What I Rent is all about getting rid of the mystery around renting in London, by doing away with the glossy real estate shots and getting real about how people are living and how much they’re paying for the pleasure.
To get some clarity on renting, we’re taking you inside a different person’s rented property each week.
This time around we’re looking around the one-bedroom flat rented by Philip, a 23-year-old technologist in the financial sector.
First things first: How much rent do you pay?
I pay £1,250 a month, plus broadband £30, gas and electric £38, water £16, council tax £72, for a total of £156.
And what do you get for that price?
A combined kitchen/living room, one bathroom, and one bedroom with a small balcony outside. I moved here in September, so have been living here for about nine months now.
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What’s the area like?
My place is in Poplar, about 20 minutes’ walk from where I work in Canary Wharf – meaning I can walk into work, getting a little bit of exercise and saving some money in the process.
There’s a few DLR stations very close by that get me most places, and the Jubilee within walking distance for the night tube.
The immediate area isn’t the greatest, but the transport links are good so I can easily get wherever I fancy.
How did you find your place?
It’s actually the first place I viewed – although I did look at a few others before deciding on this one.
I moved here from uni in Scotland, so I didn’t have the luxury of viewing whenever or having a particularly flexible window in which to move.
I was looking online a lot, and I found this place on OpenRent, so I arranged a viewing in a few days where I could come down and basically go from viewing to viewing.
Do you feel like you have enough space in a one-bedroom flat?
Definitely. It’s a very spacious place – it’s the main thing that drew me towards it.
When I was looking for places, I saw so many that were just tiny and I was worried I was going to be cramped. The only thing is I wish I could swap some floor space for some storage – there’s just no room along the walls for any more storage.
How’s living alone?
There’s the odd time where it’s not the best, but I absolutely am glad I don’t have to share with anyone – and it’s not like living with people is all roses 24/7.
It’s just nice having the freedom of my own place where I can do whatever, and not have anyone complain at me if I don’t do the dishes straight away.
Are there any massive issues you have to put up with?
Not really. The traffic noise at rush hour is a little annoying if you’re in the living room watching TV, but it’s generally fine and that’s a minor thing anyway. It’s not audible from the bedroom, so there’s always somewhere away from it.
Any plans to move again?
Not in the next while – there’s nothing I could really ask for at the moment that I don’t already have in this flat. I guess the main reasons I’d move is if I moved locations at work, or if I somehow managed to scrape together the money to buy a place.
I say that like it’s in any way likely. I’ve never been able to have anything of a deposit saved up, and finding anything round here in my price range I reckon would be quite unlikely.
Now we’ve got all the info, let’s have a nose around Philip’s place…
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 [email protected].
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.
MORE : What I Rent: James, £1,000 a month for a flat in Crystal Palace
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MORE : What I Rent: Mel, £615 a month for a room in Newington Green
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