Michael and Zoë share a one-bedroom flat in Clapton, Hackney (Picture: Joe Newman/Metro.co.uk)

Pondering what it’s like to rent in London?

And more importantly, exactly how much it costs?

Our weekly series, What I Rent, aims to answer those big questions. Each week we nose around a different person’s rented property in London or outside the city, to get a proper picture of the state of renting right now – from the tiny studio flats to the astoundingly cheap homes up north.

Last week we looked around a flat rented by Leia and Evan, who pay £1,600 a month between them for a one-bedroom flat in Kennington.


This time we’re going a touch east, to Clapton, in Hackney, to hang out with Michael, a 25-year-old account manager for a brewery, and Zoë, 28, a front of house supervisor for a print company.

The couple pay £1,100 a month between them (Picture: Joe Newman/Metro.co.uk)

Hey, Michael and Zoë. How much do you pay to live here?



Rent is £1,100 a month. For bills we pay £113 in Council Tax, £50 electric and gas. We haven’t had a water bill yet.

Do you think you have a good deal?

For the area? Definitely.

How did you find the flat?

We’ve lived here since the end of January.

We’d come to the end of a sublet and after viewing some appalling places we settled almost out of desperation on this flat – which has turned out fortunate for us.

You’re going to spot a lot of plants in this place (Picture: Joe Newman/Metro.co.uk)

Are you happy with the area?

Very happy! There’s a massive sense of community in the area and a lot of our friends live and work very close to us. It’s central enough to cycle to work and transport is good too.

We can go on walks to the marshes and the Lea Valley or we can sit on Hackney Downs closer to home. There’s always something going on in the area.

Do you feel like you have enough space?

Zoë will never have enough wardrobe space, and we can dream of a garden… but otherwise, it is perfect for now.

What’s it like living together?

Great! We lived in a few dodgy sublets before finding this place – if there was ever going to be any strain in the relationship it would have been then.

We’d been together for over two years when we moved in together and we find it easy to work around each other’s schedules while also making time to see each other properly.

This is just on your way into the flat (Picture: Joe Newman/Metro.co.uk)

How have you made the flat feel like home?

We’ve put up paintings, moved in some of our own furniture, put a cover on to hide the cream sofa leather, Michael has his record player and collection set up (Zoë’s collection is tiny in comparison). And we have filled the living room and outside the front door with plants.

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

The lack of natural light in the back part of the house. The only windows are in the living room and the front door, flooding light through to the bedroom. It would be lovely to have windows in the kitchen and bathroom.

The pair have lived here since January (Picture: Joe Newman/Metro.co.uk)

Do you have plans to move again?



Not anytime soon, but we’d be looking for more windows and ideally a garden.

And have you thought about buying a place?

No. There’s a lot of the world left for us to see before that.

Fair enough. Let’s have a look around.

Here’s the living room, complete with a jazzy poster on the door (Picture: Joe Newman/Metro.co.uk)

Those blankets and pillows look cosy, don’t they? (Picture: Joe Newman/Metro.co.uk)

There’s a lot of stuff in this flat (Picture: Joe Newman/Metro.co.uk)

But the couple say they have enough space (Picture: Joe Newman/Metro.co.uk)

Michael has a significant record collection (Picture: Joe Newman/Metro.co.uk)

Here’s the kitchen (Picture: Joe Newman/Metro.co.uk)

UPDATE: In an earlier version of this post I mistakenly greeted the hoover as Henry. I was wrong. It is quite clearly Charles. (Picture: Joe Newman/Metro.co.uk)

A good collection of oils and vinegars (Picture: Joe Newman/Metro.co.uk)

Spot the eggs (Picture: Joe Newman/Metro.co.uk)

Yes, that is a special garlic pot. Yes, we’re impressed. (Picture: Joe Newman/Metro.co.uk)

Behold their kitchen books (Picture: Joe Newman/Metro.co.uk)

There’s space for a dining table (Picture: Joe Newman/Metro.co.uk)

Complete with candles in wine bottles. Fancy. (Picture: Joe Newman/Metro.co.uk)

Here’s the bedroom (Picture: Joe Newman/Metro.co.uk)

They’ve had to get creative with storage space (Picture: Joe Newman/Metro.co.uk)

Books are stashed in sneaky spots (Picture: Joe Newman/Metro.co.uk)

Fancy clock, that (Picture: Joe Newman/Metro.co.uk)

Finally, the bathroom (Picture: Joe Newman/Metro.co.uk)

What a nice hanging basket (Picture: Joe Newman/Metro.co.uk)

A tub! (Picture: Joe Newman/Metro.co.uk)

…where’s the second toothbrush? (Picture: Joe Newman/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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MORE: What I Rent: Ben and Emma, £1,100 for a one-bedroom flat in West Norwood, London

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