Cameron shares a one-bedroom flat in Hamilton with his girlfriend of three years (Picture: Michael McGurk/Metro.co.uk)

In our weekly series What I Rent, we take you inside people’s rented properties to see what they get for what they pay.

This is partly to satisfy the joy we take in being nosy about other people’s homes, but also to explore the reality of renting in the UK (and sometimes further afield).

Last week we were in Windsor with blogger Vicki, who said she’s renting instead of buying as Brexit has made it difficult to sell the house she owns up north.

This time we’re in Hamilton in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, with Cameron.


Cameron, a 23-year-old working in education as well as a freelance photographer and videographer, shares a one-bedroom flat with his girlfriend, who works for the National Autistic Society.



They’ve been together for three years and have shared the flat for a year.

They’ve lived in this flat for one year in January (Picture: Michael McGurk/Metro.co.uk)

Hi, Cameron! How much do you pay to live here?

Rent is £395 a month, total. Bills are about £100 each per month, so the total amount each of us pay a month is around £300. We’ve had a terrible experience with energy providers because we have an ancient meter. It’s hard to get the flat warm in winter and some months have cost up to £200.

Do you think you have a good deal?

I think the flat looks good at a glance but when you start looking closely or live here you can see why it’s modestly priced. It’s ideal for still being able to save for a house though.

Why Hamilton?

We didn’t choose Hamilton for any particular reason but it’s quite close to family and work.

I used to live in Ayrshire with my parents. After that I lived in Glasgow for a wee while then moved to Edinburgh for uni, rent was extortionate there at £800 a month for a studio flat.

What a collection (Picture: Michael McGurk/Metro.co.uk)

Are you happy where you live?

I like the classic tenement style building and being on the top floor.

All the smokers below us contribute to making the flat stink of cigarettes sometimes, but we counteract this with lots of wax warmers and diffusers.

Do you feel like you have enough space?

It’s hard to find storage but you learn to be efficient and not keep unnecessary items.

Keep an eye out – you’ll spot a lot of deer motifs in this place (Picture: Michael McGurk/Metro.co.uk)

How did you find this place?

It was the first place we viewed on Zoopla so we went for it because we didn’t think we’d find somewhere else as nice for the cost.

How have you made the flat feel like home?

When I first moved in I wanted to make a sizeable purchase to settle into my new home. I bought a new TV that cost £2,600 and I still have sudden feelings of regret to this day… It’s a beautiful television but I have tried to punt it to my friends, family and boss with little success. Hopefully, I never need to buy a television again!

I’ve kitted the place out with smart home tech to bring the flat to life and add some style at night. Most of the furniture we’ve bought is sort of rustic and minimalist, with the aim of saving space and prioritising practicality.

12 rules for life: Be a llama (Picture: Michael McGurk/Metro.co.uk)

Are there any problems with the flat?



The major annoyance with the flat is my growling toilet… there is a macerator installed which is very active at any moment of running water.

Even in the bath, it will continue attempting to grind anything that passes through the pipes, ruining any chance of a peaceful soak.

What are your plans for the future, house-wise?

We’ll probably be here for another couple of years and then buy our first home. A much larger older build back in Ayrshire might be a fun next step.

Sounds good to us. Shall we have a look around?

Welcome in (Picture: Michael McGurk/Metro.co.uk)

Here’s the living room (Picture: Michael McGurk/Metro.co.uk)

And here’s the same living room, but with party lighting (Picture: Michael McGurk/Metro.co.uk)

Here’s the bulb responsible (Picture: Michael McGurk/Metro.co.uk)

We love an accent chair (Picture: Michael McGurk/Metro.co.uk)

Cute (Picture: Michael McGurk/Metro.co.uk)

The dining table (Picture: Michael McGurk/Metro.co.uk)

And the computer corner, again in that party lighting (Picture: Michael McGurk/Metro.co.uk)

The kitchen (Picture: Michael McGurk/Metro.co.uk)

The bedroom. Do you see the deer? (Picture: Michael McGurk/Metro.co.uk)

Yes, that is a Buddha plug-in air freshener (Picture: Michael McGurk/Metro.co.uk)

A narrow but lovely bathroom (Picture: Michael McGurk/Metro.co.uk)

There’s that troublesome toilet (Picture: Michael McGurk/Metro.co.uk)

And of course… (Picture: Michael McGurk/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.

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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