Dayna pays £400 a month to rent a two-bedroom flat with her housemate (Picture: Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS/Metro.co.uk)

Londoners are perfectly aware that we’d save a lot of money if we were to pack up and move north.

But that knowledge doesn’t stop us from wanting to weep when we see just how cheap rent can be in spots outside the capital city.

In our weekly series, What I Rent, we take you inside different people’s rented properties to paint an honest picture of the reality of renting.

We’re mostly in London, but sometimes we’ll venture around the UK to show citydwellers exactly what they’re missing.


Last week we spent time with Jamie, who pays £895 for a one-bedroom flat in Brighton.



This time we’re with Dayna, who pays just £400 a month to share a two-bedroom flat in Leith, Scotland.

Dayna rents the flat with Mairi, who she’s known for years (Picture: Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS/Metro.co.uk)

Hey, Dayna! How much do you pay to live here?

We pay £800 for a two-bed flat. my flatmate and I split it straight down the middle.

Bills are around £200 a month, my flatmate is a student so council tax is my burden to bear.

What do you get for what you pay?

Two bedrooms, one bathroom, a super open hallway and weird downstairs space where we keep a bookcase, kitchen and living room – the living room is a total novelty because the last time we lived together we didn’t have one.

Do you think you have a good deal?

Yes. This was the tenth flat we viewed in the area and everything for the same price was super cramped or outdated – net curtains and damp? Nae thanks.

We’re in an amazing location, the flat is really unique and the letting agent is on it when it comes to sorting stuff out.

The pair love the location of Leith, near Edinburgh (Picture: Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS/Metro.co.uk)

How did you find the flat?

We’ve been here three months. I’ve just moved back after living in London for four years and Mairi, my flatmate, has just moved back to Edinburgh after a two-year stint in Berlin.

We originally weren’t going to view this flat because the photos of it were awful – it looked tiny.

After nine failed viewings we decided just to come along anyway because we were in the area and thank god we did.

There was another guy viewing the place while we were there but we became best pals with the agent and took it there and then. Sorry Michael, it’s our house.

Are you happy where you live?

Absolutely – Leith is such a hub of activity in the face of adversity. The food and drink scene is booming and independent businesses are constantly popping up despite student flats trying to take over.

There are businesses on the main stretch of Leith Walk that have been there for decades and its one of the few roads in Edinburgh you can grab furniture, scran and second-hand clothing in one go away from the centre.



Mairi and I have lived in different neighbours before but Leith is our best choice yet.

After living in London for years I’m still not over the fact that I can catch up with a mate in a pub ten minutes away from my house instead of arranging to meet somewhere an hour away for both of us – and that’s before the cheaper pint price. London was crucial for my career but Edinburgh will always be home.

Artwork made by their friends makes the flat feel like home (Picture: Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS/Metro.co.uk)

Do you feel like you have enough space?

I mean this is probably biased as I have the bigger bedroom, but yes.

We’ve got tonnes of storage, loads of cupboards and for the two of us this is perfect – even if I’ve given myself a concussion on more than one occasion thanks to the sloped ceilings (which is no problem for my 5’4″ flatmate).

What’s it like sharing a place with Mairi?

Mairi and I have lived, worked and travelled together before and have been best pals of eight years so this is no bother – after four years of living in different countries it’s the best feeling ever to be back together.

She’ll kill me for being this much of a sap.

Here’s the hallway (Picture: Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS/Metro.co.uk)

How have you made the flat feel like home?

All of artwork has been created by our friends – we’re lucky to be part of such a creative circle of pals (especially because I can’t design for shit).

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


Neighbours, if you’re reading this please stop playing guitar into the early hours of the morning – there’s only so many times I can hear ‘No Woman No Cry.’

Do you have any plans to move again?

This is us for now – Mairi is studying until next year and I have no desire to return to the big smoke – sorry Edinburgh, you’re stuck with us.

And have you thought about buying a place?

Hahahahahaha – I’m a freelance journalist.

We’ll take that as a no. Shall we have a look around?

Look at that fancy staircase! (Picture: Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS/Metro.co.uk)

Dayna and Mairi’s previous properties didn’t have living rooms, so this is very exciting (Picture: Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS/Metro.co.uk)

Space for two sofas (Picture: Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS/Metro.co.uk)

Every home needs a selection of candles and incense (Picture: Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS/Metro.co.uk)

Nice clock (Picture: Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS/Metro.co.uk)

Points for the organised storage (Picture: Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS/Metro.co.uk)

The living room leads into the kitchen… watch out for that sloped ceiling (Picture: Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS/Metro.co.uk)

So much space (Picture: Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS/Metro.co.uk)

Some neatly arranged spices (Picture: Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS/Metro.co.uk)

We think they like whisky (Picture: Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS/Metro.co.uk)

We’re big fans of those teapots (Picture: Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS/Metro.co.uk)

A nice window spot for eating breakfast or doing some work (Picture: Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS/Metro.co.uk)

This is Dayna’s bedroom (Picture: Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS/Metro.co.uk)

Again, anyone tall would need to be careful of the sloped ceiling (Picture: Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS/Metro.co.uk)

Feel free to read into this bedside book choice (Picture: Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS/Metro.co.uk)

Spot the slippers (Picture: Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS/Metro.co.uk)

What’s in that jar? (Picture: Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS/Metro.co.uk)

Someone likes her patterns and prints (Picture: Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS/Metro.co.uk)

Finally, the bathroom (Picture: Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS/Metro.co.uk)

Complete with a shower (Picture: Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS/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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MORE: What I Rent: Charlotte and Jon, £495 a month for a two-bedroom flat in Halifax, West Yorkshire

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