To find out more about Addiscombe Oaks, visit: https://lqhomes.com/addiscombeoaks/
Two Milestones Are Better Than One: Remya’s Shared Ownership Experience at Addiscombe Oaks
April 2025
A South Londoner and Croydon local of over ten years, Fraud Prevention Specialist Remya Ryall decided to mark her 40th birthday with an equally significant milestone – becoming a homeowner.
“Turning 40, stepping onto the property ladder was a milestone I really wanted to achieve. I’d been renting in Croydon, for over ten years when my landlord decided to sell the property. This got the ball rolling, really, and I started looking into buying a property in and around Croydon.”
Reflecting on her experience of renting, Remya explains “My landlord was really great, and we loved our home, but I did start to grow tired of putting money in someone else’s pocket! I was ready to make an investment.”
Set on finding a home to call her own, Remya began viewing a number of homes around southeast London. After seeing a few properties that just didn’t fit the bill, Remya viewed a two-bedroom apartment at Addiscombe Oaks, a development by L&Q in East Croydon.
Remya recalls her first viewing: “I saw the flat and fell in love. It’s spacious, the balcony is perfect and the overall finish of the development and the homes here is very high. It was the kind of place I assumed would be out of my budget, to be honest!”
“In particular, the L&Q team at Addiscombe Oaks were extremely helpful. I rarely leave reviews or fill out surveys or anything like that, I’m quite stingy, but I have to say that Jhon and Joe were just excellent. They asked all the right questions and couldn’t have been nicer, which is why I’m happy to share my experience of buying with L&Q.”
Remya bought a 25% share of a two-bedroom apartment at Addiscombe Oaks – a popular, pet-friendly development located just moments from East Croydon Station, offering two- and three-bedroom Shared Ownership homes.
When asked about her buying journey, Remya explains “I separated from my partner, so was faced with stepping onto the property ladder as a solo buyer. I was keen to buy a new build, too. I knew this was only going to be possible through Shared Ownership. It just made sense to me. I couldn’t have mustered up a bigger deposit, being a single mum, to have bought on the open market.”
Remya was able to save for her £6,000 by putting money away monthly for a few years and topped this up with a small sum of inheritance money.
“I’d always heard good things about L&Q, so was confident they’d be good to deal with. They are very responsive and were always on hand to help me through the buying process.”
Now settling into her new apartment, where she lives with her son Jackson (10) and dog Oreo, Remya is starting to feel at home: “I’ve been here for just over a week now, and I’m very happy. East Croydon is a great place to live, and Addiscombe Oaks has lots to offer. My balcony is really big – my son loves playing out there with our dog. I’ve got a few more bits of furniture to get, but otherwise we’re all feeling very settled here.”
“We’ve got so much on our doorstep, too. BOXPARK is great, we’re always heading down for a drink and some dinner. We love it. We have everything we need here; the location is perfect.”
Envisioning the future, Remya comments “My son loves the communal gardens, which is fenced off so I can let him go and play unsupervised. I’m hoping he makes some friends. Everyone is really friendly here, and we both are feeling very excited for the future.”
“That kind of sums up how I feel: the building is fantastic, but it’s the people who make it – both the residents and the L&Q staff. I see us here for a long time, and I’d love to staircase to 100% ownership eventually.”