This is what you can rent for £1,200 a month in London compared to the rest of the UK – and the difference is shocking
A small studio flat is one of the few options available for £1,200 within zone two in central in London
LONDON is a notoriously expensive city to rent a home.
Research by Hometrack analysts, recently found that the cost of renting a home in the UK capital is at its least affordable level in ten years.
Last week the Local Government Association (LGA), said the lack of affordable house prices in the UK is leaving a generation stuck in a “rental logjam.”
What you can get for your money varies drastically across the UK and the shocking differences have been highlighted by new data from website property analysts Zoopla.
For example, in Aberdeenshire, £1,200 a month will cover a spacious four-bedroom detached house in the grounds of Cluny Castle in North East Scotland.
While as little as £1,000 a month will secure a five-bedroom barn conversion in Haverfordwest in Wales or a one-bedroom flat in the heart of Reading.
Sadly, inside London's zone two a small studio flat is one of the few options available for the same price.
Tenants willing to move to zone four could get a two-bedroom ground floor flat for £1,150.
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But again, this pales in comparison with Manchester where just £1,000 per month will secure a top floor two bedroom apartment in the heart of the city.
Lawrence Hall, a spokesperson for Zoopla, said many factors will affect how much it costs to rent a property, but the primary one is location.
Living close to the centre of town, or particularly nearby to good transport links will add on a premium.
He added that other important factors include outside space and the condition of the property itself.
Mr Hall said: "When looking for a property to rent, remember that landlords are just as invested in getting good tenants, as tenants are in getting good homes.
"So it's always worth making an offer if you feel the rent is just beyond your budget. But bear in mind this might not be possible in areas like London where competition for rental homes tends to be tough."
Here is selection of live property listings from key regions across Britain to see what you can get for your money.
Scotland
Four-bedroom detached house, £1,200, Aberdeenshire
A rent of £1,200 to Aberdeenshire will cover a spacious four-bedroom detached house in the grounds of Cluny Castle in North-East Scotland.
The house also includes a modern kitchen, a private garden and garage.
North West
Two-bedroom flat, £1,000, Manchester City Centre
Just £1,000 per month in Manchester will cover rent in a top floor two-double bedroom apartment in a conversion building.
The home also has a separate bathroom, kitchen and living area.
For £150 more per month prospective tenant would be able to afford ground floor two-bedroom flat in London zone four.
Wales
Two-bedroom flat, £1,100, Cardiff
Just £1,100 per month will nab you a two-bedroom furnished apartment in Cardiff Bay, which includes a balcony with views of the river and a high gloss fitted kitchen with integrated appliances.
In contrast, £1,213 will just about cover a studio flat in Highbury and Islington, in London.
Five-bedroom barn conversion, £1,000, Haverfordwest
For tenants willing to sacrifice their city life - just £1,000 per month on the outskirts of Haverfordwest in Wales will cover a five double-bedroom detached conversion with three reception rooms, a patio area and parking.
South East
One-bedroom flat, £1,000, Reading
You don't need to be living in the countryside to pay £1,000 per month for your rent.
In the heart of Reading, this money will cover a well presented one-bedroom flat with a fully equipped kitchen, a bedroom with built-in wardrobes and a modern bathroom.
South West
Three-bedroom Horseguards house, £1,100, Exeter
Anyone looking to rent in Exeter could afford a three-bedroom town house conversion from a former Victorian barracks for less than £1,200
The property offers two parking spaces as well as a terrace and a balcony overlooking the gardens.
TOP TIPS FOR HAGGLING WITH YOUR LANDLORD
WE’VE asked Hannah Maundell from money.co.uk to give us the best tips about how to haggle with your landlord
- Know your rights: Look through your tenancy agreement to see if a price hike is allowed in the terms stated. If you have signed a fixed term tenancy agreement, (usually for a period of 6 or 12 months), your landlord cannot increase the rent during that time without your consent
- Negotiate: Negotiate face to face with your landlord to find a way to agree on a new price which suits both parties. Maintain the right amount of eye contact, be friendly and state with confidence what you believe is a fair price.
- Compare rent elsewhere: Look at how much a similar property would cost you to rent in the same area and use this as a negotiating tool to lower your rent.
- Ask for extra benefits: You can try and negotiate the inclusion of some household bills in your rent, like your water, gas and internet.
- Ask for improvements to be made: You could use a rent increase to ask for jobs that need to be done around the property to be completed before you agree to start paying the higher rent. For e.g. Mending doors, paint work, replacing furniture etc.
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