Last month, a Guardian investigation revealed that young couples who want to start a family are facing an almost impossible situation: renting an affordable one or two bedroom property is now impossible in two-thirds of the UK. We want you to help us tell the story of renting across the UK – how much it costs, and what you get for your money.
In London, rental costs are spiralling out of control. The average price of a flat or a house is almost £1,500 a month, a survey by HomeLet has shown. According to the survey, rents have also risen by 12.5% across the country with private tenants asked to fork out £751 a month on average outside the capital. It was also found that rental costs over the previous three months before the survey was conducted rose five times faster than tenant income.
30-year-old Catherine who lives in London, is facing an all too familiar situation. She is up against rising rental costs, insecure tenancies, permanent flatsharing and a low salary which prevents her from making changes to her life.
“I worry that I will never be able to afford stable, secure housing as a single person on a low income who works in London. This week I learned that my landlord is putting the rent up by 20% in the house-share I share with three other people. I already pay half my monthly income just to live in this houseshare. There is nowhere in London I could afford to rent a place on my own on my income, not even in zone 6 (and even if I found a studio flat I could just about afford on the outskirts of London, commuting costs would then tip it back into unaffordability)“ she says.
As part of our coverage on the subject, we’d like to map how much it costs to rent a property across the UK, and crucially what you get for your money. Share your experiences ideally with a photograph of your room or property by filling in the form below. We’ll publish a selection in a feature on the site and in the paper.
You can also email a photograph to: carmen.fishwick@theguardian.com
