Welcome back to What I Rent – Metro’s tenant diary series exploring what renting is like in the UK.
When 28-year-old Lillianne Margaret moved to London in 2019, it was the first time she’d ever lived away from her native New Jersey, USA.
After three years of hopping between flats, she finally found the one in 2022.
Eagerly putting in a bid for a room in an Archway four-bed, she was beaten to it by another tenant. But, either luck or fate intervened, and Lillianne ended up moving in anyway.
Here’s what she had to say about her renting journey…
Tell us about yourself!
I moved to London from the USA six and a half years ago. It was the first time I’d ever moved away from home. I play softball, I sing, read, dance, hike, enjoy live music, and go to raves.
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I work in a behavioural neuroscience lab as a manager of research technicians. I have a great group of friends here in London, and we go on weekends away together when we can.
What kind of property do you rent and how long have you been there?
I’ve lived in a four-bedroom terraced house for the past three years.
How much do you pay to live here?
£790 a month excluding bills, which come to about £125.
And what do you get for what you pay?
The house is very spacious. I have a double room, a living room, a garden, and a big kitchen.
It’s a great deal, although I’m always scared the landlord is going to jack up the prices.
What do you love most about your living situation?
I love hanging out with my flatmates, playing board games, sitting and reading in the garden, or just vegging in front of the TV. We love making house dinners together too, where I appreciate their good cooking.
I want to go home at the end of the day. I feel safe, comfortable, and accepted. I grew up in a difficult home, and I feel like this house is healing things in me.
Where is your home based? What do you think of the area?
I live in Archway, and I love the area. We have Waterlow Park nearby, and there’s a market in the square on Saturdays.
We’re spoilt for good pub options. My favourites are a little hole-in-the-wall pub called The Charlotte Despard, and a great pub quiz at the Oak and Pastor.
I love that we have an Aldi, and there’s also an organic shop and coffee cart near the station. The area is also well connected for work in central London.
My least favourite thing is probably the hills – it’s good exercise when you want it, but when you’re tired or travelling with a suitcase, I could really do without.
How did you find this property?
Through a SpareRoom advert. I originally viewed this house and thought it went great, so I was gutted when the current tennants chose someone else.
But a month later, the person they’d chosen decided to move out. The housemates remembered me, and they messaged to ask if I was still interested. Of course, I said yes immediately.
How have you made this place feel like home?
We either buy furniture, or use Freecycle – we’ve also collected lots of free things from the side of the road.
I’m a very sentimental person, so my bedroom is decorated with pictures and things I have collected throughout my life.
My room is eclectic and colourful, as is the rest of the house. When I first asked my flatmates about their bedroom aesthetics, their answers were ‘unsifted back room of a charity shop’, ‘bedroom of a gay 1950s teenager’, and ‘fossilised snapshot of a 1930s alcoholic antiquarian.’
Have you found it difficult to decorate when renting?
Our landlord is pretty chill. We try to use easy-to-remove methods like Command Strips or Blu Tack, but we have some freedom to do what we like.
Do you feel like you have enough space?
Yes, definitely. I can even to do a workout in my room. The house itself is big enough for living with other people, and any noise doesn’t travel that much.
What would you like to have, but don’t with this home?
I would love a tumble dryer because there are quite a few of us in the house and only so much room for clothes-airers. And I love a fluffy, warm towel!
Are there any problems with the home you have to deal with?
We had a mouse problem last winter, and we have ants in the summer. Also, the bathroom didn’t have an extractor fan for a while, so we had some mould in there.
Right now, we have a leak from the bathroom into the kitchen, so we have to be mindful when showering.
What are your biggest property non-negotiables when looking?
Well-connected for transport and some type of shared living space. I spend a lot of time in my room, but I want to be able to crawl out of my hole and hang out with people when I can.
Do you have plans to move again anytime soon? What about buying a place?
I have no plans to move out right now. I’m the youngest of six, so there’s something about housesharing to me that feels comforting.
I want to live on my own at some point, but I can’t afford much more right now. As for buying, that is so far in the future for me that I don’t really think about it. Also, being from the USA, there is always a question of whether I will move back there, but only time will tell.
Shall we take a look around?
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