{"id":16468,"date":"2026-04-18T07:37:27","date_gmt":"2026-04-18T07:37:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/16468\/"},"modified":"2026-04-18T07:37:27","modified_gmt":"2026-04-18T07:37:27","slug":"what-i-rent-ive-pay-1750pcm-for-my-northwest-london-two-bed-flat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/16468\/","title":{"rendered":"What I Rent: I’ve pay \u00a31,750pcm for my northwest London two-bed flat"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\"Michelle
\n\t\tThis week, we\u2019re in North West London chatting to Michelle (Picture: Metro\/Jed Bradley)<\/p>\n

Welcome back to\u00a0What I Rent<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Metro\u2019s\u00a0tenant diary\u00a0series exploring what\u00a0renting<\/a>\u00a0is like in the UK and further afield.<\/p>\n

When Michelle first moved into her new flat, it had a rather uninspiring colour scheme of white, grey and beige.<\/p>\n

So, the mum-of-one decided to spruce up<\/a> the place: injecting colour, adding stick-on-tiles and jazzy wallpaper.<\/p>\n

Eight years on and while her rent<\/a> has increased since she first signed on the dotted line, she can\u2019t imagine living anywhere else.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what Michelle had to say about her renting journey\u2026<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Michelle<\/a>
\n\t\tMichelle shares the space with her daughter, Annabel (Picture: Metro\/Jed Bradley)
\nTell us about yourself!<\/p>\n

I\u2019m Michelle, and I live in Mill Hill East, northwest London<\/a>, with my 14-year-old daughter, Annabel.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve always been drawn to interiors<\/a>, but it\u2019s only in recent years that I\u2019ve really honed my skills, and committed to growing my Instagram<\/a> page, The Corner Flat LDN<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Day to day, life is a mix of home, work, and constantly thinking about the next little project.<\/p>\n

What kind of property do you rent and how long have you been there?\u202f<\/p>\n

I rent a two-bedroom, first-floor flat, and I\u2019ve been living here for nearly eight years.<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Michelle
\n\t\tShe\u2019s developed an obsession with disco tiles (Picture: Metro\/Jed Bradley)<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\tLatest London news\t\t\t<\/p>\n

To get the latest news from the capital, visit Metro’s London news hub<\/a>.<\/p>\n

How much do you pay to live here?<\/p>\n

My rent is \u00a31,750 per month now, although it was \u00a31,200 when I first moved in. <\/p>\n

Initially, it was right at the top of my budget as a newly single mum. Over the years, even with rent increases, it\u2019s been worth the price.<\/p>\n

And what do you get for what you pay?<\/p>\n

I get 52m\u00b2 of living space, with two bedrooms, one bathroom, a fairly decent-sized living room, and a little galley-style kitchen.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m lucky to have a huge loft, which I\u2019ve turned into an office and also use for movie nights. It\u2019s technically big enough to be a double bedroom, but without windows, it doesn\u2019t qualify.<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Michelle
\n\t\tWhen Michelle first moved in, her rent was \u00a31,200 (Picture: Metro\/Jed Bradley)
\nWhere is your home based? What do you think of the area?<\/p>\n

My flat is a short walk from Mill Hill East station. Finchley Central is also within walking distance, so getting around isn\u2019t a problem at all.<\/p>\n

The neighbours are friendly and it\u2019s nice to be settled in an area that\u2019s calm but still connected to the city. Plus, having the luxury of a Waitrose<\/a> on my doorstep is a bonus.<\/p>\n

How did you feel when you first viewed this property?<\/p>\n

When I first walked in, it felt like stepping into a clean but very much a blank canvas, lots of grey and white and not much else.<\/p>\n

The bathroom in particular stuck with me: it was immaculate, but so clinically white. It felt a little overwhelming, but now it\u2019s hard to recognise the place.<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Michelle
\n\t\tShe has two bedrooms (Picture: Metro\/Jed Bradley)
\nHow have you made this place feel like home?<\/p>\n

It took me a good few years to come out of my grey era, but the turning point was surprisingly simple. <\/p>\n

I decided to switch my bedroom around, and it suddenly clicked that the way I\u2019d had it laid out before was completely wrong. Just moving the position of the bed made the whole room look better, like it could breathe.<\/p>\n

Next, I had loads of leftover paint samples lying around, and one day I randomly masked off rectangles across my living room wall and painted them all different colours. Everything else snowballed from there!<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Michelle
\n\t\tMichelle says she trusts her gut on colour and styling (Picture: Metro\/Jed Bradley)
\nWhat was your inspiration for the style?<\/p>\n

I trust my gut on colour and styling, rather than following trends.<\/p>\n

About five years ago, after becoming unwell, my priorities shifted. I wanted my home to be uplifting, almost like bringing the outside in.<\/p>\n

Colour lifts my mood. I\u2019ve always loved crafting, upcycling and DIY, but now, one idea usually leads to another, and then there\u2019s something new, colourful or slightly unexpected being added somewhere.<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Michelle
\n\t\tMichelle\u2019s a big fan of neon lights (Picture: Metro\/Jed Bradley)
\nIs your landlord happy with you doing bits?<\/p>\n

My landlord hasn\u2019t seen the place in person for a few years, but I\u2019ve been mindful to make sure that anything I do is either temporary or easily reversible.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m not knocking down walls or removing fixtures; it\u2019s more about clever updates like stick-on tiles, adding colour to the walls, or using wallpaper that can be painted over or removed if needed.<\/p>\n

