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Media Coverage 2010 - 2012
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cameloteurope.com
Camelot in the press
a collection ofrecent press articles
cameloteurope.com07.05.2010 - property week
cameloteurope.com07.05.2010 - property week
cameloteurope.com13.01.2011 - ham&high
cameloteurope.com14.01.2011 - the independent
47T
HE
IND
EP
EN
DE
NT
FRID
AY14
JAN
UAR
Y 20
11l
ll
ll
l
Hom
es &
Des
ign
46l
ll
ll
lFR
IDAY
14JA
NU
ARY
2011
TH
EIN
DE
PE
ND
EN
T
Hom
es &
Des
ign
Mar
imek
koun
ikko
fabr
ic
TH
E S
EC
RE
T H
IST
OR
Y O
F..
.
It’s p
roba
bly
one
of th
e m
ost
reco
gnis
ed fa
bric
des
igns
in th
ew
orld
. Hug
e sp
lash
y po
ppie
s in
ava
riet
y of
col
ours
ado
rnin
g um
-br
ella
s, b
ags,
tea
tray
s an
d be
ddin
g.A
nd y
et U
nikk
o, fr
om th
e F
inni
sh
desi
gn c
ompa
ny M
arim
ekko
, onl
yca
me
abou
t whe
n a
desi
gner
dar
edto
def
yhe
r bo
ss.
Arm
i Rat
ia, t
he c
reat
ive
visi
onbe
hind
Mar
imek
ko, b
ough
t a te
xtile
com
pany
wit
h he
r hu
sban
d, V
iljo,
in19
51. S
he in
sist
ed o
n bo
ld c
olou
rs b
utde
cree
d th
at th
ere
wou
ld b
e no
flor
alde
sign
s. In
her
opi
nion
nat
ural
flow
ers
wer
e so
bea
utifu
l the
y sh
ould
not
be
used
as m
otifs
. But
one
of h
er d
esig
ners
,M
aija
Isol
ade
sign
ed U
nikk
o in
pro
test
at b
eing
told
wha
t to
draw
. T
iina
Ala
huht
a-K
asko
, of
Mar
imek
ko, s
aid:
“Arm
i had
sai
dpu
blic
ly th
at s
he d
idn’
t wan
t any
flow
ers,
but
Mai
ja r
efus
ed to
acc
ept
her
deci
sion
and
des
igne
d a
who
lera
nge
of fl
oral
pat
tern
s w
hich
wer
eso
gor
geou
s an
d di
stin
ctiv
e th
atA
rmi b
ough
t eig
ht s
trai
ght a
way
.”A
fter
the
Sec
ond
Wor
ld W
ar,
Eur
ope
was
rea
dy fo
r so
me
colo
uran
d th
e R
atia
s ca
me
at ju
st th
e ri
ght
mom
ent.
But
thei
r de
sign
s, w
hile
popu
lar,
didn
’t se
ll as
no
one
knew
how
to u
se s
uch
bold
fabr
ic.
Rat
iahi
red
a fr
iend
to m
ake
the
mat
eria
lint
o si
mpl
e sh
ift d
ress
es. A
tth
e fir
st fa
shio
n sh
ow, t
he c
row
dw
ent w
ild, b
uyin
g th
e cl
othe
s al
mos
tst
raig
ht o
ff th
e m
odel
s’ b
acks
. In
1957
, the
y w
ere
invi
ted
to s
how
at t
heup
scal
e R
inas
cent
e st
ore
in M
ilan
atth
e in
vita
tion
of t
he th
en d
ispl
aym
anag
er, G
iorg
io A
rman
i.T
he c
ompa
ny n
ame
was
cha
nged
from
Pri
ntex
to M
arim
ekko
, an
anag
ram
of A
rmi’s
nam
e to
geth
erw
ith
the
Fin
nish
wor
d fo
r dr
ess,
and
,as
the
form
al g
love
d lu
nche
ons
of th
e19
50s
gave
way
to g
arde
n pa
rtie
s an
dba
rbec
ues,
so
thei
r m
ore
rela
xed
styl
e of
clo
thes
fitt
ed th
e ne
w m
ood.
