A couple walking a dog through Bournemouth town centre in autumn
Charminster · BH8, BH9

Estate agents in Charminster

Letting, management, sales and valuations in Charminster from our own office at 557 Charminster Road: converted flats, family houses and shared homes between the town centre and Castle Lane.

  • 4.9/5 786 reviews
  • 130 properties managed
  • Since 2018 letting in Bournemouth

Charminster is a district of late Victorian and Edwardian houses north of the town centre, many divided into flats, built along and off Charminster Road. It rents to hospital staff, young professionals, students and families all year, and sells to first-time buyers and landlords who want a short ride to the centre and the station.

Charminster is where our office is, at 557 Charminster Road, and it is one of the busiest rental districts in Bournemouth. Its late Victorian and Edwardian houses, many now flats, sit between the town centre and Castle Lane, with the station at one end, the Royal Bournemouth Hospital a short drive from the other and a restaurant street running through the middle.

Renting in Charminster

Most homes to rent here are one and two-bedroom flats in converted houses. They let to hospital staff, professionals working in town, couples and people who arrive by train. Shared houses let to students from the Lansdowne and the Talbot campus, and the family houses towards Queens Park let to households who want a garden and the schools. Rooms at the back of a Charminster Road conversion let more easily than those facing the evening trade. See letting agents in Charminster, and for a furnished home by the month, long term lets in Charminster.

Buying and selling in Charminster

Leasehold flats are the bulk of the sales market, bought by first-time buyers and landlords, and they sell on the lease as much as the rooms. Houses on the BH8 avenues and the BH9 side towards Charminster Avenue sell to families. Sell your property in Charminster explains how we market each, and property valuation in Charminster what moves the price.

Letting a property in Charminster

Charminster landlords deal with leases that may restrict letting, shared entrances and bins in converted houses, BCP Council's HMO licensing for sharers and, at the time of writing, the Article 4 Direction on new shared houses. Our guide to HMO and landlord licensing in BCP covers the rules. Property management in Charminster explains how we run a let from down the road, and winter lets in Charminster how a furnished flat earns through the quiet months.

Getting around

Buses run along Charminster Road to the town centre and north to Castle Lane, where Castlepoint and the routes to the hospital meet. The station is at the southern end. For anyone moving here from elsewhere, moving to Bournemouth covers the wider town.

Nearby areas

Winton is to the west on Wimborne Road, Moordown to the north-west, Queens Park to the east and Boscombe to the south-east towards the sea. Bournemouth covers the town.

Living here

Living in Charminster

The homes.Late Victorian and Edwardian semis and villas, a large share converted into leasehold flats, along Charminster Road and the avenues either side; terraces and family semis on the BH9 side towards Charminster Avenue; flats above the shops on Charminster Road. Forecourt parking on some conversions, street parking on most roads.

Transport

Buses run along Charminster Road to the town centre and up to Castle Lane. Bournemouth station and the Lansdowne are at the southern end of the district, and the Wessex Way is a short drive.

Schools and universities

Bournemouth School and Bournemouth School for Girls, the town's grammar schools, are on the northern edge near Castle Lane, with state primaries across the district. Bournemouth University's Lansdowne site is at the southern end.

Work and hospitals

The Royal Bournemouth Hospital on Castle Lane East is a short drive or bus ride. The town centre and Lansdowne offices are a bus ride south.

Shops and eating

Charminster Road is the town's most international restaurant street, with Indian, Turkish, Tunisian and Italian kitchens, food shops and launderettes. Castlepoint's superstores are on Castle Lane West beyond the Five Ways end.

Beaches and parks

Queen's Park and its golf course are on the eastern side and Meyrick Park is a short drive west. The beach is about a mile and a half south, by bus or car.

The market

Who rents and buys in Charminster

Royal Bournemouth Hospital

Nurses, doctors and agency staff working at the hospital on Castle Lane East rent flats here for the short journey, some furnished for a contract, some on tenancies for years.

Young professionals and the station

People working in the town centre or commuting by train take one and two-bedroom flats in converted houses, close to Charminster Road's restaurants.

Students

Students at the Lansdowne and the Talbot campus share houses in Charminster, a little further from Wallisdown than Winton but closer to the centre.

Families and the grammar schools

Families look at the larger houses on the BH8 side and towards Queens Park for gardens and for the grammar and primary schools nearby.

Reviews

Rated 4.9 on Google

Lucas Almeida
★★★★★

Outstanding from start to finish

The apartment exceeded our expectations with its modern design and thoughtful touches throughout. Walking distance to both the seafront and shopping areas made it incredibly convenient. Clear instructions, responsive host. Would absolutely stay here again on our next visit to Bournemouth.
Posted on Google View
Alison Physio
★★★★★

Modern, clean and superbly located

Lovely apartment in very close proximity to Bournemouth town centre and beach. Modern, very clean and well equipped. Onsite parking was a big plus, making it easy to explore the area. The host was very responsive and helpful throughout our stay.
Posted on Google View
Dave Appleton
★★★★★

Second stay, and we'll be back

Great apartment at a perfect location. Jack and the team were so easy to deal with. This is our second time at this apartment block and we'll definitely be returning. Clean, well-maintained, and had everything we needed for a comfortable stay.
Posted on Google View

Residents and guests of the furnished apartments we let and manage, in their own words, quoted as published. Each rating is the platform's own, read on the date shown. See every review

FAQs

Estate agents in Charminster: questions

Where is your office in Charminster?

At 557 Charminster Road, Bournemouth, BH8 9RF, towards the northern end of the road. Enquiries from landlords, vendors, tenants and buyers are answered from 9am to 5pm every day on 01202 619868, so most Charminster properties are a few minutes from us.

Is Charminster a good place to rent?

For people who want restaurants, buses and the hospital within reach, yes. Converted flats are the main stock, so check the parking, which bedroom faces Charminster Road and how the building is managed. Families find more space on the side roads towards Queens Park.

Are most Charminster flats leasehold?

Yes. Most flats were created by dividing larger Victorian and Edwardian houses, and they are sold on leases with a freeholder or a residents' management company. Lease length, service charges and any restriction on letting affect both the price and whether a lender will lend.

Do I need a licence to let a Charminster house to sharers?

Five or more sharers in two or more households need a mandatory HMO licence from BCP Council, and smaller shares may fall under additional licensing in parts of Bournemouth. At the time of writing a new small shared house also needs planning permission under the Article 4 Direction.

How do people get from Charminster to the station?

The station is at the southern end of the district, a walk from the lower part of Charminster Road and a short bus ride from the top. That makes the area practical for commuters and for rail arrivals who do not want to live in the town centre.

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