What I Rent: At 23 years old, I live in a £2,450pcm London flat in Zone 1

Welcome back to What I Rent – Metro’s tenant diary series that explores what renting is like in the UK and further afield.

For last week’s sister column, What I Own, we visited 37-year-old Hazel Waite and Simon McNair, who have made their one-bedroom Kidbrooke flat their own with leafy plants, colourful wall prints and eclectic trinkets.

This week, we’re visiting 23-year-old content creator Maddie Borge, who moved from Norway to start her dream life in central London five years ago.

Now renting an apartment with her boyfriend in Zone 1, she’s in love with the freedom and safety she’s been afforded by her area.

And in sharing lifestyle content on her socials, she’s amassed over 228K followers on TikTok, where she inspires her followers with nifty renter-friendly DIY hacks.

Here’s what she had to say about her renting situation…

Tell us about yourself!

I’m a 23-year-old Norwegian living in London, posting lifestyle videos on social media for a living.

I love interior design, DIY projects, travelling and exploring all London has to offer – all of which I document on my Instagram, TikTok and YouTube accounts. 

How much do you pay to live here?

My rent is £2,450 per month, which I split with my boyfriend. 

And what do you get for what you pay?

A charming 55-square meter, one bed maisonette, moments away from the best restaurants, cafes and shops central London has to offer. 

Do you feel like you have a good deal?

Definitely. We have so much space in such a great location. 

Where is your home based? What do you think of the area? 

Central London (Zone 1). I love living in the middle of everything. I can walk almost everywhere, there are so many great places to eat, and always things to do. I’m just a short 15 minutes from Regents Park.

The flat is also away from the busiest streets, so it’s nice and quiet in the evenings and I always feel very safe. 

How did you find this property?

Rightmove! I saw the apartment on the site, asked to tour it the next day and put in an offer later that evening. 

How have you made this place feel like home? 

The flat came unfurnished, so we’ve been able to bring in all our own furniture. It has some really charming features like Georgian windows, ceiling cornices and blue kitchen tiles.

I’ve tried to choose pieces that play into those features, while also incorporating Scandinavian colours and minimalism. 

Have you found it difficult to decorate when renting? Is your landlord happy with you doing bits? 

As someone who loves interior design, but has been renting for the past five years, I’ve had to learn a few tips and tricks on how to make fully reversible, renter-friendly changes.

I have used command strips to hang wall art, changed curtains, put up window film, and wrapped our kitchen shelves in contact paper, among other things. All these changes help make the flat feel more homely, and can be easily removed when we move out.

Do you feel like you have enough space? 

Definitely. The flat is very cleverly designed. We have closets and cupboards for outerwear, suitcases, clothes and linens/towels.

The bedroom is the biggest room in the flat, so we also decided to convert part of the room into a home office, which has been helpful for WFH.

@maddieborge

I’m redoing my living room, so let’s make a big art piece!🔨🖼️ @tia #diy #painting #frame #framing // Maddie Borge, Maddieborge, Macerly, Macerlyofficial

♬ original sound – Maddie Borge

Are there any problems with the home you have to deal with? 

We’ve had to have the washing machine and microwave replaced since moving in. We’re lucky to have a great property management team, and whenever we report a problem, they’re on it the next day. It’s really great. 

Do you have plans to move again any time soon? What about buying a place?

I’m incredibly happy and settled at the moment. Having moved five times over the past five years of living in London, you realise how costly and stressful moving is – especially with the current state of the rental market.

We signed a multi-year lease on this apartment, and we’re hoping to stay until we’ll eventually be able to buy. 

Shall we take a look around?

Do you have a story to share?

Get in touch by emailing [email protected].

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