At least 4,011 sexual offences were recorded at hotels in England between January 2023 and January 2026 (Picture: Getty Images)
A total of 1,323 sexual offences were recorded in UK hotels last year, Metro can exclusively reveal, exposing serious questions about how they protect female guests.
Earlier this year, Kyran Smith was jailed after sexually attacking a woman in a Travelodge in Maidenhead, in December 2022.
Smith, who had been at the same party as the victim, was handed a key after telling reception staff he was the woman’s boyfriend.
The only information he was asked to provide was the guest’s name. The victim, who had never stayed in a hotel by herself before, was later offered a £30 refund.
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Following the court case, more people have come forward with their own stories, highlighting concerns about security issues at Travelodge.
The victim in the 2022 Maidenhead attack stated she was ‘failed’ by Travelodge (Picture: Getty Images)
And now, CEO of the hotel chain, Jo Boydell, is stepping down amid the fall out.
Boydell has been criticised over her handling of the Maidenhead case, particularly when she declined a second meeting with MPs to discuss the sexual assault.
At the time, then Prime Minister, Kier Starmer wrote a letter to the Travelodge boss, saying: ‘I urge you to seriously engaged with MPs and my government to address the concerns that remain.’
In a statement announcing her resignation, Travelodge said: ‘We remain focused on the safety and well-being of our guests and will continue taking the actions necessary to strengthen the business.
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‘We will also continue to engage proactively and constructively with government and the wider hospitality industry on the issue of safety and security’.
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Travelodge continues to face extreme scrutiny over its security measures (Picture: Getty Images)
But Metro research shows that Travelodge is not the only UK hotel where women are concerned for their safety.
Metro found at least 4,011 sexual offences were recorded at hotels in England between January 2023 and January 2026.
FOI responses from 27 police forces show offences rose from 1,242 in 2024 to 1,323 in 2025 — up 6.5%. Twelve forces could not provide usable data, meaning the true figure is likely higher.
Even so, the findings raise serious questions about the safety measures in place to protect hotel guests.
There was no way to contact reception
In October 2023, Claire Bartlett was staying at a Premier Inn in Camden, London for a work event.
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‘I had actually booked myself into one of the Premier Plus suites so I wasn’t on the main floor with everyone else,’ the 42-year-old from the West Midlands tells Metro.
‘I went back after the event, fell asleep, and then at two or three in the morning, woke up to an absolute hammering on my door – I was completely disorientated and didn’t know what was happening.’
Claire had been staying in London for a work event (Picture: Claire Bartlett)
Through the peep hole she saw a man she didn’t recognise. Dressed in black tie, it appeared to be someone who’d also attended the event.
She crept back to bed and quickly realised that there was no way to contact reception – no phone in the room or a number to call.
‘Common sense might have said “oh Google the hotel and find reception’s number”, but in that moment I totally blanked,’ she shares.
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The ordeal was especially traumatic because Claire had been sexually abused as a child.
She says: ‘I was terrified. I didn’t want the man hammering on my door to know that there was someone in the room – or that I was a woman, all alone.
‘I reverted right back to the terrified little girl I once was hiding under the blanket.
‘I think that if I could have just phoned reception in that moment and got a staff member to come up, I would have felt more protected. But I didn’t have that option.’
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Hours later, the man fell asleep outside her room. Staff subsequently collected him, although Claire isn’t sure how they were alerted.
A number of budget hotel chains in the UK have been criticised for their safety policies (Picture: Getty Images)
When Claire told staff what happened the following morning, they offered her a discount on a future stay, which she felt ‘downplayed’ the situation.
Later, she contacted Head Office, who offered a refund.
A Premier Inn spokesperson told Metro they ‘never stop working to strengthen safety and security procedures’.
In a statement to Metro, the hotel chain said: ‘Our reception teams are available 24/7 in the event our guests need them and can also be contacted by mobile phone if necessary, with the hotel number available online as well as shared with our guests through booking confirmations.
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‘In the very rare event that a guest feels in immediate danger we would however advise them to dial 999 for police assistance before letting us know,’ they added.
While the official spokesperson did not respond to Metro’s specific question regarding why there aren’t telephones inside all rooms, when Metro WhatsApped the general Guest Relations number about whether there would be a phone in the room, or a phone number for reception, they said: ‘Telephones are not provided at most hotels – local rate numbers for reception teams can be found in every room.’
