheMoveChannel.com is a property website that was founded in 1999 as an online resource for buying, selling and learning about property. It now receives as many as 300,000 visits per month and advertises over 50,000 properties in nearly 90 countries, which are listed by over 500 partner organisations.

For further information as well as images and interview possibilities, please contact:

Dan Johnson
Managing Director
www.themovechannel.com
0207 952 7650

Some of my best memories are of travelling across America on the trusty Greyhound bus. The longest stint we did in one go was 34 hours, from Santa Barbara in California to Houston, Texas.

It was a mindnumbingly long journey through the biblebelt of all-American nothingness, complete with passengers with chickens in cages and even someone going into labour.

Fast forward to now and, of course, there's wi-fi, seatbelts and extra leg room. But give me the true back to basics trip we experienced any day – it'll hang around in my memory for ever. (Along with the smell of those bus bathrooms after 34 hours – one memory I could live without).

And, like most American institutions, Blighty has picked up on it and the Greyhound has arrived on our shores.

The first services will run non-stop from London to Portsmouth and Southampton on September 14th, with fares starting from £1.50, including a 50p booking fee. The trips will take around two hours and some will be lined up with ferry services to and from the Isle of Wight.

You won't be slumming it either – all travellers will get leather seats, free wi-fi, air conditioning and complimentary newspapers.

More destinations will be added in time.

Each of the coaches will have names based on popular American songs dedicated to women such as Sweet Caroline, Barbara Ann, Jolene and Peggy Sue.

Chief Executive Sir Moir Lockhead said, "For 95 years Greyhound has been an icon of American life carrying millions of people across the USA and Canada.

'"Since FirstGroup took over Greyhound in 2007, we have hoped to bring this famous brand across the Atlantic and I am absolutely delighted to reveal the first authentic Greyhound coaches in the UK," he added.

For more information on UK properties and the market in general, please visit http://www.themovechannel.co.uk/

-ENDS-

Notes to editors:

TheMoveChannel.com is a property website that was founded in 1999 as an online resource for buying, selling and learning about property. It now receives as many as 300,000 visits per month and advertises over 50,000 properties in nearly 90 countries, which are listed by over 500 partner organisations.

For further information as well as images and interview possibilities, please contact:

Dan Johnson
Managing Director
www.themovechannel.com
0207 952 7650

‘Oh we do like to be beside the seaside, yes we do like to be beside the sea…Well, tough – seaside towns across the UK have become so popular with retirees seeking some bracing sea air that they are too full to accommodate any more – forcing more and more to take their money inland…

My 85-year old Grandmother refused to have tea with me in the Wishtower café on Eastbourne seafront as it was ‘too full of old people.’

She’s got a point. Eastbourne on the South coast is one of the most popular places for those seeking a seaside retirement and its boardwalk and town centre are both full to bursting with the power of the grey pound.

But, before you start packing your smalls and dreaming of a new life by the sea, just hold on a second. The majority of the popular seaside resorts such as the aforementioned Eastbourne, Bournemouth and Worthing are so chocca that they are hanging out the ‘no vacancies sign.’

Thus, many retirees are now being forced to ditch the seaside dream and move to a place further inland, or buy a home in a smaller and less well-known coastal town.

The sheer number of pensioners has gone off the scale over the last few years as the average life expectancy has risen almost by 20 years over the last 50 years. The number of OAPS is even expected to increase by another 2.4 million over the next decade.

Now, new research from consumer research company Experian has found that there are five types of retiree.

At one end of the scale is those enjoying a ‘Golden retirement’ on their various assets and moving to popular areas such as Exeter, Chichester, Norwich and Canterbury.

In the middle are the ‘Beachcombers,’ – those who seek out smaller coastal or riverside towns; and at the other end of the scale are the ‘Bungalow Quietude’ lot, which include those with fewer assets who moves to less popular areas such as Peterborough or Lincoln.

For more information on UK property and the market in general, please visit http://www.themovechannel.co.uk/

-ENDS-

Notes to editors:

TheMoveChannel.com is a property website that was founded in 1999 as an online resource for buying, selling and learning about property. It now receives as many as 300,000 visits per month and advertises over 50,000 properties in nearly 90 countries, which are listed by over 500 partner organisations.

For further information as well as images and interview possibilities, please contact:

Dan Johnson

Managing Director

www.themovechannel.com

0207 952 7650

<!– /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} h1 {margin-right:0cm; mso-margin-top-alt:auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; margin-left:0cm; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; mso-outline-level:1; font-size:24.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning:18.0pt; font-weight:bold;} h2 {mso-style-next:Normal; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; page-break-after:avoid; mso-outline-level:2; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; font-weight:bold;} a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {color:blue; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {color:purple; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} p {margin-right:0cm; mso-margin-top-alt:auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; margin-left:0cm; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:595.3pt 841.9pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:35.4pt; mso-footer-margin:35.4pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} –>

]]> http://news.internationalpropertyinvestment.com/2009/07/28/grey-pound-crowds-the-coast/feed/ 0 http://news.internationalpropertyinvestment.com/2009/07/16/cleaning-up-that-act/ http://news.internationalpropertyinvestment.com/2009/07/16/cleaning-up-that-act/#comments Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:44:31 +0000 movechannel http://news.internationalpropertyinvestment.com/?p=643

Anything that means estate agents will be better regulated can’t be a bad thing in my eyes – as I’m still smarting over my recent unpleasant experience with one – so news that all agents in the UK must register with a new anti-money laundering system is being welcomed by many…

The new service, which is linked to December 2007’s Money Laundering Regulations, will launch on the last day of this month.

Membership will be compulsory as of the end of January 2010, so UK real estate agents may as well join up straightaway.

The registration process will take around 45 days, so The Office of Fair Trading is advising agents to join the register on the 31^st July so as to avoid the mad rush at the end of the year.

Any agents who have not registered by the end of January 2010 will then be operating illegally – so failure to register could result in a hefty fine or even a jail term.

Agents will have to pay £115 per office, capped at £2,300 for a firm with 20 or more branches. There will be an annual fee payable after that, although the actual amount has yet to be decided.

The Money Laundering Regulations also apply to buyers’ agents and relocation agents.

Although in the majority of cases the new rules do not apply to letting agents, there will be some exceptions.

If the rental has a value on the open market – which means it can be resold – this may be classed as an estate agency service and in that case a lettings agent will need to register with the new service.

If a letting agent deals in premium leases where companies 'purchase' leases for a short period of time on behalf of their employees, then they too will need to register.

Money laundering regulations will also apply to letting agents who accept double instructions where the landlord/seller instructs them to market the UK property for sale or for rent.

The Money Laundering Regulations of 2007 require agents to have effective policies and procedures in place to prevent their services being used for money laundering and terrorist financing purposes. All agents must do the following:

Customer due diligence measures and ongoing monitoring

Reporting of suspicious transactions

Record keeping

Internal control

Risk assessment and management

The monitoring and management of compliance

For more information on properties in the UK and the market in general, please visit http://www.themovechannel.co.uk/

-ENDS-

Notes to editors:

TheMoveChannel.com is a property website that was founded in 1999 as an online resource for buying, selling and learning about property. It now receives as many as 300,000 visits per month and advertises over 50,000 properties in nearly 90 countries, which are listed by over 500 partner organisations.

For further information as well as images and interview possibilities, please contact:

Dan Johnson

Managing Director

www.themovechannel.com

0207 952 7650