Just as the weather is turning and we are all about to all huddle back inside, it’s good to see how much we value our outside space

According to recent research carried out by Zoopla, us Brits are willing to pay a huge £27,100 premium for a house with a garden or £243 extra per month for those who are renting. As a result of its high house prices, it is no surprise to find the biggest premiums are to be found in London (£31,447) and the Southeast (£31,768). What is a surprise is that the next highest premium is in the Northeast (£30,942), which is just under 17% of the area’s average house value. In London, it’s under 5%! Considering how overcrowded our capital is, you would expect we’d place a far higher value on space. The Welsh are the least willing to pay a premium, at £22,036, but that should be seen in the context of the Principality’s low house prices and is, in reality, an 11.5% premium.

So, if you ever wondered how important outside space is, now you know. In fact, 86% of buyers say that a garden is one of the most important factors when choosing a new home. And, it seems they are prepared to put their money where their mouths are. Quite a lot of it, according to the figures. The research also revealed what a serious turn-off not having a garden was - 80% of us would instantly dismiss a property without one. Just having a garden is not enough, though, because a further 54% would be put off by a home whose garden is unkempt. Most surprisingly of all, more than half of homeowners would sacrifice internal space in favour of a garden, with 54% willing to give up a bedroom for extra outdoor space.

Lawrence Hall, Zoopla’s spokesperson, advices:

“Sellers and landlords should maximise this and make sure the property is properly maintained as it’s certainly an important selling point for buyers and renters.”

Perversely, despite 80% of Brits claiming they make the most out of their garden, we actually only spend 21 hours a month in them. Renters use their gardens even less, at just 12 hours a month. That means they're effectively forking out £20 an hour for the privilege.

Regional breakdown of garden spending