Harriet and Matt moved from Manchester to London in June. (Picture: Jerry Syder/Metro.co.uk)

Finding a place to live in London that’s affordable, easily accessible by public transport, and not a tiny disgusting hellhole disguised as a ‘roomy industrial studio’, is tough.

It’s especially tricky when we don’t have defined expectations.

Should we be striving for the Scandi decorated lofts we see on Pinterest?

Should we have already bought a place, like those smug 22-year-olds who proudly tell their stories of first time buying (and casually drop in that their grandparents left them a load of money)?


Is giving up a living room for the sake of a bedroom with space for a double bed just the norm?



To help make sense of it all, we launched What I Rent; a weekly series where we show you the reality of renting in London.

This week we’re chatting to Harriet and her fiancé Matt, who’ve just moved from Manchester to London.

The couple brought their two cats with them. (Picture: Jerry Syder/Metro.co.uk)

So, Harriet. How much are you two paying?

We pay £1,360 per month, and this includes £40 council tax.

We’ve not been in the property a whole month yet so we haven’t had a full set of bills. We’re hoping they won’t come to more than £80 each month.

And what are you getting for that price?

Our flat has three rooms – a kitchen/living room, one bedroom and one bathroom.

The garden’s pretty big so we’re treating that as an extra room, particularly as the weather’s so hot at the moment.

Whereabouts are you?

Our flat is in Hammersmith, and when you step out of our front door you’re directly opposite the tube stop which has a good District line service.

Oh, hi, kitty. (Picture: Jerry Syder/Metro.co.uk)

You’ve just made the move from Manchester – what was different about trying to find a place in London?

The prices and the lack of space available really shocked me. I knew it would be different, but it’s like another world.

We’ve come from a two bed house with a garden and a separate living room, dining room and kitchen than cost less than half of what we’re paying in London.

And what were your must-haves when you were searching for a flat?

We definitely wanted somewhere with good transport links because Matt’s job in West London is quite far out and it was important that his commute wasn’t too hellish.

How have you made the place your own?

We’ve brought our bookcases and other bits of furniture down from Manchester, we’ve got art on the walls and Matt’s instruments are everywhere!

The flat is a lot smaller than where the couple were living in Manchester… and more expensive. (Picture: Jerry Syder/Metro.co.uk)

Are you happy where you live?

I love the location and the area but I wish the flat was just a tiny bit bigger (and a whole lot cheaper).

Until the housing crisis is properly addressed, hopefully by a dynamic new Labour government, soaring house prices will continue to reduce the quality of life for ordinary people, prevent young professionals from getting on the property ladder and contribute to the enforced gentrification of London, particularly in areas of social housings – all while ensuring that rent money pours into the pockets of landlords with multiple properties.



Do you feel like you have enough space?

Not really. We had to give up so much stuff before we moved, including more bookcases, a dining room table, four chairs, books, clothes, shoes, DVDs, games and kitchen appliances. Goodbye slow cooker!

Our flat is less than 400 square feet and we had to seriously downsize with the things we own.

What’s it like living with your boyfriend?

Matt and I have lived together for four years now and we’re engaged!

We’re quite a silly couple so we just mess about and play records and dance around the flat until we’re tired, then snuggle up in bed with Parks & Recreation or the US Office.

They’ve accepted that they can’t buy a place in London. (Picture: Jerry Syder/Metro.co.uk)

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

Nothing so far, although we haven’t worked out the heating or which day is bin day yet.

Any plans to move again?

When one or both of us gets a pay rise (fingers crossed – London is expensive!!), we will look into moving somewhere a little more spacious.

What about buying?

In Manchester, we were vaguely thinking about saving for a deposit on a house but it’s absolutely out of the question that we’d ever be able to afford to buy in London.

We’re not relying on the Bank of Mum and Dad, and we have to be realistic about what’s possible.

Makes sense. Shall we have a look around their place?

We’re actually shocked at how home-y this place is when Harriet and Matt have only been living there for a few weeks. (Picture: Jerry Syder/Metro.co.uk)

Look at all those books. (Picture: Jerry Syder/Metro.co.uk)

(Picture: Jerry Syder/Metro.co.uk)

Yes, that is a record player. (Picture: Jerry Syder/Metro.co.uk)

Matt’s a music teacher, hence the keyboard. (Picture: Jerry Syder/Metro.co.uk)

Look, another cat! (Picture: Jerry Syder/Metro.co.uk)

A good collection of condiments. (Picture: Jerry Syder)

(Picture: Jerry Syder/Metro.co.uk)

The bedroom. (Picture: Jerry Syder/Metro.co.uk)

(Picture: Jerry Syder/Metro.co.uk)

(Picture: Jerry Syder/Metro.co.uk)

(Picture: Jerry Syder/Metro.co.uk)

The bathroom is right next door. (Picture: Jerry Syder/Metro.co.uk)

No tub but there is a nice shower. (Picture: Jerry Syder/Metro.co.uk)

(Picture: Jerry Syder/Metro.co.uk)

There’s a large garden, which is important for the cats. (Picture: Jerry Syder/Metro.co.uk)

That giant pair of pants is actually a piñata. (Picture: Jerry Syder/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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