In 19
60 J
acki
e K
enne
dy b
ough
tse
ven
dres
ses
and
was
pic
ture
d on
the
cove
r of
Spo
rts I
llust
rate
d in
are
dsl
eeve
less
ver
sion
. A
few
yea
rs a
fter
Rat
ia’s
deat
h in
1979
, the
com
pany
was
sol
d bu
t ran
into
finan
cial
pro
blem
s. In
1991
,K
irst
i Paa
kene
n bo
ught
Mar
imek
koan
d is
cred
ited
wit
h ha
ving
sav
ed th
eco
mpa
ny. I
n 20
07,i
t beg
an o
peni
ngit
s ow
n sh
ops
and
whe
n C
arri
e B
rads
haw
was
pic
ture
d w
eari
ng a
Mar
imek
ko b
ikin
i and
late
r a
dres
s in
Sex
and
the C
ity,
the
com
pany
was
back
at t
he fo
refr
ont o
f fas
hion
. Fo
rit
s 60
th a
nniv
ersa
ry th
is y
ear,
Mai
ja Is
ola’
s da
ught
er K
rist
ina,
who
still
wor
ks fo
r M
arim
ekko
, has
cre
at-
eda
colla
ge o
f pat
tern
s fir
st d
esig
ned
by h
er m
othe
r.K
ATE
WAT
SON
-SM
YTH
Ren
t is
dead
mon
ey, o
r so
the
sayi
ng g
oes.
But
desp
ite
falli
ngpr
oper
ty p
rice
sin
201
0, w
ith
Hal
ifax
repo
rtin
gan
ove
rall
1.6 p
erce
nt d
eclin
e, it
rem
ains
the
only
op
tion
for
man
y as
piri
ng fi
rst-
tim
ebu
yers
str
uggl
ing
to s
ave
for
the
aver
age
£29,
000
depo
sit r
equi
red
to b
uy a
pro
pert
y of
thei
r ow
n.
Thi
s ye
ar’s
pred
icti
ons
add
to th
egl
oom
; 41 p
er c
ent o
f lan
dlor
ds a
repl
anni
ng to
incr
ease
rent
, say
buy
-to-
let
mor
tgag
e sp
ecia
list P
arag
on.
Wit
h th
e av
erag
e re
nt a
lrea
dy a
t£6
92 (a
nd £
992
in L
ondo
n), a
s st
ated
in th
e la
test
buy
-to-
let i
ndex
from
LS
L P
rope
rty
Ser
vice
s, th
e id
ea o
fha
ving
any
mon
ey le
ft o
ver,
let a
lone
a su
bsta
ntia
l sum
to s
et a
side
for
ade
posi
t, se
ems
rem
ote
for
the
maj
ority
of r
ente
rs. A
rec
ent p
oll c
arri
ed b
yre
ntal
sit
e S
pare
room
.co.
uk fo
und
87pe
r ce
nt o
f ten
ants
sai
d th
ey fe
lt th
eyw
ould
n’t b
e ab
le to
eve
r af
ford
thei
row
n ho
me
in to
day’
s cl
imat
e, e
ven
thou
gh th
ey w
ante
d to
. A
rep
ort p
ublis
hed
at th
e en
d of
last
yea
r su
gges
ted
it w
ould
take
an
aver
age
earn
er, o
n a
sala
ry o
f£2
5,90
0, ju
st o
ver
14 y
ears
to s
ave
ade
posi
t to
buy
a pr
oper
ty, w
hile
in
depe
nden
t res
earc
h or
gani
sati
onR
esol
utio
n Fo
unda
tion
say
s it
cou
ldta
ke a
low
ear
ner
at le
ast 4
5 ye
ars.
And
wit
h m
ost m
ortg
age
lend
ers
aski
ng fo
r a
depo
sit o
f at l
east
15 p
erce
nt, h
ome
owne
rshi
p fe
els
out o
fre
ach
for
man
y.
“It’s
sti
ll ve
ry m
uch
the
case
that
the
bigg
er th
e de
posi
t, th
e be
tter
the
rate
s of
inte
rest
and
mor
tgag
e op
tion
sav
aila
ble
to b
uyer
s,” s
ays
Dav
idH
ollin
gwor
th o
f mor
tgag
e br
oker
sL
ondo
n &
Cou
ntry
. “If
you
had
a 2
5pe
r ce
nt d
epos
it, y
ou c
ould
get
a
muc
h be
tter
rat
e of
inte
rest
than
ifyo
u pu
t dow
n a
10 p
er c
ent d
epos
it.”
