LOCALS living in one of the UK’s cheapest housing market areas boast their affordable prices – but claim there’s a huge downside.
County Durham is blessed with low mortgage rates – but plagued with rowdy revellers and drug users, according to frustrated homeowners.
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The picturesque town of Ferryhill is blighted with “druggies” and nuisance students, but no one has stepped up to help.
Fuming locals say they have been forced to increase security measures and live in fear they will be robbed after a spate of burglaries and street violence.
Resident Paul Malpas, 43, told The Sun Online: “It used to be a tight-knit community, now you don’t know who’s who.
“There’s a lot of druggies who are ruining the area and people flying past on motorbikes on the path where there are elderly people. It’s shocking.”
The former water maintenance worker added he has installed CCTV at his parents house, and noticed the trend increasing among other residents.
He also claimed people struggle to climb onto the property ladder, and explained he is a renter himself.
Another fed-up homeowner Andrew Haywoith, 30, agreed it is nearly impossible to snap up a property.
The dad-of-two said: “You have to be a millionaire to live in this country.
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“I think the prices should be cheaper in Ferryhill as we don’t have a train station. There’s also a lot of crime.
“Just outside of the town centre there’s loads of smashed windows and boarded up homes. There are druggies. It’s terrifying for the kids.”
‘SICK OF IT’
Meanwhile, business owner Lee Jewett, explained that despite the “cheapest house prices”, County Durham has the “highest council tax in the country”.
“It’s the worst thing that ever happened to this town,” the 50-year-old added.
“People rob the Co-op and even the butchers. I’ve seen a massive change in the last five years.
“Just this weekend I heard of someone being held at the cash point with a knife and my friend’s mother having her bag stolen.
“It’s forcing people who have lived here their whole lives out as they are sick of it.”
Lee claimed the increase in criminal activity has seen the house prices fall even lower – but made them harder to sell.
There’s a lot of druggies who are ruining the area and people flying past on motorbikes on the path where there are elderly people. It’s shocking.”
Paul Malpas
Debbie Thurlbeck, 64, was shocked when she made the move to Durham from Cornwall with husband John.
“You can scoop up a property for £15,000.
“But, you would also have to put money into that property and do it up.
“There’s a lot of anti-social behaviour. They moved someone next to an elderly couple in their 80’s and they play loud music all the time,” she said.
But husband John added: “We own our house and we don’t get much trouble in our street.”
‘IT’S SCANDALOUS’
Another major issue plaguing the historic town, according to locals, is disruptive student life.
Resident Kirsty Thomas, a retired teacher in her 80’s fumed: “It is full and overwhelmed with far too many students.
“All the small houses are occupied by students and only for around five months of the year.
“All of the cheap properties are bought by landlords who divide it up into multiple occupancy homes, which wrecks them from the inside because of all the chopping and changing they do. It’s scandalous.
“It’s a great source of anger in Durham. It’s destroying our quality of life.
“There was a community here which has been ruined. It has undervalued the town.”
This was echoed by fed-up homeowner Alison Killeen who claimed they are “getting forced out because of students.”
The 50-year-old explained houses are being whipped off the market by universities for student accommodation.
“The prices have started to go up because of it so we’re being priced out and have to move further away from the city centre,” she added.
“I heard about one elderly woman who passed away and her house was snapped up for students within six weeks.”
She even spoke of one friend who was outraged after being refused service in a bar on a “student night”.
The disgruntled resident believed hospitality jobs are “unofficially reserved” for students – putting locals at a disadvantage.
Plus, the disruption and chaos caused by student house parties has sparked anger among the formerly “tight-knit community”.
“It’s going to come to a boiling point”, said Alison.
LACK OF OPPORTUNITIES
And, 24-year-old Zoe Efthymiadou, fears she will never be able to own her own home.
The hair and make-up artist is still living at home and claimed “rising interest rates and prices” are tearing the town apart.
She said: “The prices are very low in County Durham, especially compared to down south. I went to university in Bournemouth and the rent was half the price.
“However, just because it’s cheap, doesn’t mean it’s easy to get a house.
“The reason it’s so cheap in County Durham is there isn’t a lot of opportunity around here.
“London is extremely expensive, I have friends paying £2k a month in rent, but it’s because everyone flocks there which puts prices up whereas we don’t have those high-flying jobs here.”
Durham Constabulary has been approached for comment.
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