Claire still feels as though she was not taken seriously enough by staff (Picture: Getty Images)
I was asked to sign a waiver to say I understood the risks
Abigail Cousins, 34, has stayed in hundreds of UK hotels through her work as a business development manager for a travel company.
In 2019, while staying at one popular UK budget hotel chain in Solihull, a key to Abigail’s room was given to another guest, resulting in a man entering her room while she was in the shower – an occurrence, she tells Metro, that industry insiders know ‘happens a lot’.
‘When I heard someone was in my room I screamed,’ she shares. ‘He was so apologetic, explaining that he must have got his room numbers confused.
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‘He quickly turned around and walked out, but what stuck with me was the fact that he didn’t even have to say the name of the guest on the hotel booking – staff just gave him a key.’
During another stay in a hotel in Manchester, Abigail, from Somerset, was shocked to find her room’s security chain had been removed. Staff told her this was the same in every room.
‘A member of staff thought it was because of the fact that if there was a fire they wouldn’t be able to get into the room.’
The Safer Tourism Foundation has launched a campaign to help provide practical tools, real-world advice, and safety tips for women travelling solo (Picture: Getty Images)
Due to potential work conflicts, Abigail has chosen not to name the hotels. But she claims one ‘very well-known brand’ made her sign a waiver before giving her a ground-floor room.
‘The waiver basically said that I was happy to stay on the ground floor, that I understood the risks, and that there was no liability to the hotel if anything was to happen,’ she says.
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Abigail was left questioning what incident might have prompted the hotel to introduce the measure.
The one thing all women should pack when they’re travelling solo
Stephanie Boyle, from the Safer Tourism Foundation, recently helped launch a campaign titled ‘She Travels Safe,’ geared at providing practical tools and safety tips for women.
Stephanie tells Metro that the foundation’s analysis of safety reports from UK-based travel operators, covering more than 10 million annual trips, found a 60% rise in reported sexual harassment and assault incidents in 2024 compared to 2023.
Alongside advice such as choosing your accommodation carefully and checking for potential security vulnerabilities, the campaign urges every woman travelling solo to pack one simple item.
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‘Pack a door wedge,’ Stephanie says. ‘This may feel extreme, but not all hotel doors have chain locks or deadbolts. That way, even if someone outside has a key, they won’t be able to get in. It’s simple, inexpensive (you can find one online for less than £1) and easy to pack.’
What are hotel chains in the UK doing about this?
Following the harrowing incident in Maidenhead, Travelodge introduced a policy requiring staff to obtain permission from the registered guest before issuing any additional or replacement room keys.
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When asked what other measures it has in place to protect guests, Travelodge told Metro it also provides 24/7 reception, conducts overnight security patrols, avoids allocating ground-floor rooms to solo women where possible, prints hotel contact numbers on key wallets and doesn’t announce room numbers aloud.
One industry expert has emphasised the need for all hotels to implement the latter measure.
Carolyn Pearson, the CEO of travel security company Maiden Voyage, tells Metro there is still no ‘consistent approach across the industry’.
Solo travel is an empowering and enriching experience for women (Picture: Getty Images)
Just recently, she was staying in a London hotel when her room number was said aloud at reception.
When she told the staff member this could put guests at risk, he allegedly replied that management had never informed him of this – nor had he received any training on the matter.
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Clearly, these incidents are part of a wider pattern – one that must be addressed.
Travel should be a freeing experience for everyone
The Safer Tourism Foundation is currently working with the hospitality industry to try and prevent serious harm from coming to any traveller.
Some hotels have already signed up to the Safer Tourism Pledge – a set of commitments made by travel providers, articulating a stringent approach to traveller risk, health and safety.
But as Abigail says: ‘A lot of the hotels in the UK are not geared up for women travelling solo.
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‘In fact, there are a number of places abroad where I actually feel safer.’
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex on a visit to Bondi Beach earlier this year (Picture: AP)
When Prince Harry and Meghan left the UK for Montecito six years ago, the world was a different place.
Much of the world was in lockdown due to the Covid pandemic, Queen Elizabeth was still on the throne – and a decent slice of the UK public still quite liked the couple, who had recently stepped down as working royals.
As they prepare for their return this month, much has changed. Harry’s father Charles is now king; he and Meghan have another child, Princess Lilibet; plenty of dirty laundry has been aired.
And the public appears to have definitively changed its mind.
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Royal expert Duncan Larcombe told Metro: ‘They’re now at the bottom, above only Prince Andrew – or former Prince Andrew – in popularity.
