Broadband access 'can increase house prices'

Good broadband access can increase the value of a home, it has been claimed.

New research by ISPreview showed more than two-thirds of respondents would be put off buying a "beautiful new house" if it did not have broadband installed.

Similarly, just under half would pay more for a house with higher connectivity speeds, it added.

Meanwhile, 73.9 per cent of the 733 people quizzed described broadband as "critically important" to their home lives, with 24.2 per cent saying it is of "average importance".

"Clearly a strong appetite for faster connectivity exists within the UK and homes that are able to offer this kind of access, especially through the new generation of superfast ISP products, could stand to gain in value," the company stated.

Earlier this month, the Nationwide House Price Index suggested the average value of a home in the UK dropped by 0.1 per cent in January compared with the month before.