A new survey has revealed that more than a quarter of people in the East Midlands would try to negotiate a discount on the asking price or rental figure if they knew that the broadband or internet connection was poor.

Forget about demanding the highest property prices for fancy kitchens and luxury bathroom fittings, as the latest trend to attract premium prices is a fast internet connection.

A new Halifax survey reveals that around one-fifth of adults in Britain would pay more for fast broadband at a property, and 18 per cent of respondents said that the available internet connection had already been a consideration when choosing a home. Meanwhile, 23 per cent of the people questioned nationally said that they would try to negotiate a lower sale price or rent because of slow broadband, whilst this figure rose to 27 per cent amongst the East Midlands’ population.

Bank spokesman Craig McKinley said that the strength of the broadband signal at a property has now joined things such as private parking, transport links and outside space as a factor that people look for when choosing a new home. She said that fast internet operation in workplaces and on mobile phones meant that people were now expecting the same level of service at home.

The survey revealed that most people wanted a strong broadband signal to enable them to access social and shopping sites rather than to work from home. A total of 28 per cent of respondents said they wanted to work from home, whilst 74 per cent said they wanted speedy shopping, 58 per cent wanted to check social media without delay and 35 per cent of people wanted to stream movies with ease.

The Halifax survey revealed that 26 per cent of people have suffered from an unreliable or slow internet connection whilst living in their home, making it the second most irritating issue people experience at home. Noisy neighbour came top of the list, followed by poor internet, leaky taps and creaking floorboards.

In terms of regional variations, people in the East Midlands were most likely to try to get some money off based on a poor broadband connection, compared to a Scottish low of 17 per cent. People in the South East of England were the most likely to pay more for a property because of good internet service, with 27 per cent saying they would consider the possibility, compared to a national average of just 20 per cent.

It was male respondents who mostly claimed to have considered the strength of the internet signal (21 per cent compared to 16 per cent of women), and it was also the men who were more likely to negotiate a lower price (women came out five per cent lower).

The results of an Imperial College Business School and LSE study released earlier this year revealed that property buyers in London were actually willing to pay more than eight per cent over the asking price if there was a guarantee of superfast broadband. The European Commission, meanwhile, has a target that every person in Europe will have access to a minimum of 30 Mbps by 2020, and at least half of all households should have an internet connection over 100 Mbps.

Whatever you take into consideration when buying or renting, Keywest can help you find the property that’s right for you. Search our latest properties or call 0116 254 4555 to find out how we can get you moving.