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‘So, the polls give us a pretty clear indication of just how far they’ve fallen like a stone through public opinion.’
The couple’s 2018 wedding was ‘all about the Markle sparkle’, he said, which could mean they’re in for a nasty surprise: ‘I don’t really think they’ll realize until they get here just how unpopular they’ve become.’
Their fall has come as the result of endless negative press from limelight-grabbing moments including their Oprah Winfrey interview, the publication of Harry’s memoir Spare, and a Netflix documentary series.
Much of that focused on the couple’s willingness to tell behind-the-scenes stories that paint other members of the Royal Family – particularly Harry’s brother William, the Prince of Wales – in a negative light.
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A significant rift reportedly still exists in the brothers’ relationship, though the Duke of Sussex is believed to be patching things up with King Charles with a private meeting last month at Highgrove House.
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Mr Larcombe, who worked as a royal editor and has written a book about Harry, said the king is ‘probably cautiously optimistic’ about the decision to move the family back across the Atlantic.
However, he said he ‘can’t see any reconciliation with William as far as things stand’ after everything Harry and Meghan said during their time in California.
He added: ‘Harry told [ITV] in his interview, that the ball was effectively in the royal court – it was for them to reach out.
‘I think William feels the exact opposite of the case and that he’s owed an apology, his wife’s owed an apology, and if Harry and Meghan don’t give that apology and make the effort, I don’t think there’s any hope for the end of the rift.’
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Harry and Meghan behind Prince William and Princess Kate at a Commonwealth Day service in 2020 (Picture: Phil Harris – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
For Prince Archie, who was born a year before the move, and Princess Lilibet, who was born a year after, the family’s return to the UK may present a different opportunity.
Mr Larcombe said: ‘You have to hope that Archie and Lilibet will now have the opportunity to meet their cousins, to build some sort of relationship with the rest of the Royal Family, and to know where their heritage comes from and have an understanding of that, which I think in America they were very much shielded from.’
He said: ‘It’s difficult to see them coming to England and literally living a reclusive life, sort of hidden away in the Cotswolds, not being seen publicly.
‘Harry’s still got things like the Invictus Games and WellChild that he supports, and so he’s clearly still going to have a pretty high profile when he moves back to the UK.
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I can’t see them hiding away. And if this was a desire to move out of the limelight, then the UK is probably the worst place they could choose.’
Lottie Day, a student at Ripon Grammar School, achieved four grade 9s, three 8s, a 7 and a 6 while balancing her studies with an elite sporting schedule.
The 16-year-old recently signed a two-year contract with Manchester City Women’s Under-21s and has represented England at Under-16 and Under-17 level.
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She said: “I’m really pleased with my results. It hasn’t always been easy balancing football and school, but all the hard work has paid off.”
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Lottie’s success comes after a year spent juggling classes with training camps, matches and international travel, resulting in her missing three school days each week.
Her school worked closely with her and her family to support her studies around her football commitments.
Jonathan Webb, headmaster at Ripon Grammar School, said: “Lottie has shown exceptional commitment, resilience and maturity in balancing the demands of elite sport with her education.
“We are incredibly proud of everything she has achieved, both academically and on the football pitch, and we wish her every success as she embarks on this exciting new chapter with Manchester City.”
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Lottie with her very proud parents (Image: Provided)
Her parents, Kevin and Lucy, also praised both their daughter and the school for managing the challenge.
Dad Kevin said: “We’re incredibly proud of Lottie. She has worked so hard, not only to develop as a footballer but also to make sure she achieved the GCSE results she wanted.
“Ripon Grammar School were fantastic throughout her GCSE studies, showing real flexibility around her ever-changing football commitments.
“Their support meant she was able to give everything both on the pitch and in the classroom.”
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Lottie has enjoyed a rapid rise in football over the past two years, playing for Sheffield United Women’s first team and Under-21s, captaining the club’s Under-16s, and earning England honours at Under-16 and Under-17 level.
She was named Player of the Match on her England Under-16 debut in a win against Denmark, before representing England at the Mondial Montaigu tournament in France.
Now preparing to study A-levels, she remains determined to continue progressing in both education and sport as she chases her dream of reaching the highest levels of the women’s game.
GENEVA (AP) — The bodies of two Belgian mountaineers who went missing in the Swiss Alps more than three decades ago have been found, officials said.
Police in the southwestern Valais region, which has a database of people listed as missing over the last century, said the retreat of glaciers has led to the emergence of remains of people who went missing decades earlier.