But
the
idea
of o
wni
ng y
our
own
prop
erty
doe
sn’t
have
to b
e te
nant
s’w
ishf
ul th
inki
ng; t
here
are
way
s to
save
for
a de
posi
t eve
n if
you’
re p
ayin
gof
f som
eone
els
e’s
mor
tgag
e ea
chm
onth
. “I u
sed
to r
eally
res
ent p
ayin
gm
y re
nt,”
says
Ala
stai
r H
iggi
nbot
tom
,a
26-y
ear-
old
secu
rity
man
ager
from
Nor
tham
pton
, who
was
pay
ing
£550
a m
onth
for
a ro
om in
a te
rrac
edho
use
unti
l rec
entl
y. “
Eve
ry m
onth
Iha
d no
thin
g le
ft to
sav
e or
spe
nd. I
was
alw
ays
havi
ng to
say
no
to g
oing
out o
r bu
ying
any
thin
g ne
w, a
nd a
l-w
ays
wor
king
ove
rtim
e to
ear
n m
ore.”
Det
erm
ined
to s
ave
for
his
own
hous
e, h
e be
cam
e a
prop
erty
guar
dian
. Pro
pert
y gu
ardi
ans
are
appo
inte
d by
man
agem
ent c
ompa
nies
,w
hich
look
aft
er v
acan
t bui
ldin
gs o
nbe
half
of p
rope
rty
deve
lope
rs u
nabl
eto
sel
l or
owne
rs w
ho a
re o
vers
eas.
Inex
chan
ge fo
r ke
epin
g an
eye
on
the
build
ing,
gua
rdia
ns b
enef
it fr
om a
subs
tant
ially
dis
coun
ted
rent
. A
s a
guar
dian
, Hig
ginb
otto
m p
ays
£63
a w
eek,
incl
udin
g bi
lls, t
o liv
e in
a25
ft s
quar
e ro
om in
Del
apre
Abb
ey, a
stun
ning
cou
ntry
est
ate.
He
plan
s on
stay
ing
ther
e fo
r tw
o ye
ars,
by
whi
chpo
int h
e ai
ms
to h
ave
save
d en
ough
for
a de
posi
t to
buy
his
own
hom
e.“T
he A
bbey
is g
lori
ous
– th
ere’
sla
ndsc
aped
gar
dens
and
woo
dlan
dw
alks
. To
get t
o m
y ro
om, y
ou c
ome
up a
gra
nd s
tair
case
and
pas
sst
aine
d-gl
ass w
indo
ws.
The
re’s
a de
finite
wow
fact
or to
livi
ng h
ere,
and
by
bein
g he
re w
e’re
kee
ping
the
plac
efr
ee fr
om s
quat
ters
,” ex
plai
ns
Hig
ginb
otto
m. “
But
for m
e, th
e fin
anci
alsa
ving
s ar
e m
ost i
mpo
rtan
t. I’m
sa
ving
at l
east
£30
0 a
mon
th, w
hich
mea
ns I
can
lead
a n
ice
lifes
tyle
and
build
up
a sm
all p
ot o
f mon
ey a
s a
depo
sit.
Tha
t was
som
ethi
ng I
coul
dn’t
even
thin
k ab
out b
efor
e.”
Cam
elot
Pro
pert
y m
anag
esD
elap
re A
bbey
, and
pla
ces
prop
erty
guar
dian
s ac
ross
the
coun
try.
Itre
port
s a
35 p
er c
ent i
ncre
ase
in th
enu
mbe
r of
peo
ple
beco
min
ggu
ardi
ans
in th
e la
st 18
mon
ths.
“We
are
ofte
n ap
proa
ched
by
peop
le w
ho a
re s
ick
of th
row
ing
away
mon
ey o
n ve
ry h
igh
rent
, whi
ch c
ould
be u
sed
to s
ave
for
a de
posi
t,’ s
ays
John
Mill
s, C
amel
ot’s
UK
dir
ecto
r.“M
any
of o
ur g
uard
ians
are
key
wor
kers
who
wou
ldn’
t ord
inar
ily b
eab
le to
aff
ord
high
ren
tal p
rice
s, le
tal
one
save
for
thei
r ow
n ho
me.
