Featured image ©
Dave Oh
Brighton and Hove is Britain’s second least affordable district outside of London for one-bed flats, according to analysis by property website Zoopla.
As we all know, renting in the city is becoming more and more expensive, especially in desirable areas like Brighton. This means that ordinary people are finding it near impossible to get their foot on the housing ladder and that increasing numbers of people are being forced to use temporary accommodation or sleep on the streets. This increase in rent means that young people who are trying to find their feet in the world are in an especially difficult situation. Expensive rent most greatly affects those who, for whatever their personal reasons, must live alone.
The Brighton Journal spoke to Brighton-bred Beth (who does not wish to share her last name) about her experience of renting a one-bed as a young person, and what advice she would give to other people who are under the same circumstances.
Beth decided to move to London for her first year of University, but for multiple reasons she needed to come back to live in Brighton and return to her job, which involved working full-time with students who have additional needs. Living with her parents was no longer an option and all of her friends had already sorted out houses or were abroad, so she decided to look into one-bed accommodation.
Initially, she felt that she had found a good deal with the one-bed that she ended up living in, she paid £657pcm a month, which was significantly cheaper than other properties she had seen previously. However, the reason that this flat was so much cheaper than the standard £900pcm was due to the fact that it did not have central heating.
“The landlords are laughing”
Beth’s space, comprising of a bedroom, small kitchen and bathroom, was in a property of four converted single occupancy flats, all of which had only one electric radiator. She explained that she was forced to sleep with a duvet and a sleeping bag, and in winter she could see her breath in the room. This effected her social life, because her friends didn’t want to come over due to the temperature, and also effected her health. Due to the fact that finances were so tight, she had to spend many of her non-working hours in her room, and being in this constantly cold environment meant that her immune system was down and she was frequently ill.
She lost clothes to mould, her shower wouldn’t drain and she had multiple faulty appliances, but she was keen to explain to us that
‘it was still a good deal, considering what was out there’.
Living in Brighton was important to Beth, she loved the vibrancy of the city, the fact she could walk everywhere and the local people that were kind to her. However, the price of her rent inevitably affected her mental health and how she was able to live her life. Despite having help from her parents, after rent was deducted she was left with virtually no disposable income, even after having sacrificed central heating. Many people in this situation find themselves on the poverty line. She was also in dangerous situations. Being a young girl living alone meant that she was vulnerable. Once she could not leave her flat because she was scared of the people that were taking drugs on her porch, who talked about having a taser.
With her standard of living so compromised and the quality of her life so impacted by expensive rent, she explained that she did sometimes question the point of working so hard.
“With the price of rent, wheres the impetus to work?”
Now studying Anthropology at University, Beth is able to look at her experience reflexively. She had a chat with us about what she thinks could be done to help other young people who need to rent one-bed properties in Brighton. She explained that one of the things that made it especially difficult for her to cope was the amount of council tax she was required to pay and suggested that this council tax should be reduced for the first 4 years of a young person’s employment.
“Realistically if you earn under a certain amount a year you should be exempt. Why is it any different if you’re an under 25 working full-time or if you’re a student?”
After thinking about the fact that things could be different, Beth brought up that she felt very sad that people at the beginning of their careers cannot afford to live in the area that they grew up in. She felt that the people most affected by the price of renting a one-bed were those who felt that living alone was necessary and that these people have ‘slipped through the net’.
We asked her what advice she would give to young people in a similar situation.
“I’d say, ‘I hope you like the smell of damp’!”
Beth explained that she would suggest that they find someone else to move in with, although she is very aware that for some people this is not possible. She is now living with a qualified primary school teacher, with a first degree, who would still struggle to afford to rent a one-bed in Brighton. However, she is optimistic. Beth suggested that we think creatively about how we find spaces for young people, and we had a chat about the idea that a scheme similar to Live-in- Guardians could be effective.
“Building’s that aren’t being currently used, such as fire stations and office-blocks could be available to rent at a discounted price. All this would need is a small injection of cash. It would also be environmentally beneficial.”
Luckily, things have got better for Beth this year and she is now a full-time student living with a lovely house-mate in a small house, where she has more space and central heating. However, her story highlights the situation for so many of the young people in Brighton who are still struggling in one-beds, trapped by expensive rent and limited options.
Zoopla said: “The most affordable area for single buyers is in northern England while those in southern England are forced to sacrifice a much larger portion of their monthly wage.”
We would love to hear about your experience of house prices in Brighton, please get in touch on Facebook: Brighton Journal.
