Alexandra shares a house in Shoreditch with two people (Picture: Matthew Chattle/ Metro.co.uk)

Welcome back to What I Rent, our weekly series taking you inside people’s rented properties in London.

Why?

Because renting in London is full of confusion, mystery, and dodgy listings of ‘roomy studio’ flats with just enough room for a fold-out single bed.

We’re hoping that by looking at what people are actually paying – and what they’re getting in return – we’ll help get a better sense of what we should be asking for when it comes to renting a place. It’s easy to be taken advantage of when you have no idea what anyone else is paying, right?




This week we’re heading to Shoreditch to hang out with Alexandra Haddow, a writer, comedian, and one of the writers and hosts of the excellent podcast The School for Dumb Women.

Alexandra pays £573 per month (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

Hey Alexandra! Let’s get right in there. How much are you paying for this place?

We pay £573 each and I live with two other people.

Council tax is £31 each a month, and other bills are variable, we usually get stung with a big one every three or four months!

And what do you get for that price?

There are three bedrooms, a kitchen, and a bathroom, we also have two balconies. We don’t have a living room, which would bother a lot of people, but the kitchen is big with a dining table in it and we have the balcony for communal areas.

We also get on quite well so we hang out in each other’s rooms as well. I’ve actually just bought a couch for my friend’s room as we used to have one in there (he has the biggest room) so we can chill in there.

The house is in Shoreditch. (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

What do you think of the area?

We’re in Shoreditch, on the border of Bethnal Green, right in the heart of everything. I love it.

I love being close to all my favourite restaurants, parks, shops, and I’ve got everything on my doorstep.

How did you end up living with your two housemates?

My friend I used to work with was already living here and I was looking for a place and we met up and he showed me round.

I knew him beforehand and one housemate initially from Spare Room, who took a room for a few months last summer when my other housemate was away. We really got on so she moved back in when our other friend moved out.

I get on really well with both of them.

Look at that kitchen. Nice, huh? (Picture: Matthew Chattle/ Metro.co.uk)

Do you feel like you have enough space?

My room is pretty big, the kitchen is big, and in comparison to other flats I’ve seen I think we do alright for space.

Occasionally I wish we did have a living room, but on balance I would rather pay a bit less and I’m out a lot a lot so it doesn’t bother me.

Are there any issues you have to put up with?



Nothing huge, the occasional repair job but nothing ridiculous or inconvenient.

Any plans to move again?

I’m not planning in the near future, but next time I move I’d like to have a living room area, but stay as close as possible to where I am now.

…and would you buy?

Hahahahahahahaha. I wish. I’ve given up on that, unless I win the lottery or have a mysterious unexpected inheritance coming my way.

Same. Shall we look around Alexandra’s place, then?

Alexandras room is pretty spacious. (Picture: Matthew Chattle/ Metro.co.uk)

She’s made the space her own with plenty of artwork. (Picture: Matthew Chattle/ metro.co.uk)

And plants. Lots of plants. (Picture: Matthew Chattle/ Metro.co.uk)

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

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

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

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

Quite the makeup stash you’ve got there (Picture: Matthew Chattle/ Metro.co.uk)

And quite the bag stash (Picture: Matthew Chattle/ Metro.co.uk)

You can tell a lot about a person from what’s on their bookshelf (Picture: Matthew Chattle/ Metro.co.uk)

Yes, that is a Pot Noodle flavour sachet (Picture: Matthew Chattle/ Metro.co.uk)

A cute reading corner (Picture: Matthew Chattle/ Metro.co.uk)

There’s no living room, but the kitchen is spacious enough to hang out in (Picture: Matthew Chattle/ Metro.co.uk)

One of Alexandra’s housemates is an artist, which explains the excellent decorations (Picture: Matthew Chattle/ Metro.co.uk)

We’re big fans of the pink microwave (Picture: Matthew Chattle/ Metro.co.uk)

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

There’s a balcony so housemates can get some fresh air. (Picture: Matthew Chattle/ metro.co.uk)

We’re guessing someone likes plants. (Picture: Matthew Chattle/Metro.co.uk)

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

Oh hey, toothbrushes (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)

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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