Couple stuck in lease after not realising Sefton and Sefton Park are different places

A Londoner has had quite the shock after signing a lease in Sefton, not Sefton Park.

The Liverpool newcomer shared the mistake on Reddit, after signing a lease in Sefton due to confusion over parts of Liverpool and parts of Sefton.

The Reddit post titled ‘Sefton and Sefton Park are not the same area, don’t make the same mistake I did!” has gained quite a bit of attention, with readers commenting the likes of: “You didn’t look at the property location on a map?”

The user AmbitiousBelle began the post, saying: “I’m a newcomer to Liverpool and I want to share my experience with you, partly to vent at the frustration and partly to warn others who may also be moving to the city (and having done most of their research online).

“Recently, my partner and I moved to Liverpool from London. We were excited about the prospect of living in this vibrant city, and after much research, we decided to move to the area around Sefton Park. We were attracted to the beautiful green space, the cafes and restaurants, and the proximity to the city centre. We had also heard about The Strand, with its views of the Three Graces and the Royal Albert Docks.

“However, we ended up mistakenly signing a lease in a different area entirely - Sefton. The Strand which the estate agent talked about over the phone was not the one with the world-famous Liver Building, but an ageing shopping centre with (confusingly), the same name. We thought we had found the perfect apartment in the right location, but we were duped by the misinformation that we found on the internet and in some of the conversations we had with estate agents.

“You see, we had heard people referring to the area around Sefton Park as “Sefton” and we assumed that this was just a shorthand way of referring to the park and its surroundings. We now realize that this was a mistake, and that Sefton is actually a completely different area from Sefton Park. There being two versions of “The Strand” just confused matters even more.”

The user then continued to express disappointment, stating: “Sefton is nothing like what we were expecting. The streets are dirty, there are no decent cafes or restaurants, and the people all seem to have strong accents (not a criticism, it’s just difficult for my partner and I to understand some people!). It’s a far cry from the cosmopolitan, leafy area that we were hoping for.”

They then said they were ‘sorry if this all came across snobby and elitist’ and continued to discuss their new home, writing: “I don’t know what the solution is at this point. We’re stuck in our lease for the next year. I guess we’ll just have to make the best of it, but it’s hard not to feel like we’ve been tricked or misled in some way.

“I hope that others can learn from our mistake and be more careful when choosing where to live in Liverpool. Don’t assume that “Sefton” means Sefton Park - they’re two very different places, and if you’re looking for a certain type of neighbourhood or community, you need to do your research and make sure you’re getting what you’re looking for. Don’t take estate agents at their word, and ideally, spend a week or so exploring the city in your own time before deciding on an area to live.

“I want to stress that I don’t think there’s anything inherently wrong with working-class communities or accents. I just think that it’s important to be clear about what you’re getting when you choose to live in a particular area. If we had known that Sefton was a more working-class area, we might have made a different decision about where to live. It’s all about being informed and making the right choice for you.”

Commenters were quick to let the original poster know that Sefton is an entirely different county and point out that the Strand in Liverpool is also a different area to Sefton Park.

One user tried to help the unlucky couple, sharing a range of great places to eat and drink in Sefton, and said: “All is not lost! Have fun exploring! Also, the transport system where you are currently living is good, jump on the train and go visit Sefton Park and Lark Lane! Welcome to our beautiful city and region!”

Let us know what you think.