Do you have any tips for decorating a rental?<\/p>\n

You might be renting, but you\u2019re still allowed to create a home.<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Michelle
\n\t\tHer landlord hasn\u2019t seen the flat for a few years (Picture: Metro\/Jed Bradley)
\nCan you talk us through the main rooms?<\/p>\n

The living room is the biggest talking point. Swapping my old beige sofa for a pink chaise-type sofa made a huge difference. It instantly lifted the room and set the tone for everything else. <\/p>\n

I\u2019ve developed a bit of an obsession with disco tiles. I upcycled a globe bar cart and covered it in the tiles, and then did the same with a cork side table. Honestly, who doesn\u2019t love a bit of sparkle?<\/p>\n

The bedroom has also become one of my favourite rooms. It now has the coolest pink squiggle wallpaper that makes the whole room playful.<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Inside
\n\t\tMichelle upcycled the globe bar with disco tiles (Picture: Metro\/Jed Bradley)<\/p>\n

I swapped traditional wardrobes and drawers for pink and yellow locker-style storage, and I have a pink cooler fridge for late-night drinks<\/a>, which feels slightly indulgent but very fun.<\/p>\n

What advice would you give to renters who don\u2019t think that they can let their creativity shine?<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t be afraid, honestly, what\u2019s the worst that can happen? Style evolves. <\/p>\n

Right now, this is what makes me happy, and I think you have to lean into that, rather than holding back.<\/p>\n

You can start small \u2013 find an old piece of furniture on eBay and completely transform it, or focus on styling a corner of a room.<\/p>\n

Do you have enough space?<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t think I\u2019ll ever feel like I have enough. <\/p>\n

This is actually the smallest home I\u2019ve ever had. I\u2019m originally from Northampton, where you get so much more bang for your buck, and even a large Victorian four-bedroom house eventually seemed too small after a while.<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Michelle
\n\t\tMichelle enjoys injecting greenery into her space (Picture: Metro\/Jed Bradley)
\nWhat would you like to have but don\u2019t with this flat?<\/p>\n

A garden, but I\u2019ve compromised by having an allotment.<\/p>\n

Are there any problems with the home you have to deal with?<\/p>\n

Yes. When I first moved in, everything had been freshly painted and I thought, great, this won\u2019t need touching for a while. <\/p>\n

Then winter hit, and in came the mould.<\/p>\n

Do you have plans to move again anytime soon? What about buying a place?<\/p>\n

No immediate plans \u2014 I\u2019m really happy where I am for now. Maybe in the future, once my daughter has flown the nest, I\u2019d consider a move out of London. Buying is something I\u2019d consider one day as well.<\/p>\n

Shall we take a look around?<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Inside
\n\t\tWelcome home! (Picture: Metro\/Jed Bradley)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Inside
\n\t\tCoffee, please (Picture: Metro\/Jed Bradley)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Inside
\n\t\tTomatoe, tomato (Picture: Metro\/Jed Bradley)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Inside
\n\t\tMichelle enjoys colourful bedding (Picture: Metro\/Jed Bradley)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Inside
\n\t\tIs that a croissant pillow? (Picture: Metro\/Jed Bradley)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Inside
\n\t\tWe\u2019re enjoying this yellow door (Picture: Metro\/Jed Bradley)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Inside
\n\t\tMichelle says this bathroom used to be completely white (Picture: Metro\/Jed Bradley)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Inside
\n\t\tMichelle wishes she had a garden (Picture: Metro\/Jed Bradley)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Inside
\n\t\tIt\u2019s another disco-themed item (Picture: Metro\/Jed Bradley)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Inside
\n\t\tQuack quack (Picture: Metro\/Jed Bradley)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Inside
\n\t\tWe\u2019re sensing a bird theme here (Picture: Metro\/Jed Bradley)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Inside
\n\t\tMore amor, por favor (Picture: Metro\/Jed Bradley)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Inside
\n\t\tThe living room is evoking a 1970s vibe (Picture: Metro\/Jed Bradley)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Inside
\n\t\tWe\u2019re enjoying this door wreath (Picture: Metro\/Jed Bradley)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Inside
\n\t\tEven the books are colour-coded (Picture: Metro\/Jed Bradley)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Inside
\n\t\tThe light in here is wonderful (Picture: Metro\/Jed Bradley)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Inside
\n\t\tGood coffee, indeed (Picture: Metro\/Jed Bradley)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Inside
\n\t\tMichelle uses the loft as an office space (Picture: Metro\/Jed Bradley)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Inside
\n\t\tMichelle would consider moving out of London in the future (Picture: Metro\/Jed Bradley)<\/p>\n

Do you have a story to share?<\/p>\n

Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Arrow
\nMORE: Man forced to pay \u00a3357 after \u2018disgraceful\u2019 delays at London Stansted left passengers stranded<\/a><\/p>\n

Arrow
\nMORE: \u2018My iconic London nightclub was nearly shut down by fake AI complaints\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n

Arrow
\nMORE: The unsuspected UK cities howling with pleasure over werewolf dildos<\/a><\/p>\n


\n\t\t\tComment now<\/p>\n

\t\t\tComments
\n\t\t<\/a>
\n\t\t\t\tAdd Metro as a Preferred Source on Google<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\tAdd as preferred source
\n\t\t\t<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\tThe Key<\/p>\n

Sign up for must-read property stories, DIY hacks and tips for buying a home.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t