Late last month, a hiker discovered human remains that turned up following the melting of the Trift glacier south of the city of Lucerne, prompting a recovery operation, the regional government said Wednesday.
DNA tests conducted at a Valais hospital determined that the remains were those of two Belgian hikers, aged 39 and 41 at the time, who went missing near the Weissmies mountain — dozens of kilometers (miles) to the south — in 1992.
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Such discoveries are nothing new but have become more frequent as Switzerland’s glaciers have melted at an increasing rate.
Three years ago, DNA tests confirmed that a body found on a Swiss glacier near the Matterhorn was that of a German mountaineer who disappeared in 1986.
Many scientists blame global warming for a recent surge in glacier melt in Switzerland and beyond.
Speaking on BBC Radio Sussex, Deputy Chief Constable Paul Court called the incident “utterly, utterly tragic”, and praised the work of Sussex Police officers and other emergency services, adding that the response was “really professionally managed”.
Asked about two other children, who a spokesperson for the Palestinian Forum in Britain said were on the shore at the time of the incident, Court said: “We shouldn’t forget that as part of that investigation we have to break the bad news to those families, and that is utterly traumatic for those families to receive that news, and for those who have to break it to them.”
Those children are now being looked after by an uncle, according to the Palestinian Forum in Britain.
Following collections with Bella Freud, 16Arlington, and Olive Von Halle, there’s no denying M&S’s new cool-girl status – only cemented by its latest drop. Taking inspiration from St Michael, a former in-house M&S label, Aries spans baby tees, tote bags, ties and boxer shirts. There’s even a teddy bear keyring (the fashion set’s new alternative to a Labubu).
The no-fly zone remains in place across South Wales Fire and Rescue Service area.
South Wales Fire and Rescue Service says: “We are still managing several significant wildfire incidents across South Wales.
“To support ongoing firefighting operations and ensure the safety of helicopters and emergency responders, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has established a Temporary Restricted Area for unmanned aircraft or drones.
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“Do not fly personal drones within the restricted SWFRS area, all professional drone pilots should check NOTAMS using an approved data source.
“Our helicopter assets are continuing to operate across the affected area, carrying out vital firefighting and reconnaissance missions. Unauthorised drone activity presents a significant risk to aviation safety.
“We would like to thank you for your continued support as we work with partner agencies to bring these incidents to a close.
“Please share this message to help keep our crews and helicopters safe.”
But he was limited to just seven starts in the Premier League last season, and is now minded to leave the club after joining for a £30m fee in 2024 from French club Troyes.
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Marmoush, a £59m signing from Frankfurt in 2025, fell out of favour under Pep Guardiola in 2025-26 but the 27-year-old still managed a respectable eight goals in 36 appearances in all competitions.
City’s valuation for the pair is unclear, but the club would expect to make a significant profit on both.
Roberto De Zerbi has revamped his midfield this summer, signing Mateus Fernandes from West Ham United and Sandro Tonali from Newcastle for a combined £185m.
But the Italian has stressed the need to strengthen his attack following the side’s 17th-placed finish in the Premier League last term, scoring just 48 goals in 38 games.
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Spurs remain interested in Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo, but it is unclear whether the club could finance a deal for the Netherlands international as well as moves for Marmoush and Savinho.
City have already sold a host of players this summer, including captain Rodri, midfielder Tijjani Reijnders and second-choice goalkeeper James Trafford.
Spurs kick-off their Premier League campaign away at Brentford on Saturday (17:30 BST), while City host Bournemouth on Sunday (14:00 BST).
Corrie fans appear to have made a U-turn on reformed troublemaker Brody Michaelis
Coronation Street fans have been seen sharing their verdict on Brody Michaelis, more than a year after his arrival in Weatherfield, as they appear to have made a U-turn on the reformed troublemaker.
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Fans of the ITV soap, which is filmed in Salford, will recall that Brody’s arrival came as fellow teen Dylan Wilson was sentenced to six months in the Secure Training Centre (STC) by a judge for owning the knife, which eventually killed Mason Radcliffe in shocking scenes that were aired back in January 2025.
But it was comments made by Brody to Dylan about his parents recently moving to Weatherfield that quickly linked him to newcomers Mick and Lou Michaelis, who caused nothing but trouble on the cobbles and currently find themselves behind bars – with Mick carrying out the shock murder of PC Craig Tinker, while Lou was found out to have attacked Gary Windass.
