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PROPERTY expert Ben Hillman was left gobsmacked after an A Place in the Sun guest compared a home to a prison cell.

Ben was showing mother and daughter mother Frankie and Jo around Benalmádena in southern Spain.

A Place in the Sun's Ben Hillman had a tough job on his hands this week
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A Place in the Sun's Ben Hillman had a tough job on his hands this weekCredit: Channel 4

The pair had a budget of £130,000 and Ben first found them a two-bedroom apartment not far from the beach.

But the women were not very impressed in the episode that Channel 4 rebroadcast over the weekend.

Jo did not like the size of the bedroom, nor the bars across the windows and compared it to a prison "cell".

“I’m a little bit disappointed, to be honest,” Jo said at the end of the property inspection.

He was showing around mother and daughter Jo and Frankie in Benalmádena, Spain
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He was showing around mother and daughter Jo and Frankie in Benalmádena, SpainCredit: Channel 4
The pair were unimpressed with the bars on the window and said it looked like a 'cell'
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The pair were unimpressed with the bars on the window and said it looked like a 'cell'Credit: Channel 4

Frankie added the rooms felt “pokey and claustrophobic”.

Ben was shocked at the reaction and couldn't get a word in, especially as Frankie said after viewing their fourth property: "I thought you knew me better than that."

The family duo ended up falling in love with the fifth property Ben showed them, which was £8,000 over their budget.

Frankie and Jo offered £128,000 for the apartment, but after that was rejected they put forward £132,000.

They also described the bedroom as 'pokey' and 'claustrophobic'
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They also described the bedroom as 'pokey' and 'claustrophobic'Credit: Channel 4

The owner then counter-offered with a price of £133,000, which they would not budge on.

Jo was willing to add the £1,000 to their budget in order to bag their "dream home".

Ben was shocked at their reaction but worked to negotiate a price for the fifth apartment they saw
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Ben was shocked at their reaction but worked to negotiate a price for the fifth apartment they sawCredit: Channel 4
But the women finally closed on their 'dream' apartment for £133,000
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But the women finally closed on their 'dream' apartment for £133,000Credit: Channel 4

Along with hosting the popular property show, Ben runs an interior design business in Brighton and Hove.

He recently completed his own self build project in Brighton, facelifting a tired 1970's purpose built block of flats and adding a new penthouse apartment on the existing flat roof.

In 2010 Ben won ITV's The Next Big Thing and has presented a series of interior design features on This Morning.

Ben has also filmed three series of The Renovation Game for Channel 4 as well as You Deserve This House, 60 Minute Makeover with Peter Andre and Auction Party.

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