Homeowners in Britain stay put for nearly 21 years, analysis finds

Homeowners across Britain stay put for an average of nearly 21 years, with residents in Kensington and Chelsea being the least frequent movers, analysis has shown.

London has some of the least frequent movers due to high costs such as stamp duty, the research from Zoopla found.

Homeowners in the affluent Kensington and Chelsea borough tend to stay put for 35-and-a-half years typically – nearly 15 years longer than the average across Britain at 20.8 years.

Laura Howard, spokeswoman for Zoopla, said that average property value in the area now stand at more than £2m, meaning the stamp duty alone would cost £153,750.

She added: “It’s perhaps unsurprising that the London borough has the lowest turnover between moves of 35.5 years.”

Brent in northwest London, away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre, was the second area in which people are particularly likely to stay put for lengthy periods, moving just over 34 years on average.

Oxford in southern England was the only area outside of the UK capital that homeowners tend to settle, with people staying in the same home for over 31 years.

Ms Howard said: “House prices have risen exponentially in the last two decades and many people are unwilling or unable to take on the cost of the ‘next rung up’.

“The cost of moving itself is also a likely factor, especially in the most expensive pockets of the country.

“On the other hand however, there will always be scenarios where moving home is either essential or a dream that has to be realised.”

At the other end of the spectrum, homeowners in Dartford and south Derbyshire were found to be the most frequent movers, moving every 15 years on average, while Salford homeowners move after just over 15 years typically.

To conduct the research, Zoopla looked at Land Registry and Registers of Scotland figures to find average property turnover levels.

Out of Britain’s nations and regions, homeowners in the East Midlands were found to be the most frequent movers, changing properties on average once every 17.9 years.

Scottish residents closely followed, with homeowners tending to move once every 18.7 years.

Here are the areas where homeowners stay put the longest, according to Zoopla, with the average turnover in years between moves:

1. Kensington and Chelsea, London – 35.5

2. Brent, London – 35.4

3. Enfield, London – 34.9

4. Ealing, London – 32.3

5. Redbridge, London – 32.2

6. Haringey, London – 31.5

7. Oxford, South East – 31.2

8. Harrow, London – 30.9

9. Westminster, London – 30.6

10. Camden, London – 29.3

(c) Sky News 2019: Homeowners in Britain stay put for nearly 21 years, analysis finds