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Brody, who has also discovered that his biological father is DC Kit Green, and his younger siblings, Joanie and Shanice, are now in the care of the popular cobbles couple, Sally and Tim Metcalfe.
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But despite Brody seemingly turning his own life around, Corrie fans feared that Brody could get mixed up in some dodgy dealings with the arrival of Idris Nazir. While that has seemingly been the case, with Brody carrying out an attack on Idris’ orders, during the latest visit to Weatherfield, the upset teen went up against his new boss.
During Wednesday’s (August 19) episode of the long-running soap, Brody was left deflated after Kit turned down his request to stay with him for a few weeks, having decided to move out of Sally and Tim’s. Later, he helped Idris at his secret poker night, but having knocked back some of the drinks, Brody revealed to Leanne Battersby that her partner had risked the money she had lent to him, in order to make more to buy Alyaz Nazir’s share in Speed Daal.
The move left Leanne unimpressed, and subsequently, Idris took it out on Brody. Pinning him against a wall before slapping his face, Idris fumed: “Think you’re a big man, do you? I don’t care who your dad is. If you ever cross me like that again, you’ll regret it.” He then threw Brody away, telling him to get out.
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While Brody now finds himself on the wrong side of Idris, Corrie fans have been sharing how they have enjoyed the change they have seen in him since his arrival, and their hopes that he won’t go back down a dark path.
@ThomasR14336083 said: “I’m surprised to say I actually have warmed to Brody over the past year. He’s developed into a good character. I hope, after his involvement with Idris is over, that a nice romance is in store for him. Him & Amy could make a good couple. #Corrie.” @RyanSoapKing25 suggested: “I want to see Brody and Kit’s relationship develop a little bit more. Maybe they could make Kit a bit more bareable if he was less of a petulant child and focused on his relationship with Brody #Corrie.”
@DrSwarla2025 commented: “I’m starting to like what corrie are doing with Brody, he’s turning in to a nice Lad and an interesting character, hopefully that wouldn’t wasted with him working for Idris. #corrie.” @agf1052 added: “You know, Brody has been really growing on me these past few months. I think he’s been a good addition #Corrie.”
Wynne Hindle, 52, of Sudbury, Suffolk, achieved a grade four pass as the culmination of four years of trying.
The mother-of-three studied for the exam at the West Suffolk College adult learning centre in Bury St Edmunds, having first sat the paper during the 2022-23 academic year.
The former nanny and nursery nurse is now aiming to work in a school.
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“I just wanted to achieve something and I’m a resilient person,” said Ms Hindle.
“I find it hard to quit so I just kept going.
“This is part of a journey to working at a primary school as a teaching assistant or a learning support officer.
“I was very happy and shocked to pass.”
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Wynne Hindle, 52, of Sudbury, Suffolk, passed her GCSE Maths on the fifth attempt (PA)
West Suffolk College is part of Eastern Education Group.
Ms Hindle added: “I’d like to say a very big thank-you to the college and particularly to my tutor.
“My message to other (adult learners) is to keep at it.”
London Richmond Limited announced that it had appointed administrators last week (August 12), according to an official notice in the public record.
On their now-deleted website, London Richmond describes itself as a “boutique” real estate developer “focusing on the finer areas of the UK’s capital city”.
The company boasted a portfolio of luxury properties in the capital’s most upmarket locations, including South Kensington and West Hampstead.
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The official administration notice states that their registered office had been based in The Shard, London.
Andrew Hook, Julie Anne Palmer, and Paul Wood, all of BTG Begbies Traynor, have been appointed as joint administrators of the business.
Administration occurs when a business can no longer meet its debt obligations.
A licensed insolvency practitioner is appointed to either restructure the business and come to an arrangement with creditors or to sell off assets, pay off debts, and liquidate the business.
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It gives the business breathing space to turn things around, rather than going straight into liquidation.
The administration news comes as Rightmove revealed that UK house prices have fallen at their fastest rate for August in eight years.
Rightmove says the average asking price for a newly listed home on its website dropped by 2% in August to £364,999.
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The property experts also revealed that average asking prices are now 1% lower compared to this time last year – which is the largest annual drop since 2023.
The capital’s housing market is the worst affected, as the average house price in London fell by 3.1% compared to August 2025.
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That means house prices in some of the capital’s richest areas have fallen by nearly £100,000 in just a month.
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Despite the drop in prices, Rightmove revealed there was a mini bounce in buyer demand, which increased by 5% after Andy Burnham was appointed as Prime Minister on July 20.
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