”C
amel
ot s
ays
guar
dian
s pa
y an
aver
age
of £
200
a m
onth
in r
ent,
incl
udin
g bi
lls a
nd c
ounc
il ta
x. It
sw
ebsi
te c
urre
ntly
list
s 64
pro
pert
ies
in n
eed
of g
uard
ians
, inc
ludi
ng
war
ehou
se a
part
men
ts in
the
Wes
tM
idla
nds
and
hous
es in
Bri
ghto
n.P
rope
rty
com
pany
Ad
Hoc
say
s it
has
also
see
n hu
ge in
tere
st fr
om p
ro-
fess
iona
ls s
igni
ng u
p to
be
guar
dian
s.“W
hen
we
ask
them
why
, it’s
alw
ays
beca
use
they
are
sav
ing
for
a de
posi
ton
a h
ouse
,” sa
ys D
oug
Edw
ards
, an
Ad
Hoc
man
ager
. “T
hey
wan
t so
mew
here
nic
e bu
t aff
orda
ble
to li
vew
hile
tryi
ng to
sav
e.”
Edw
ards
est
i-m
ates
Lon
don
prop
erty
gua
rdia
nsco
uld
save
£8,
000
over
18 m
onth
s.
Mea
nwhi
le, t
enan
ts in
the
priv
ate
rent
ed s
ecto
r co
uld
be fo
rgiv
en fo
rre
sign
ing
them
selv
es to
pay
ing
exto
r-ti
onat
e re
nt, o
win
g to
the
shor
tage
ofre
ntal
sup
ply
in c
ontr
ast t
o de
man
d.T
he la
test
hou
sing
mar
ket s
urve
yfr
om th
e R
oyal
Inst
itut
ion
of
Cha
rter
ed S
urve
yors
rep
orts
that
33
per
cen
t of s
urve
yors
saw
a r
ise
in
STO
P L
ET
TIN
G,
STA
RT
LIV
ING
‘Pro
pe
rty
gu
ard
ian
s a
rea
pp
oin
ted
to
loo
k a
fte
rv
aca
nt
bu
ild
ing
s in
exh
an
ge
fo
r ch
ea
p r
en
t’
dem
and
for
rent
als
in 2
010,
the
fast
est i
ncre
ase
sinc
e 20
08.
But
that
doe
sn’t
nece
ssar
ily le
ave
ever
y la
ndlo
rd w
ith
the
uppe
r ha
nd.
Nik
Mad
an, l
etti
ngs
dire
ctor
at J
ohn
D W
ood
& C
o, s
ays:
“Yo
u ca
n ne
goti
ate
on r
ent,
alth
ough
you
’re
mor
e lik
ely
tobe
suc
cess
ful i
f you
’re
star
ting
a n
ewre
ntal
, rat
her
than
ren
ewin
g on
e. A
pow
erfu
l way
to n
egot
iate
is to
forg
oth
e br
eak
cont
ract
whi
ch w
ould
ot
herw
ise
give
you
the
flexi
bilit
y to
give
not
ice
and
mov
e ou
t ear
ly. M
ost
land
lord
s w
ill b
e w
illin
g to
red
uce
rent
for
som
eone
pre
pare
d to
com
mit
to a
long
term
con
trac
t of 1
2 or
18m
onth
s, w
ho is
n’t g
oing
to le
ave.
”M
ost l
andl
ords
are
pre
pare
d to
redu
ce r
ent f
or te
nant
s w
ho c
anm
ove
in s
oone
r th
an e
xpec
ted
and
itca
n be
wor
th o
ffer
ing
to ta
ke o
n th
eco
st o
f rep
aint
ing
or fi
the
prem
ises
,in
exc
hang
e fo
r m
oney
off.
Mad
ansa
ys o
ne o
f his
clie
nts
has
agre
ed to
knoc
k £2
00 o
ff a
tena
nt’s
mon
thly
rent
as
a re
sult
of t
he te
nant
’s of
fer
tore
pain
t and
upd
ate
the
hous
e.A
mor
e su
bsta
ntia
l way
to s
ave
isto
ren
t onl
y du
ring
the
wor
king
wee
kas
a lo
dger
. Thi
s is
how
Mat
t Par
r, a
24-y
ear-
old
PR
con
sult
ant,
save
s ov
er£3
00 e
very
mon
th, w
hich
he
hope
sw
ill c
ulm
inat
e in
a ti
dy d
epos
it.
