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Welcome back to What I Rent – Metro’s tenant diary series exploring what renting is like in the UK and further afield.
This week, we’re in buzzy South-East London meeting 29-year-old Jake Savino and 30-year-old Maxwell Braun, who moved into their one-bedroom flat last year, and quickly fell in love with it.
While it might makes renters outside of London shudder, the couple have got a pretty sweet deal with their £1,500 per month new build flat.
The average rent in London is now £2,246 per month, according to ONS data, but by opting for a one-bed in Zone 5, Jake and Max are paying almost £750 less than this.
They love their flat so much that one day, they’re hoping to buy it from their landlord, and are saving everything they can to make it happen.
Here’s what they had to say about their property journey…
Tell us about yourself!
We’re Jake and Max, a couple based in South-East London. By day, we both work full-time as property managers, and by night, we’re online fitness coaches.
Recently, we’ve also found success as content creators, sharing relatable takes on couple dynamics and everyday life together.
What kind of property do you rent and how long have you been there?
We rent a one-bedroom apartment, and we’ve lived here for seven months so far.
How much do you pay to live here?
Our rent is £1,500 a month, which we split evenly between us.
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And what do you get for what you pay?
We share a one-bedroom, one-bathroom flat with an open-plan kitchen and living area. One of our favourite things about it is the balcony – we knew we wanted some outdoor space so feel very lucky to have found this.
Our flat is part of a new-build complex, so everything feels really new and modern. The building includes some really useful shared spaces too.
There’s a co-working area with a communal terrace, which we both use regularly, especially when we’re working from home and need a change of scenery without leaving the building, or if we just need some space which is hard to get in a one-bed.
Do you feel like you have a good deal?
I think with how high rents are in the current market, we do have a pretty good deal. Especially with the location being so convenient – we’re directly next to the train station and above an M&S which is great!
What do you love to do in your flat?
We’d love to say we’re the type to host dinner parties, but the truth is we’re happiest on the sofa with snacks, watching reality TV.
We work from home a lot, and as content creators, we spend quite a lot of time filming or editing content while at home, so we really try to make the most of any downtime.
It’s important for us to enjoy the flat as a space to relax, not just as a place we’re constantly working in.
Where is your home based? What do you think of the area?
Our home is in Sidcup, a suburban area in South-East London. We really love it here – it has a bit of a village feel, with loads of green space for weekend walks. It’s quiet and residential but still has everything you need, with plenty of shops and pubs.
The transport links are great too, so getting into central London is easy, which works well for us with both work and social plans.
There are also some great restaurants and local, family-run businesses that give the area a nice sense of community.
How did you find this property?
We found this property online. We already had family and friends in the area and knew we wanted to move here.
We actually watched the complex being built and were just waiting for the flats to go up for rent, so as soon as we got the notification, we jumped on it straight away.
How have you made this place feel like home?
With it being a brand new flat, it took a few months to make it feel lived in, but because no one had lived here before us, it actually felt like home straight away!
Have you found it difficult to decorate when renting? Is your landlord happy with you doing bits?
As it’s open-plan, we really struggled to figure out how to decorate to our taste whilst making the most of the space. Another hurdle we came across was art, as we aren’t allowed to hang pictures on the walls.
We’ve had to rely on good old command strips for smaller pieces, but it has left the main living space feeling a bit bare with plain white walls. This is a work in progress.
Do you feel like you have enough space?
The actual living space is definitely enough for the two of us. We would love a second bedroom, of course, but it’s more of a luxury.
We do struggle with storage space, as two guys sharing one wardrobe and having only an airing cupboard for extra storage does have its limitations.
What would you like to have but don’t with this flat?
We’d like to have more storage space for sure. A bigger bedroom would have been ideal as we could have included more furniture.
There is very limited parking around, too. There is a private car park, but only those with an allocated space within their lease can access it.
Are there any problems with the home you have to deal with?
Parking is our main problem. As it’s mainly residential roads around us, there are a lot of parking limitations, and our block isn’t able to obtain permits for the neighbouring roads.
We spend a lot of time during the week moving the car around and finding a space to avoid paying thousands for parking in a car park. The flat itself doesn’t have any problems, which we’re very grateful for.
Do you have plans to move again any time soon? What about buying a place?
We never want to move from here; we love it, and it feels like home.
Our flat is owned by the developer, so we’re hoping eventually we’ll be in a position to be able to buy it; however, saving enough for a deposit can sometimes feel like a pipe dream.
Shall we take a look around?
You can find follow Jake and Max on TikTok and Instagram at @jakeandmax_.
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Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
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