A home has gone on the market this week that ticks a lot of boxes. Three bedrooms, a rooftop garden, rural views, off-road parking, original features – all ticked.
But did you also have a hankering for a shrine to Jimmy Savile on your house-hunting wishlist? Because it’s got that too.
All is not quite as it first seems with this cottage, listed at £230k, The Hoot reports.
The home in Queensbury in Bradford has loads of original features, like an Inglenook fireplace, wooden ceiling beams, and exposed stonework details.
The views are incredible too, with huge windows in the lounge and the master bedroom looking out over the surrounding countryside.
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There’s also a rooftop garden with a seating area, parking for several cars, and an actual bar in the basement.
But eagle-eyed house hunters have noticed an unusual detail in the basement of the cottage. It’s an homage to a few unexpected celebrities.
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Down here in the basement, where there are several pub-style tables and chairs bunched together, and a dart board, and you’re watched over by a cardboard cut-out of newsreader Fiona Bruce.
Inside the basement of the cottage for sale
And that’s far from the weirdest celeb spot down here.
You’ll also notice there appears to be a framed photo of notorious serial killer Peter Sutcliffe, aka the Yorkshire Ripper. What a nice, wholesome character to immortalise in your pub…
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Former PM Margaret Thatcher is in pride of place above the fireplace, and there seems to be a copy of Jimmy Savile’s book on display on the mantelpiece.
The photos of the basement have been taken down from the Rightmove listing after the below tweet, which asked: ‘Wouldn’t you take down your framed pictures of Margaret Thatcher, Peter Sutcliffe and Fiona Bruce down for the photos??’, went a bit viral.
Wouldn’t you take down your framed pictures of Margaret Thatcher, Peter Sutcliffe and Fiona Bruce down for the photos?? https://t.co/6OQpeGxOJ0
— Daniel Holland🎗🏴 ॐ (@DannyDutch) July 23, 2023
In response, one person wrote: “part of me thinks this is a brilliant marketing move… I’m looking to move house, and the price point and rural setting is great. Wouldn’t have even considered Bradford ’til I saw this….”
Another person pointed out: “I really hope the seller has done this because he knows Twitter will spread the advert far and wide.”
Someone else fairly observed: “Amazes me how people give a monkey’s about anything other than the structure and layout of a house they’re buying. Nothing else matters, you can paint it, fit a new bathroom etc.”
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And also remove the shrine to the convicted criminals…
Council Tax in Manchester could be raised to support the city’s ‘poorest households’
Emily Sergeant
Manchester City Council has laid out plans to potentially raise residents’ Council Tax to help support the “poorest households” in the city.
Councillors are proposing that, under the city’s current Council Tax Support scheme, the amount owed by a household is reduced by up to 100% for pension-age residents with the lowest incomes, and up to 82.5% for working-age residents with the lowest incomes from April 2024 – with the maximum reduction for working-age residents increased by 2.5% to 85%.
This means the maximum that those eligible for support would have to pay is just 15% of the bill, according to Manchester City Council.
At the same time, it’s being proposed that rules allowing reductions to be backdated, in instances where someone “has a good reason not to have claimed sooner”, are extended to allow up to a year’s back payments, rather than up to six months as is currently the case.
With the proposals all laid out, a consultation has been opened and residents living in the Manchester borough are now being asked for their views.
The Council is proposing changes to the Council Tax Support scheme that would provide more support for Manchester residents.
The Council Tax Support scheme currently provides around one fifth of Manchester households with help paying their Council Tax, but it’s estimated that these proposed changes would cost the Council around £770,000 in 2024/25.
This proposed raising of Council Tax also comes after the Council revealed earlier last month that £50 million in funding will go towards upgrading and improving social housing in Manchester over the next two years – with thousands of tenants living in social housing and Council-owned residential complexes across the city and wider borough set to benefit.
Residents in these properties are set receive what is being dubbed “transformational investment” to their homes before 2026.
Council Tax in Manchester could be raised to support the city’s ‘poorest households’ / Credit: Archello / Rockpanel
“We are acutely aware that some residents are really struggling due to cost of living pressures,” admitted Cllr Rabnawaz Akbar, who is the Executive Member for Finance at Manchester City Council on the proposals, “and this is why we’ve already introduced a range of measures to help people access food, advice and support.
“As part of this wider response, we want to go even further to help the poorest households in Manchester with their Council Tax, and that’s what these proposals are all about.
“We’re keen to hear your views on what we’re suggesting before we make a final decision.”
The online consultation on the proposals is now open and runs until Sunday 12 November, and you can have your day here.
Featured Image – gov.uk
Property
The Manchester business busting mortgage myths and helping Mancs buy homes
The Manc
A business that wants to make mortgages and buying a house more friendly and approachable has recently expanded to Manchester.
Sett Mortgages, founded in 2021 by Elliot Benson, provides free advice and support throughout the home-buying process.
They specialise in helping first-time buyers, promising to ‘hold your hand’ throughout, from starting your house hunt to getting your keys, and beyond.
And as anyone who has tried to get on the property ladder for the first time will tell you, it can be daunting.
Elliot spotted a gap in the market for a friendly, approachable and easy to understand mortgage brokerage.
Elliot Benson from Sett Mortgages. Credit: SuppliedSett Mortgages wants to help Mancs buy homes
He has worked in property for 10 years, and is a two-time British Mortgage Award Nominee and one time finalist.
And now Sett Mortgages offer a start-to-finish service where they’ll narrow down thousands of mortgage options and badger all the banks to find you the cheapest deal possible, help with all the legal bits, and even catch up after your house purchase completes to answer any final questions.
All that with no broker fee and no hidden costs at any time, and one point of contact throughout.
Sett Mortgages wants to bust some mortgage myths and help everyone from first-time buyers to remortgagers to have the least stressful house-buying experience possible.
Five common mortgage myths busted by Sett Mortgages
The bank I use will give me the best deal! – Not true, they treat you as a new customer and will only offer you what they offer everyone else. Always shop around!
You need a 10% deposit to buy a house – Not true, if you have been renting over a year you don’t even need a deposit, otherwise you can use anything from 5% upwards
I’m self employed, it’s really difficult to get a mortgage – Nope! As long as you have been self employed at least a year, we can get you a mortgage
I need three payslips to get a mortgage – Nope, as long as you have a contract you can get a mortgage, even without your first payslip
Rates are really high at the moment! – Actually fixed rates are coming down even though the base rate has been going up
Daisy Jackson -
27th July 2023 
