Flats to rent in Strawberry Hill & TW7 and Houses to rent in Strawberry Hill & TW7

Well, the competition for the prettiest area name is, at last, over. Strawberry Hill is a pleasant, open and lovely little suburb of Twickenham, an area that does justice to its name and provides a beautiful quarter of Southwest London to live in.

Strawberry Hill is a lovely little residential area, fairly upwardly mobile and affluent. With its little local railway station and excellent resources, it's a pocket of another time, quiet, quaint and with a great reputation for family friendliness. Great local sites include its tiny stretch of riverside, the restored Strawberry Hill Castle and Horace Walpole's gothic villa after which the area is named. The area is near plenty of green spaces, including walks along the river, which also offers nearby water sports of course, Richmond Park, and Radnor Gardens.

Great little shops of all kinds are found in Strawberry Hill's little centre. It's got excellent, recommended restaurants in easy distance, lovely pubs along the river, and wonderful nearby schools for all levels. Above all the area feels like a true community, sealed off - yet within easy distance of Richmond, Twickenham and town - and supportive.

Property here is - unsurprisingly perhaps - sought after. There are good conversions, and excellent modern apartments nearby. The main centre of the Strawberry Hill area however is set amid excellent, quiet tree-lined roads, which are lined with some midwar terraced houses as well as a good stock of Victorian and Edwardian houses. The standard of these houses is excellent, and they are all very desirable indeed by the professionals and families who want to live in a small community where quiet and calm is the watchword, but which has the facilities of the city right nearby.

Strawberry Hill is in the Borough of Richmond-upon-Thames which holds the responsibility for delivering services in your area.
For specific information on this borough, or to contact individual departments please click here to visit their website.

Borough of Richmond-upon-Thames website: Borough of Richmond-upon-Thames

In General:
The London boroughs are administrative centres responsible for collecting local taxes (Council Tax and Business Rates) and then spending the funds received on local services. They are run by Borough Councils who are elected by borough residents on a four year cycle. The totals that they spend will depend on the rates of tax that they levy plus funds allocated from central government and other sources.

While many of the services (schools, roads, planning, rubbish collection and social services) are standard, levels of provision will vary according to the overall political will as expressed by the voters.

Your tax liability (as a resident) will be based on the council tax band of your home. These bands are set by Valuation Officers and there is scope for appeal. The rate bands are then used to determine the amounts of tax levied. So, while the bands will remain largely constant the levels of tax can go up and, in theory, down.

You may claim discounts or exemptions based on your circumstances. For example, as the only adult in a property you can get a 25% reduction on your bill. Other reductions are available for qualifying second adults and Council Tax Benefit claimants.

There is more information available at the HM Customs & Excise website.

Borough of Richmond-upon-Thames Council Tax