What I Rent: Ashley and Niall, £500 a month for a two-bedroom flat in Northwich

Ashley Grice inside his rented flat in Northwich. Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography
Ashley lives with his partner, Niall, in a two-bedroom flat in Cheshire (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)

It can be hard to make a rented property feel like a proper home.

How can you make a flat feel like it’s your own when you’re not allowed to drill anything into the walls or splash on some paint?

That’s a challenge Ashley, a 24-year-old hair stylist, and Niall, 28, have been lucky enough to avoid.

The couple, who have been together for nearly four years, rent a property in Kingsmead, Northwich, from Niall’s mum, who allows them to redecorate to their heart’s content.

With that power, the pair have designed their two-bedroom flat in shades of grey, sharing photos of their work over on Instagram under the handle @mrgreysapartment.

Ashley Grice inside his rented flat in Northwich. Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography
They only pay £500 a month to live here, as Niall’s mum owns the flat (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)

Hey, Ashley! How much do you and Niall pay to live here?

We get our rent discounted because Niall’s mum owns the apartment. So we pay £500 a month. Bills are around £300.

Considering the area we live in and the size of the apartment, we definitely have a good deal.

What do you get for what you pay?

We have a large open plan kitchen/living area which we love. And two bedrooms and one bathroom.

What do you like about where you live?

We’re right in the middle of everywhere Manchester, Liverpool, Knutsford, etc. So it’s a simple case of jumping on the motorway and in no time you’re there!

As for the apartment, it’s a nice quiet area overlooking the river. So if it’s a nice day there’s always the option to go for a walk.

A bulldog keeps guard at the window at Ashley Grice???s rented property in Northwich. Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography
The couple have lived here for over a year (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)

Do you feel like you have enough space?

For me and Niall there is more than enough space.

How did you find this place? What made you choose to live here?

Niall’s mum has owned the property for over 15 years. The apartment became empty and we thought what a brilliant opportunity to move in with each other for the first time.

How have you made the flat feel like home?

With Niall’s mum owning the place we have had the chance to do so much more than you normally would be able to. So everything from painting the walls different colours, wallpapering, adding light fittings and putting televisions on the walls.

Oreo???s arranged neatly in a jar at Ashley Grice???s rented property in Northwich. Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography
Those are some neatly arranged Oreos (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)

Are there any issues with the flat you have to put up with?

The only issue was the awful magnolia walls when we moved in! A lick of white paint completely changed the whole vibe.

Is it ever strange to rent from Niall’s mum?

Not whatsoever! If anything, it works in our favour.

If something major were to happen, it’s just a simple call to her and it’s sorted. Also, the flexibility to do what we want to the place (within reason) is great too.

Do you have plans to move again?

I think in the next four years, yes. We’re using the discounted rent to our advantage and saving to buy a house of our own.

The apartment is great and it works so well for us, but we cannot wait to have a place of our own. We both love interior design and the thought of having a whole house that we can completely renovate is amazing.

It really is. Shall we have a look around?

The hallway at Ashley Grice???s rented property in Northwich.
The hallway (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
The entranceway at Ashley Grice???s rented property in Northwich.
A cute little reading corner (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
The lounge at Ashley Grice???s rented property in Northwich. Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography
The living room (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
The lounge at Ashley Grice???s rented property in Northwich. Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography
Those cushions look comfy (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
Coffee table books at Ashley Grice???s rented property in Northwich. Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography
Very stylish coffee table books, there (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
A candle display at Ashley Grice???s rented property in Northwich. Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography
And a whole tray of candles! (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
The neat kitchen at Ashley Grice???s rented property in Northwich. Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography
The kitchen (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
A huge jar of bonbons at Ashley Grice???s rented property in Northwich. Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography
Yes, that is a massive jar full of bonbons (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
The neat kitchen at Ashley Grice???s rented property in Northwich.
Spot the minimal fridge decoration (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
A pig above the fridge at Ashley Grice???s rented property in Northwich. Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography
Hi, little pig (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
Neatly arranged jars in the kitchen at Ashley Grice???s rented property in Northwich. Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography
A very organised tea corner (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
Bottles of spirits in the kitchen at Ashley Grice???s rented property in Northwich. Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography
Or if you prefer something stronger… (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
The second bedroom at Ashley Grice???s rented property in Northwich.
The second bedroom (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
Cushions adorn the bed in the second bedroom at Ashley Grice???s rented property in Northwich. Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography
The couple share photos of their home on Instagram, under @mrgreysapartment (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
Decorative items in the second bedroom at Ashley Grice???s rented property in Northwich.
Fancy (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
The main bedroom at Ashley Grice???s rented property in Northwich. Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography
The main bedroom (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
The main bedroom at Ashley Grice???s rented property in Northwich. Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography
There’s a lot of grey (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
A framed picture in the main bedroom at Ashley Grice???s rented property in Northwich. Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography
(Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
Shoes in the main bedroom at Ashley Grice???s rented property in Northwich. Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography
We do like the wallpaper (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
The bathroom at Ashley Grice???s rented property in Northwich. Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography
Finally, the bathroom (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
The bathroom at Ashley Grice???s rented property in Northwich. Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography
Nice tub (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
Sponge and flannel at Ashley Grice???s rented property in Northwich. Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography
Gotta have a sponge (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)
The toothbrush at Ashley Grice???s rented property in Northwich. Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography
Aaand a toothbrush (Picture: Victoria Tetley / VJT Photography)

What I Rent is a weekly series that’s out every Tuesday at 10am. Check back next week to have a nose around another rented property.

How to get involved 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 have pictures taken of your kitchen, living room, bathroom, and bedroom, plus a few photos of you in your room. Make sure you get permission for your housemates!

You'll also need to be okay with sharing how much you're paying for rent, as that's pretty important.

MORE: What I Rent: Adam, £1,690 a month for a studio flat in Canary Wharf

MORE: What I Rent: Dominic, £625 a month for a one-bedroom annexe in Bagshot

MORE: What I Rent: Megan, £550 a month for a two-bedroom house in Hessle, Hull



source https://metro.co.uk/2020/01/21/rent-ashley-niall-500-month-two-bedroom-flat-northwich-12093718/
Top rated Digital marketing. From $30 Business growth strategy Hello! I am Sam, a Facebook blueprint certified marketer. Expert in Facebook Ads, Instagram Ads, Google Ads, YouTube Ads, and SEO. I use SEMrush and other tools for data-driven research. I can build million-dollar marketing strategy for your business.
Learn more

Post a Comment

0 Comments