Par
r an
d hi
s gi
rlfr
iend
had
hop
edto
ren
t a fl
at, b
ut d
isco
vere
d th
eyco
uldn
’t af
ford
the
area
. Ins
tead
, the
yea
ch p
ay £
25 w
eekl
y to
lodg
e in
ath
ree-
stor
ey h
ouse
in P
onty
clun
,W
ales
, ret
urni
ng to
thei
r pa
rent
s’ho
mes
on
wee
kend
s.“I
t wor
ks o
ut b
rilli
antl
y,” s
ays
Par
r.“W
e ha
ve a
bed
room
, sto
rero
om a
ndla
ndin
gw
hich
dou
bles
up
as m
y w
ork
area
, and
we
shar
e th
e re
st o
f the
hous
e w
ith
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’s in
form
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d fr
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e ge
t on
wel
l wit
h th
eow
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wee
kend
s, it
’s ea
sy fo
r us
to g
o ba
ck to
our
par
ents
’ hom
es to
o.”
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r is
con
fiden
t the
mon
ey h
e
save
s w
ill g
et h
im o
n th
e pr
oper
tyla
dder
. “I g
radu
ated
in 2
008,
at t
hehe
ight
of t
he fi
nanc
ial c
risi
s. B
uyin
gm
y ow
n ho
me
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ealit
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tit
’s m
ore
of a
pos
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lity
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t for
king
out
£60
0 on
ren
t.”L
odgi
ng c
an b
e up
to 4
0 pe
r ce
ntch
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r th
an s
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p to
a fu
ll-ti
me
rent
al c
ontr
act,
acco
rdin
g to
M
onda
ytoF
rida
y.co
m, a
web
site
whi
ch a
dver
tise
s lo
dgin
gs.
Judy
Nin
er, t
he fo
unde
r of
M
onda
ytoF
rida
y.co
m, s
ays:
“It
’s do
-abl
e as
long
as
you’
ve g
ot a
bas
efo
r w
eeke
nds.
It c
an b
ecom
e as
long
term
as
you
wan
t it t
o be
; as
you
get
to k
now
you
r la
ndlo
rd, y
ou c
an c
ome
to a
n ar
rang
emen
t. P
lus
you
don’
tha
ve n
earl
y as
man
y re
spon
sibi
litie
sas
if y
ou w
ere
a te
nant
– it
’s no
t up
toyo
u to
get
the
plum
bing
fixe
d.”
If a
ll el
se fa
ils, t
here
’s al
way
s th
eop
tion
of m
ovin
g ba
ck in
wit
h yo
urpa
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s. A
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it m
ay n
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uit
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-ter
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ente
rs u
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to in
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pro
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acti
veso
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on fo
r so
me
wou
ld-b
e fir
st-t
ime
buye
rs, w
ith
Hal
ifax
repo
rtin
g 10
per
cent
of t
hem
mov
ing
hom
e to
sav
e.C
arly
Will
iam
s, a
n H
R a
ssis
tant
,m
oved
in w
ith
her
mum
in C
ardi
ff
last
Apr
il, a
fter
str
uggl
ing
to m
eet
the
rent
on
a tw
o-be
droo
m fl
at w
ith
her
boyf
rien
d. “
Mon
ey w
as v
ery
tigh
t. W
e w
ere
payi
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ound
£80
0 a
mon
th a
nd w
e st
rugg
led
– a
lot,”
she
says
. S
ince
mov
ing
hom
e, W
illia
ms,
22,
says
she
’s sa
ving
bet
wee
n £5
00 a
nd£6
00 a
mon
th a
nd d
oesn
’t fe
el li
kesh
e’s
losi
ng h
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depe
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-tr
ibut
e £2
00 fo
r bi
lls, b
ut th
e fin
anci
alpr
essu
re is
off.
I’ve
alr
eady
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suff
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nt a
mou
nt, a
nd I’
m c
onfid
ent
that
this
tim
e ne
xt y
ear,
I will
be
in a
bett
er p
osit
ion
to r
ealis
tica
lly th
ink
abou
t buy
ing.
I do
n’t w
ant t
o go
bac
kto
ren
ting
aga
in a
nd in
the
mea
ntim
e,I’m
hap
py li
ving
wit
h m
y m
um.”
