House Prices Lock Out A Whole Generation

6 December 2011, 13:33 | Updated: 6 December 2011, 15:50

House prices in Hertfordshire risk locking out a whole generation from the housing market. The average house price in the county is now £317,376, that is more than twelve times the average local income.

The report by Grand Union Housing Group shows that in the East of England, three of the top five most unaffordable places to buy a house are in Hertfordshire- Hertsmere, St Albans and Three Rivers.

Vicki Brown is 24 years old and lives with her parents in Rickmansworth. 

She has been saving for a deposit on a mortgage for year:

"It feels like being stuck between a rock and a hard place, you are trying to save but then you also need to live your life as well. You could be living at home until your 30 to save up enough for a deposit and then property prices will probably go up and then you are back to square one"

She thinks the government could make it easier for first time buyers:

"Trying to find a large chunk of money is tough and trying to save for that is really tough so I say that you should be able to borrow more money and pay it off over more time rather than struggling to start with"

Vicki says that she is struggling to save on a graduate wage when she has to pay to commute to work. 

If her situation remains the same she is confident she will be able to get a mortgage on a small property in around four years time. 

Grand Union Housing Group say the results of their report show how important it is to provide more affordable housing.