Residents in the tiny village of Copthorne have expressed frustration as house prices drop by nearly 10 per cent, which they attribute to nearby hotels housing asylum seekers.
The quintessentially British village, located near Gatwick Airport, has seen traditional concerns about flight paths and traffic replaced by tensions over migrant accommodation.
Two hotels in the area have been transformed into housing for asylum seekers, coinciding with a significant drop in property values.
Figures from Rightmove reveal that house prices in Copthorne fell by nine per cent in the last year.
Residents in the tiny village of Copthorne have expressed frustration as house prices drop by nearly 10%, which they attribute to nearby hotels housing asylum seekers
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This decline starkly contrasts the wider region, with Office for National Statistics data showing house prices in the South East rose by approximately 4.6 per cent from the 12 months to January 2025.
Local homeowners report struggling to sell their properties, with some waiting over a year and being forced to reduce prices multiple times.
Retiree John MacCaulay, who lives opposite the Copthorne Hotel, believes it has contributed to the property downturn.
He said: "We put this house on the market last year and for three months nobody came. The guy at the end has had his on the market for over a year, and his price has come way down, and he still hasn't sold it."
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Residents report that the influx of asylum seekers has strained already limited public services.
Local Eileen MacCaulay said: "We are overcrowded in this village in respect of public services. Doctor's appointment? What is that? Come back in three years, and you might get one."
Some locals describe feeling intimidated by hotel residents, with one woman in her 30s stating: "I have put the bins out on an evening, especially in the winter when it is dark and you get groups of men walking past saying 'hello madame' and it is really intimidating. It has put us off the area, and we are looking to move."
Views across the village remain divided, with some residents showing indifference to the asylum seekers' presence.
Residents report that the influx of asylum seekers has strained already limited public services
Emma Harrington, 49, who lives opposite a bus stop used by hotel residents, offered a contrasting perspective.
She told the Express: "I know it bothers a lot of people, but I can't say it has had any noticeable impact on me."
Local MP Mims Davies has acknowledged constituent concerns, noting that while residents want to be "welcoming and supportive to those genuinely in need," many feel local services are being reduced.
She highlighted "understandable worries about the impact of large numbers of single adult men" in the area, citing reports of "possible illegal working, safety concerns, growing mess in the vicinity, noise and rubbish."
