Do we even need to say that renting in London is tough?
We all know about the days spent searching for a flat that’s actually liveable, only for it to get snatched up before you even arrive for a viewing.
We know about the extortionate prices, the toilets that don’t flush properly, the mould lingering in the ceilings.
But knowledge is power, and the more we know, the better equipped we are to deal with the madness that is London renting.
If we know what people are paying and what they’re getting in return, we can get a better sense of what’s normal in London and what’s an absolute rip-off.
That’s why we created What I Rent, a weekly series that takes you inside the rented property of someone living in London.
This week we’re at Sophie and India’s place. They’ve shared a two bedroom flat in Peckham for the last year.
We chatted to India about what that’s been like.
Hi India! How much are you and Sophie paying for this place?
We pay £650 each – so £1,300 altogether. Bills are about £100 each.
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And what do you get for that price?
Two bedrooms, a tiny bathroom, a kitchen, and a living room.
How did you end up living together?
We met when we were students in Manchester. We lived together the whole way through university.
I moved down to London straight after university and Sophie came and stayed at the shared house I was renting in New Cross Gate about a year later, to complete a course.
I then moved out to live with a boyfriend in Southwark. Six months later, we both found ourselves single and decided to live with each other.
We love living together, we’re best friends so the flat feels like a home instead of just a place to sleep at night. We have a lot of friends in common, so there’s never any issues about having people over either.
We’re both very busy with work – I work in documentaries for Docsville and Sophie runs an ethical fashion startup called Birdsong, but we normally try to spend at least one evening a week together to watch crappy tv and eat together.
Our taste in décor and messiness levels are about the same too, so we very rarely come into conflict over anything in the flat.
And how did you find the flat?
Sophie found it online.
What do you think of the area?
We love living in Peckham. We have lots of friends nearby and it’s easy for me to cycle to work or for Sophie to get a bus in.
The block of flats we live in is mostly council tenants who have been here for a long time, and there also used to be a big squatting community here, so everyone knows each other. It’s really nice knowing your neighbours – it feels very safe.
There’re always kids playing out in the gardens – that are beautifully maintained by the tenants. There’s a barbecue area and a meadow which feels rare for central London.
We’re close to all the big shops on Old Kent Road which is convenient, and there’s plenty going on in Peckham if we want to eat or hang out locally.
Do you feel like you have enough space in your flat?
Yes, the flat is perfectly sized for the two of us. Only issue is the tiny cupboard-sized bathroom, but we’re used to it now.
Are there any annoying issues with the house you have to put up with?
The pipes are a bit old, so the sink blocks a lot but it’s not a huge problem.
The main issue is that the landlord has decided to sell it (for £345,000!) which is more than we could ever afford.
It’s been inconvenient having people come to view it all the time, but at this point in time they don’t seem to have sold it.
However, because the rent is so high, Sophie’s having to look into moving into a co-op nearby in order to stay in London. We don’t want to leave it, but it looks likely we won’t be here for much longer.
She’s interviewing to live in the co-op in the next few months. The rent is much lower – it’s the only way she’ll be able to keep on living in London as rents keep going up.
When it happens I think I’m moving into another friend’s house in Bow. We’re both hoping that further down the line we’ll be able to live together again as we’ve loved sharing this flat.
Have you considered buying a place?
We would love to but it feels like we’ll never be able to afford it.
Shall we have a look around the friends’ flat?
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 [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.
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