What does £2,000 a month get you in London?
That’s what we’re finding out in today’s edition of What I Rent.
For those not in the know, What I Rent is our weekly series that sees us going inside different people’s rented homes – to see what they get for what they pay.
This time around we’re in Maida Vale, where Rosie, 29, shares a two-bedroom flat with a housemate, Fergus, and a cat named Benji.
Rosie is a retail merchandiser who has lived in London for six years, having moved here for work.
Before that, she lived in Devon and Falmouth – meaning that while she loves living in London, she does miss the sea.
Here’s what Rosie rents.
Hi, Rosie! How much do you pay to live here?
So we pay £2,000 a month for this flat. It sounds a lot but actually for the quality and location of the flat we think we have a really good price.
Bills come to around £250 a month between us. Council tax is really inexpensive in this area so that helps a lot.
And what do you get for what you pay?
We have two bedrooms and two bathrooms, an open plan living and kitchen area and a utility room which is super useful for storage. It’s currently the messy room, which I do need to sort out at some point…
Do you feel like you have a good deal?
Yes, I think we do. I’ve seen other flats for rent around the same area and not nearly as nice for more than what we are paying, plus we have a lovely garden, which is hard to find in London.
How did you find the property?
On good old Zoopla, but we went through OpenRent which is a really great way to go directly to the landlord and to avoid agency fees.
What do you think of the area?
My home is based in Maida Vale and I love this area. It’s really well connected to most parts of London, and there’s some lovely places to eat/drink. Also places like Hampstead Heath and Regents Canal are close and lovely for walks.
Even though I’ve moved around four times since I’ve been in London, I’ve always stayed around Queen’s Park and Maida Vale – can’t let go, clearly!
How have you made this place feel like home?
I absolutely love interiors and styling. I started a home Instagram account around six months ago (rg_homestyling) and it’s like my visual diary, I really enjoy creating a space that feels like my own.
I think artwork and prints are such a great way to make somewhere rented feel like home, and I’ve collected furniture along the way since moving to London so those pieces always help too.
Other things that I use are plants, coffee table books and lots of texture and warmth within soft furnishings etc. Fresh flowers never go amiss either!
I have a very neutral and simple style, as you might be able to tell from the photos. An unfurnished place is a must for me as I love filling somewhere up with my own things, and having a blank canvas to work with.
Have you found it difficult to decorate when renting? Is your landlord happy with you doing bits?
Our landlords are very relaxed, but we haven’t done a huge amount in terms of actual decorating.
The walls were already white when we moved in and everything was in perfect condition, the flat is very nicely done already. It’s a basement flat so white walls help to brighten the space.
We’ve used command strips for the prints, which are amazing if you’re not allowed to put hooks in while you’re renting. Our landlord didn’t say we couldn’t but it also helps with flexibility of moving art around – I love a change up every now and again so it works well to do it this way.
Do you feel like you have enough space?
Yes, definitely! It’s a pretty big flat and the rooms are great sizes.
Are there any problems with the home you have to deal with?
Nope, haven’t found any issues so far. My first flat in London had mould and my ceiling used to leak so this is a dream in comparison!
The only tiny thing is because it is a basement flat, the living room can be a little dark, but things like mirrors and lighter coloured furnishings really help brighten the space. I also have a floor lamp that makes it super cosy in the evenings when you don’t want all the main lights above on.
Do you have plans to move again any time soon?
Hopefully not for a while as we really enjoy living here.
And would you like to own a place one day or are you happy to rent?
Yes I definitely want to own a place someday, as everyone is probably aware London isn’t the cheapest so it may be a while yet – but I would love to do a renovation and design my own flat at some point in the future.
Shall we take a look around?
What I Rent is a weekly series that’s out every Tuesday at 10am.
Check back next week to have another nose around a rented property.
How to get involved in What I Rent
What I Rent is Metro.co.uk’s weekly series that takes you inside the places people are renting, to give us all a better sense of what’s normal and how much we should be paying.
If you fancy taking part, please email whatirent@metro.co.uk. You’ll need to take pictures of your kitchen, living room, bathroom, and bedroom, plus a few photos of you in your bedroom or living area.
Make sure you get permission from your housemates! You’ll also need to be okay with sharing how much you’re paying for rent, as that’s pretty important.
We’re not just after the prettiest places out there, by the way. We want the reality of renting, so if you’re currently renting a place you hate, we’d love to see that too (and sympathise greatly!).
This article contains placements with affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on purchases made through one of these links on these placements.
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