Alex pays £680 a month for a room in Tooting. (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

We’re fed up of getting shafted when it comes to renting a place in London.

We’re fed up of sky high rents for tiny living spaces, getting blamed for killing home-made meals when we can’t find a flat with a decent kitchen, and turning up to viewings to discover the photos you saw online weren’t a true representation of the flat you’re seeing in any way, shape, or form.

But before we can tackle the issue, we need to take an honest look at the problem.

That’s a big part of why we started What I Rent, a weekly series that takes you inside people’s rented property in London – to get a clearer idea of what Londoners are paying and what they’re getting in return.




This week we’re hanging out with Alex, who rents a room in a three-bedroom house in Tooting.

He shares the house with three junior doctors. (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

Hey Alex! How much rent are you paying?

£680 a month.

And what about bills?

£65 (so about £745 all in, then another £100 to commute every month)

What are you getting for that cost?

Three bedrooms, two bathrooms, then a pretty roomy kitchen and living room. We also have a decent outside space for storing bikes etc.

What do you think of the area?

I live in Tooting Broadway, just off Mitcham Road, very close to the tube station.

I am happy enough, and I really like the area. Tooting feels like it is on the edge of a wave of gentrification so you have pricey brunch spots and bars rubbing shoulders with authentic, cheap cuisine, as well as a fantastic local market.

The Northern Line commute isn’t ideal but at least it is comparatively quick.

Alex has been living in the house for around six months. (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

How did you end up living here?

An old friend from my home town in Surrey suggested living together, so I moved into the house he had already been inhabiting for a year.

I live with three junior doctors, who work at St George’s Hospital so they always have some good stories to tell.

We get along really well but they all have a good sense of humour and we are all pretty good at respecting each other’s space so I think it works well.

How have you made the place your own?

Quite honestly, I have been here for nearly six months now and have done very little to make the place feel like home.

I have lived in six separate flats/houses in London over the last seven years and the feeling of transience which comes with rented housing has meant I have never really invested my time and energy into personalising any one living space.

Do you feel like you have enough space?

The house is pretty spacious in the common areas, so it doesn’t feel too claustrophobic. Having said that, my bedroom is a bit on the small side and there is no desk or room to sit down.

But he still doesn’t feel the house is a home. (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

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

The boiler kept breaking down and we were only offered quick fixes to remedy it initially. It was eventually sorted by the landlord but otherwise it has been pretty smooth sailing.



Any plans to move again?

I have no plans to move in the immediate future. I am pretty happy living with my roommates. If I did move, it would be to have a bigger bedroom or a shorter commute without an extortionate increase in rent (I may be waiting a while).

And what about buying a place?

I looked into the shared ownership scheme, but unfortunately I cannot even afford a quarter of a house in a part of London I’d consider living in, let alone a whole one!

Same, Alex. Same. Shall we have a look around his place, then?

A classic shared house hallway. (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

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

The house is split level, so it feels a bit more spacious. (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

But Alex’s room is on the small side. (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

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

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

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

He could do with some bookshelves, right? (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

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

The living room. (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

There is a dining room in the kitchen, which isn’t standard in London housing. (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

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

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

All you could ever need: Doritos dip, four candles, and a bit of kitchen roll. (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

An excellent drink range. (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

Anyone who has a utensil rest is a proper adult, we say. (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

Oh hey, toilet paper rolls. (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

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

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

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

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

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

The house has some outdoor space, which is handy. (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

(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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