For last week’s sister column, What I Rent, we visited 25-year-old Tia Costell at her two-bedroom flat in Acton, West London, which she pays £1,250 per month for.
This week, we’ve escaped the city for the home counties to explore 77-year-old Gill Ross’s flat in Bagshot, Surrey.
Having sold her home in South London back in 2021, she decided to join a flourishing retirement community – and has since made countless friends.
Here’s what she had to say about her property journey…
I’m 77 years old and live in Bagshot. I moved from South London and now live in a light and spacious apartment in a leafy part of Surrey with many local activities and walks and good transport connections.
I had some interesting jobs throughout my working career. I spent 10 years working for the United Nations in Paris and Rome before returning to the UK to work in the City of London in banking where my knowledge of French and Italian proved to be very useful.
Before retiring I was a bookseller at Waterstones, a wonderful job which eased me into retirement after many years of challenging work overseas and in the UK.
Wessex Lodge, which is a Churchill Living property in Bagshot, Surrey. I think it’s a great place to live – I’m near the train station, so I can easily see my friends and family, and Bagshot Park is just across the road, so I have lovely views.
I can also stay active by walking with friends in the surrounding forests and heathland when it’s nice outside. It’s perfect to be close to the countryside and to amenities like the town centre too.
April 2021.
£484,950.
N/A as no mortgage.
I pay a flat cost of around £550 per month that includes almost everything, such as heating, hot water, and maintenance. This means I have a very uncomplicated, structured life.
When it comes to finances, I like to know what’s going in and coming out, so my bills being covered gives me peace of mind. We also have a lodge manager called Alex, and he’s our go-to for any maintenance issues, like the hot water not working or a lightbulb going out.
I owned a house in Beckenham in South London.
I knew I wanted the security of buying a Churchill property because of all the benefits it comes with. I used their specialist downsizing advice service because I didn’t want the stress anymore of maintaining an entire house.
Somebody asked me about my ideal retirement, and I said I’d pay somebody money to do the boring stuff so I could go out and have fun. That’s exactly what life is like here.
Being a woman of my age you tend to chat with friends about their plans for later life, some of them move in with family, some of them stay in their homes, and some of them (like me!) decide to move into retirement communities.
I love having company and being part of a community of like-minded people, so I knew this was the right decision for me. We have regular activities, and you can be as involved as you like, so it means I can stay social.
We’re like an extended family. I have made great friends here with similar interests and a similar sense of humour. We’ve been together a couple of years now and have learned each other’s little foibles and quirks – and we can tease each other. It’s a wonderful community.
Sometimes there will be general maintenance issues that come with any home, like a fuse or a lightbulb blowing, but we have a lodge manager who can help sort out anything like that.
The maintenance is already covered by my payments, which means it’s much less stressful than if I was living in a house on my own.
Don’t leave it too late. Moving into an apartment when you’re fit and well means you can enjoy it for quite a few years.
I plan to stay at Wessex Lodge for as long as I can! I have a great group of friends here, and I’m free to come and go and do what I want, when I want, without any stress.
It’s given me time to invest in doing what I love – from walking with friends to going out and listening to jazz or going to my wine appreciation class. Retirement is allowing me to pursue my passions.
Shall we take a look around?
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.