Sav
e in
spl
end
our
Ala
stai
r H
iggi
nbot
tom
enj
oys
life
at h
is fl
at a
t Del
apre
Ab
bey
(far
left
) in
Nor
tham
pton
;(r
ight
, fro
m to
p), h
is b
edro
om,
the
entr
ance
hal
l and
the
‘fro
ntga
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’ JO
HN
LA
WR
ENCE
With
land
lord
s ch
argi
ng r
ecor
d ra
tes,
it’s
toug
h fo
r fir
st-t
ime
buye
rs to
sav
efo
r a
depo
sit.
But
ther
e ar
e w
ays
to s
lash
you
rliv
ing
expe
nses
and
esc
ape
the
rent
al tr
ap, s
ays
Hu
ma
Qu
resh
i
cameloteurope.com16.01.2011 - sunday times
home4
Looking after number oneStruggling to save up a deposit for yourfirst home? Why not live (almost) rentfree as a ‘guardian’, says Martina Lees
H ow far would you go to save up a deposit? Would you (a) live in an abandoned fire sta-tion; (b) risk confronting a drug addict breaking into a warehouse; or (c) have a Blair
Witch-style horror movie filmed in your basement?
Gregg Quixley, 38, a teacher, did all three before he bought a one-bedroom flat overlooking Richmond Park, in southwest London, with his wife, Leigh-Anne. To cut down on living expenses in his bachelor days, the burly South African spent 4½ years as a live-in guardian in empty buildings. “It was ridiculously cheap, from £75 a month,” he says. “I saved £400-£500 a month.”
Quixley had grasped a simple truth of today’s housing market: if you want to get a foot on the property ladder, you have to be creative. On average, some-one in their twenties would have to save their entire take-home pay for 27 months to afford the £37,000 deposit on a typical £155,000 property, the Home Builders Federation found last October. In London, it would take a full three years.
For most first-time buyers — 9 out of 10, according to a report by the think tank Policy Exchange — the solution is a loan, or better still a gift, from their parents. But what if, like Quixley’s, your mother and father are unable to help?
In January 2003, he was one of the first people to register as a “guardian” with Camelot, a property management firm that had just arrived in Britain from Holland. Any employed person over 18 can apply, provided they satisfy certain basic criteria (see panel, below), for a position as a deterrent to vandals and squatters.
Home for Quixley has included a former nunnery in north London, a 5,000 sq ft photographic warehouse in Camden, an abandoned office block in Battersea and, of course, that fire sta-tion. He and three other guardians moved into Manchester Square fire station, in Marylebone, central London, after it was closed in 2005. “It had a brass pole to slide down and a lookout tower up a spiral staircase — you could see all the way to the London Eye,” he recalls.
The five-storey, Grade II-listed build-ing has since been sold to the hotelier André Balazs, who has gained planning permission to convert it into a 33- bedroom boutique hotel in time for the London 2012 Olympics.
“We lived right in the middle of a rich West End street, 500 yards from Baker Street Tube station,” Quixley says. He paid just £220 a month, including bills, for his room in an office on the second floor.
At the time, art exhibitions were often held in the basement and in the cavernous ground floor, where the fire engines used to stand. Just before Quixley left to get married in 2007, filming of the indie horror movie Credo started on the two lower levels. Starring the late Boyzone singer Stephen Gately, it went straight to DVD — and living with the production was far from
glamorous. “We would wake up at 2.30am with people screaming and killing and all that,” Quixley says. “I had a few bust-ups with the director over the racket.”
Looking after a big space can have its benefits, though. While guarding the derelict Consolata Mission College, a Victorian mansion that was used as a Carmelite nunnery in the 1960s, Quixley played squash and indoor cricket in the parquet-floored dining hall. Banner Homes has since turned the property, in Totteridge, north London, into a devel-opment of eight luxury homes, called Grace Court — one of which sold for more than £1.3m in 2007.
Other aspects can be less appealing. A drug addict broke into Quixley’s first Camelot home — a photographic ware-house in Camden, north London — stealing a camera and leaving a bloody trail after cutting his hand on broken glass, which led to his arrest.
