“It feels like a personal service – it’s as if a friend has offered to help”

I’ve always had a good relationship with Southdown and their contractors.

It feels like a personal service – it’s as if a friend has offered to help. They’re very friendly.

I lost my father in 2001. I was living with him at the time and my sister had to help move me to somewhere smaller. Eventually, after a lot of searching, we found this place.

I part-rent and part-own it. I am in a shared ownership agreement where Southdown is the landlord and manages the property.

It was quite an easy process once we had found the property and done the necessary legal paperwork.

It seemed a bit odd at first but I soon got used to doing everything by myself. When I lived with my father, we used to share the duties.

If something went wrong with the property, I would contact Southdown – I have the emergency numbers. All I have to do is just ask and they’re like, “Okay, we’ll send someone to sort that out for you.” I find that very useful. It’s a good service. It is stress-free.

They had to replace the water tank about five years ago because the old one started to leak. It’s quite prompt – they give me a date, come and do it, and that’s it!

They refurbished the kitchen and the bathroom last year. It was beginning to look a bit shabby and tired. Only took about four hours to do everything – it was all done by the end of the day! Brilliant!

They were very good, very efficient, they cleaned up after themselves – which is what a good contractor does.

It was my sister’s suggestion, she said it needed updating. So we chose the colour scheme and all the other details. It took about six weeks from first suggesting it to completion.

I intend to live here as long as I’m able to do – until the Guv’nor upstairs and his partner, Mother Nature, decide otherwise!!