Ella moved in back in 2019 (Picture: Joel Goodman)
Welcome back to What I Rent – Metro’s series that explores what renting is like in the UK and further afield.
This week we are in Manchester chatting to 25-year-old writer Ella Glover, who lives on her own in Salford.
Ella pays £750 per month for her apartment, which she describes as a ‘1.5 bed’ flat, due to the nature of the second bedroom.
Here’s everything she had to say about her renting experience…
Tell us about yourself
I’m a freelance journalist living on my own in Salford. I’ve lived in the same three mile radius for about seven years, since I moved here for university in 2016. I spend a lot of time at the gym or chilling with friends in their flats. I enjoy a coffee and cake down the road every now and then, but it’s getting a bit expensive.
How much do you pay to live here?
I pay £750 a month before bills.
Ella’s landlord hasn’t increased rent she’s moved in (Picture: Joel Goodman)
And what do you get for what you pay?
The flat is technically two bedrooms, but the second room doesn’t have a window that opens, and the wall is actually a sliding door, so I like to call it a 1.5-bedroom flat. There’s an open-plan living room/kitchen and a large bathroom, which does have a bath.
Do you feel like you have a good deal?
I do. My landlord (thankfully) has not upped the rent since I moved here in 2019. Since then, the area has been gentrified massively, with at least four new developments in that time, all new build flats (some luxury) that cost nearly double what I pay.
The location is ideal for me, being a walkable distance from the city centre, my gym and a nice park. It’s also got great transport links if you’re going to the city centre.
She lives in Salford, Greater Manchester (Picture: Joel Goodman)
Where is your home based? What do you think of the area?
Salford is massive, but this part of Salford is closer to the university and Manchester City Centre. It’s nice, with some really pretty old buildings and great independent restaurants and coffee shops. That said, it has become really gentrified (I am aware I’m part of this shift), which means it’s getting more and more expensive to live here. There’s a nice community of residents though, both new and old.
How did you find this property?
I found it on either Rightmove or Zoopla in 2019.
Oh hey (Picture: Joel Goodman)
How have you made this place feel like home?
Over the years I’ve collected a lot of trinkets and books, which I keep on my shelves. This Christmas, my nan painted some beautiful pictures of the ocean for me which I’ve dotted around the flat in various places. I also like to buy myself flowers — I have one bouquet in the bedroom and one in the living room.
Have you found it difficult to decorate when renting? Is your landlord happy with you doing bits?
The only thing I’ve really done is install a pull up bar in lockdown. My landlord hasn’t mentioned it. Otherwise, I don’t really bother.
A furry flatmate (Picture: Joel Goodman)
Do you feel like you have enough space?
For one person it’s great, for two it’s a little cramped. I’d prefer a bigger kitchen and some extra storage space, ideally.
Are there any problems with the home you have to deal with?
The hot water runs out when I try to run a bath, negating the point of having a bath, and it’s very cold. There is cladding in the building, but I haven’t had to deal with any of that being a renter. I think it would be better if the wall to the ‘second bedroom’ was knocked in to make a larger living area.
‘I don’t think I can give up this place’ (Picture: Joel Goodman)
Do you want to feature 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 whatirent@metro.co.uk. 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!).
Do you have plans to move again any time soon? What about buying a place?
I’ve been thinking about moving in with friends to save money, but I don’t think I can give up this place. It’s likely that I’ll only leave here if I ever leave Manchester.
Buying my own place is a very, very distant possibility — and even then, I’m not sure it is even a possibility.
Shall we take a look around?
Ella says the cladding issue isn’t her problem as she rents (Picture: Joel Goodman)
Her set-up (Picture: Joel Goodman)
Hello! (Picture: Joel Goodman)
Her office space (Picture: Joel Goodman)
‘My nan painted some beautiful pictures of the ocean for me which I’ve dotted around the flat’ (Picture: Joel Goodman)
(Picture: Joel Goodman)
Aesthetically-please (Picture: Joel Goodman)
Reading materal (Picture: Joel Goodman)
The master bedroom (Picture: Joel Goodman)
From another angle (Picture: Joel Goodman)
(Picture: Joel Goodman)
The second ‘bedroom’ that doesn’t have a window (Picture: Joel Goodman)
Onto the bathroom… (Picture: Joel Goodman)
Ella says the bath can run cold (Picture: Joel Goodman)
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‘My landlord (thankfully) has not upped the rent since I moved here in 2019.’