Fortunately for Quixley, he was not there at the time — but others have had even closer encounters.Kevin Wrankmore, 50, a salesman for a luxury watch brand, lived as a guardian for another property manage-ment firm, Ambika, in a five-storey man-sion in May-fair that was owned by an Arab family and had views of Hyde Park. “One night, I heard something down-stairs,” he says. When he investigated, Wrankmore found a man walking round the house.
“I asked him, ‘Excuse me, who are you?’” He at first pretended to be looking
at another guardian’s
artwork, but then Wrank-
more saw that the locks had
been broken. A lock-smith was sitting in a
car outside. “When I con-fronted him, they left. They must have been looking for a squat.”
Although in a shabby state, the house was “very plush”, Wrankmore recalls.
“It even had its own lift, but it didn’t work.” A huge staircase swept up from the entrance hall to what could have been a “mini ballroom” on the second floor. He had the entire top floor, with two bedrooms, a bathroom, a small kitchen and a “huge lounge” all to him-self — all free of charge. “It had these big double doors that led out onto a lovely balcony with views over Hyde Park.”
Wrankmore’s three years there — and a rather less exotic 18 months spent guarding a one-bedroom flat in a once
drug-infested estate on Gray’s Inn Road, near King’s Cross, central London — enabled him to save up a £37,000 deposit by 2003. With his girlfriend, Jennie Gilbertson, he bought a three-bedroom Victorian home in Thornton Heath, south London, for £219,000.
Quixley, too, managed to save a hefty deposit. In 2008, he and Leigh-Anne, 34, a vet, bought their flat in Roehampton, on the sixth floor of a former council estate. The previous owner, an elderly lady, had died, and it was on the market for £169,000; the heirs accepted an offer of £110,000. “We got in right at the bottom of the downturn,” Quixley says.
If you don’t want too much adventure, fear not: there are plenty of residential properties to protect. Laura Hart, 34, saved £500 a month by guarding a one-bedroom flat in Walthamstow, within walking distance of her then job as a plumber at Whipps Cross University Hospital, in northeast London.
“I was lucky,” she says. The flat, which she protected on behalf of Ad Hoc, another property guardian firm, had wooden floors and a newly fitted kitchen and bathroom, all for £250 a month. Last October, she bought a two-bedroom flat in Lewisham, southeast London, for £177,000, with a 30% deposit. “There’s no way I could have saved enough money if I had lived anywhere else,” she says.
sunday times online
The best strategies to beat the property market in 2011:thesundaytimes.co.uk/home
What are the requirements?Guardians must be over 18, employed and able to move immediately. Sorry, no children, pets or smokers — but couples can be accommodated.
How do I apply?Anyone with proof of employment and income, British residency and landlord references can apply to Camelot (0845 262 2002, uk.cameloteurope.com) or Ad Hoc (020 7226 9900, www.adhoc.eu). Ambika (020 7376 9740, ambikaproperty.com) requires an introduction by an existing caretaker, as well as a day’s training.
What does it cost?Camelot and Ad Hoc guardians pay a monthly licence fee of £100-£400
per person per month, including bills; Ambika caretakers don’t pay a penny. There is usually a registration fee of about £30, and you’ll have to buy a fire safety kit for £65.
Where could I live?Anywhere in Britain, in anything from an old care home or church to a police station or office block. About 40% of Ad Hoc’s live-in sites are residential, from one-bedroom flats to derelict mansions, says Joseph Cooper, the company’s marketing manager. Camelot, which has more than 5,000 guardians across Europe, has seen a 35% increase in the number of vacant buildings over the past 18 months.
What facilities are there?Property management firms ensure that the homes have hot water, power and heating, as well as basic kitchen
and bathroom facilities. Guardians bring their own furniture.
Can I decorate?Yes. Ad Hoc permits only neutral colours; Camelot will let you do wall art, as long as there are no structural changes and you get prior permission.
What’s the catch?Ambika can ask you to move out with only hours’ notice; Camelot gives you two weeks. There is no fixed-term tenancy agreement. No parties or overnight guests are allowed and you have to give ample notice of holidays.
What’s in it for the landlord?Guardians deter squatters, vandals and theft of fixtures and fittings. Landlords save 50% on the cost of boarding up a vacant property and 80% on security guards, Cooper says.
Up to the job?
