It’s time for What I Rent, our weekly series that explores the ins and outs of renting.
Each week we take you inside a different person’s rented abode, and chat with them about their experiences navigating the world of property.
Last time, we were in Chatham, Kent, with Flo, who rents a two-bedroom house for £795 a month.
Today we’re talking with events manager Hannah, 25, who lives with her boyfriend of eight years, Connor.
Originally from Leeds. Hannah moved to York three years ago to do her master’s degree. She went on to rent two places in York before settling here, in a two-bedroom house.
Hi, Hannah! How much do you pay to live here?
We pay £875 a month, excluding bills. Bills are around £250 a month for council tax, gas and electricity, broadband etc.
And what do you get for what you pay?
We have two double bedrooms in our home, a separate living room and dining room and one downstairs bathroom.
The garden is the real selling point!
Do you feel like you have a good deal?
Yes, definitely! Getting a property of this size with period features and a garden at an affordable price is a bit of a rarity in York.
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We used to pay the same amount for a much smaller two-bedroom flat.
Whereabouts is your home based? What do you think of the area?
Our home is in Fulford, a suburb of York about half an hours walk from the city centre.
It’s a lovely peaceful part of the city and the walk into town along the river is just gorgeous.
How did you find this property?
Rightmove.
How have you made this place feel like home?
I try putting my own spin on my home using accessories like artwork, house plants and soft furnishings.
I have filled the alcove shelves in the living room with lots of our favourite books to show a bit of personality and create a focal point.
The furniture is all our own so this allows me to reflect my style in each room. I also love to use statement lamps to make it feel like home.
Have you found it difficult to decorate when renting? Is your landlord happy with you doing bits?
We aren’t able to decorate in the house but luckily enough everything was pretty much to our taste!
I have used some temporary solutions, such as removable vinyl tiles on the fireplace, to add my stamp.
I’ve loved getting to work in the garden and it has become my favourite place to hang out after a long day working from home.
Do you feel like you have enough space?
We definitely have enough space and it feels ginormous compared to the tiny flats we have lived in previously.
It’s great to have a spare bedroom for friends and family to come stay.
Are there any problems with the home you have to deal with?
There aren’t really any problems – we’ve had the typical teething problems you get with any rented property such as a door falling off its hinges but nothing that wasn’t solved quickly!
If I had to change anything I would move the bathroom upstairs, but you do get used to that very quickly.
Do you have plans to move again any time soon?
No, definitely not at the moment. This is the first rented house we’ve stayed longer than a year so we’re enjoying being settled.
Do you want to own a place some day or are you happy to rent?
We would love to buy our own place in the future and we’re saving towards a first home deposit.
This is going to be a long process so this home will definitely serve us well for now!
Fair play. Shall we take a look around?
What I Rent is a weekly series that’s out every Tuesday at 10am.
Check back next week to have another nose around a rented property.
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 take pictures of your kitchen, living room, bathroom, and bedroom, plus a few photos of you in your bedroom or living area.
Make sure you get permission from your housemates! You’ll also need to be okay with sharing how much you’re paying for rent, as that’s pretty important.
We’re not just after the prettiest places out there, by the way. We want the reality of renting, so if you’re currently renting a place you hate, we’d love to see that too (and sympathise greatly!).
This article contains placements with affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on purchases made through one of these links on these placements.
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