Shannon shares a two-bedroom flat in Manor Housem North London (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

Living in London is expensive, and not just because of the price of a pint.

In our weekly series What I Rent, we take you around a different person’s rented property in the city to take an honest look at how much they’re paying and what they’re getting in return.

The idea is to create a better picture of renting, so newbies won’t be duped into paying thousands for a studio with a shower in the kitchen and people can figure out whether they’re really getting a good deal.

This week we’re at Shannon’s place. Shannon, 21, works in the music industry and moved to London from Liverpool last year. She shares a two bedroom flat in Manor House, Haringey, with someone she met through SpareRoom.


she pays £520 a month to share the flat with someone she met on SpareRoom (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

Hi, Shannon! First things first – how much are you paying for this place?



I pay £520 pcm, which is a bit of a rarity.

My rent includes most bills except for internet and gas. Internet is £20 a month split between two people, then gas is quarterly which is usually around £40 each.

And what do you get for what you pay?

We have two bedrooms, one shared living room and one bathroom.

How did you find the flat?

I’ve lived here for almost six months now.

I found it through SpareRoom – this is where I’ve found any house share, even outside of London.

If you can’t guess by all the records, Shannon works in the music industry. She has done for four years (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

Who do you share with?

I live with another female of a similar age. We didn’t know each other until I viewed the place but she’s lovely. We get along so it’s all good.

How have you made the flat feel like home?

Decorating is a big dealio for me otherwise I feel quite out of place. Plants are a given. Lots of posters, prints and records. My room is basically a museum of myself.

Are you happy where you live?

Definitely, I love the area. North London is generally one of my favourite parts of this city.

My previous living situation wasn’t working for me (just down the road) so I was lucky to find this place as I wouldn’t want to leave here any time soon.

There’s loads to do – there’s lots of pubs, cafes and restaurants – especially with Finsbury Park and Crouch End on your doorstep.

Ally Pally is super close too which is lovely in the summer. Plus, it’s really easy to get around via public transport to most areas which is a dream for gigs.

Decoration is an important part of making the flat feel like home (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

Do you feel like you have enough space?

Yep. We live in a first floor flat which seems snug but there’s only two of us so it works.

Are there any issues with the flat you have to put up with?

Not really. It’s an old Victorian house so heating can be a bit of an issue as it’s expensive when it’s cold outside but we’re pretty lucky otherwise.

Do you have any plans to move again? What about buying a place?

Nope, no plans. I’d love to have my own place eventually but that won’t happen for years unless I win the lottery.



I would love to buy a place in years to come but the financial climate for people my age doesn’t really accommodate that. I see myself having to rent for the foreseeable future. Plus, I’m not ready to tie myself down to an area just yet.

Let’s have a nose around, then.

The flat is on the first floor of a Victorian house (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

Here’s the living room, complete with a fireplace, drinks cabinet, and dining table (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

Nice, right? (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

If you can count all the plants in this place, you win a prize. The prize is pride at a job well done (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

A dining table is a bit of a rarity in rented properties (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

We approve of these fridge magnets (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

Here’s the kitchen, painted a sunny yellow (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

Look at that range of breakfast options (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

(Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

Down the hallway we go (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

And here’s Shannon in her bedroom (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

Shannon describes her room as a museum of herself (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

We’d agree – look at all those posters and bits and bobs (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

(Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

We’re big fans of turning a fireplace into wine storage (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

(Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

(Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

See what we mean about the posters? (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

And here’s the bathroom (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

Does anyone else get strangely excited to see someone uses the same products as you? (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

Wooden toothbrushes are in right now, tell your friends (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

What I Rent is a weekly series that’s out every Tuesday at 10am. Check back next week to have a nose around another rented property in London.

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 have pictures taken of your kitchen, living room, bathroom, and bedroom, plus a few photos of you in your room. Make sure you get permission for your housemates! You'll also need to be okay with sharing how much you're paying for rent, as that's pretty important.

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