Gregg Quixley, pictured with his wife, Leigh-Anne, was a guardian
at this disused London fire station
Vicki Couchman; Peter Tarry
living 16.01.11thesundaytimes.co.uk/home
cameloteurope.com21.05.2011 - the times
cameloteurope.com18.08.2011 - Fm World magazine
cameloteurope.com18.08.2011 - Daily record
BBC Scotland's landmark former headquarters have been occupied by a team of "live-in guardians". Hard-up flat hunters are being allowed to rent rooms in the multi-million-pound Victorian mansion in Glasgow's west end for just £45 a week to protect it from squatters and vandals.
Genevieve Fidele, 22, has been living at the Queen Margaret Drive building for three months. She said: "It's brilliant. I'm getting to stay in this amazing building with a great location for a reasonable rent, and it means the place is being well looked after. "There are about a dozen of us in here at the moment and everyone gets on well. "We have a common kitchen area in a former office of one of the top BBC executives and we have access to most of the building, so it's really interesting to look around the old studios."
Genevieve, a receptionist who is also studying for a master's degree at Glasgow University, added: "I first found out you could do this sort of thing when I was living in London. "When I moved to Scotland, it seemed like the best way to get a good place to stay at a rent I could afford. "It doesn't look like there are any moves to sell the building at the moment so we are hoping to stay put for a while. "Even if someone does buy it, we get a month's notice to find somewhere else."
The scheme is being run by alternative security company Camelot Property Protection. Hayate Kassou, Camelot's Regional Manager Scotland, said: "This is a win-win situation for everyone involved. "The property owners get the benefits of low-cost security and people got the opportunity to live in an amazing building. "We are very careful to get the right people to stay in our properties and usually find they are young professionals who like the idea of living somewhere a bit different."
The BBC moved out of Queen Margaret Drive to a new purpose-built studio in Govan four years ago. The building is currently controlled by administrators after QMD Glasgow, the property firm who planned to turn it into a luxury hotel, went bust. In exchange for a low rent, guardians live in empty buildings to keep them safe, secure and tidy for the owners.
Other Camelot properties include office buildings, care homes, warehouses, pubs, old libraries, schools and churches. Guardians must be over 18, with a job and no dependents, pets or criminal convictions. And they have to be ready to move at the drop of a hat.
cameloteurope.com19.09.2011 - nuneaton news
action to protect site
by LISA BUCKLEY
SECURITY staff could be brought in to lay siege at a former Nuneaton secondary school at risk of arson, thieves and squatters.
Plans have unveiled for eight `passive' security guards to live at what was Manor Park School, until the future of the site is decided. Warwickshire County Council has applied for permission for a temporary change of use of the vacant school in Beaumont Road to provide accommodation for a `security by occupation' service. Members of the public, including people living nearby, have until Tuesday, October 4 to express their views over the proposal. Ciaran Power, senior planner at Shire Hall, said that the plan is less costly than other options including installing CCTV and should put a stop to lead and copper thieves, firestarters and uninvited guests.
"Future use of the site at Manor Park has not yet been determined," he said. "Since the school has been closed the site has been targeted by various acts of theft and in a bid to manage further acts of vandalism, Warwickshire County Council has proposed introducing a 'security by occupation' arrangement to be managed by Camelot Property Management. "The proposal seeks permission for temporary occupation on the site for eight individuals to act as passive security guards appointed by Camelot in exchange for cheap rent with bills included. "This arrangement works out significantly less expensive than installing 24-hour security guards and cameras. "The guardians will live on-site to deter squatters or vandals and are to look after the property until either the building is sold, or the future use of the building is decided. In either event the local authority is required to give three weeks notice to the temporary 'tenants'." The former secondary school building has stood empty since the end of July when the Nuneaton Academy stopped using the site. It is owned by the county council which is still exploring the best use of the large building and surrounding land. Camelot Property Management is the first company in the UK to introduce property protection using live-in guardians. Its staff, who are not trained security guards but come from all walks of life, set up home in temporary `pods' equipped with kitchen and toilet facilities and are used in everything from former schools to monasteries, office blocks and factories. Anyone who wants to have their say about the application can speak to Ciaran Power on 01926 412 193, write to Planning and Development Group, Communities, Warwickshire County Council, Warwick, CV34 4SX or email [email protected]. People are asked to quote application number NBB/11CC016.
cameloteurope.com19.09.2011 - the metro
cameloteurope.com29.09.2011 - timeout magazine