Sammi and her partner moved into a one-bedroom bungalow on our new development in Market Harborough in April 2023.

Sammi was feeling unsafe in her previous home and became scared of leaving her house due to issues with the neighbour. Sammi started to lose hair due to the stress and was taking anti-depressants.

She and her partner decided to put themselves on a waitlist for a new property with Harborough District Council. It took them 12 months but when the offer of a new build bungalow with garden became available they could see themselves making a fresh start.

The bungalow is located in a quiet corner of this new development. The space was perfect for them, their two cats, and a dog called Daisy. It is located two minutes from Sammi’s parents and a short drive to her business in Market Harborough.

Sammi said: “Although it was only a one bedroom bungalow, it felt spacious. Both the kitchen and bathroom were bigger than our previous property. We could find no faults with it.

“This is a fresh start for us, I absolutely love it. There are so many positives. We are in a quiet location so can sit and listen to the birds and I can even leave the house feeling safe.

“We are paying just over £100 a week rent and although we haven’t had our first energy bills yet, we can tell that this property is well insulated. The cost of living crisis is a worry, so we have to be careful of every penny we spend.”

Windmill Road in Market Harborough is an affordable rent and shared ownership housing development. NCHA have provided 27 brand new much-needed homes to the area. With house prices in the area continuing to be higher than the average for the East Midlands, the development offers affordable accommodation for local people who might otherwise have been priced out of the area.

We couldn’t have done this without the support from Harborough Borough Council and the housing grants received from Homes England.