$135 rent in 60sqm f lat for three
We all know there is a shortage of rentals in Wellington. Rachel Lynch found a solution by thinking small instead of big, reports Mikaela Wilkes.
Rachel Lynch has flatted in central Wellington her entire adult life. This 60-square-metre apartment, which she shares with a couple, is the first flat she’s liked enough to stay in for more than a year. The 29-year-old was previously renting at the bottom of the Brooklyn hill for $260 per week.
‘‘The revving quarry trucks made the house rumble all day long and even on a sunny day, my room was icy cold. I couldn’t take it anymore,’’ she said.
Then a room became available at a friend of a friend’s house around the corner, for less than half the price.
Lynch moved in and six months later, her new flatmate’s boyfriend joined them.
‘‘We all do our own thing so it’s fine. I found I really like being in a small space,’’ she said. ‘‘The only thing I miss from big
Rachel’s share of the rent: $135 per week + $20 expenses.
What do you get? A cozy, light apartment in the heart of the city. Flatmate headcount: Two, a professional couple in their late twenties and our elderly cat, Socks.
How did you get it? I’d spoken to my current flatmate when I was originally looking around, and she told me when her flatmate decided to move out.
How many places did you look at before this one? I wasn’t viewing flats when I was told about this room.
Are you saving for a house? I have a KiwiSaver but I don’t think I’m in a position to predict home ownership for myself.
Do you plan to renew your lease in the next year? I’m lucky to be in this place and don’t plan to leave because I know I’ve got a really good deal.
flats is an extra toilet.’’
Lynch had to squeeze herself into her current bedroom. ‘‘I’m definitely not a minimalist. The bedroom in my last flat was almost the size of my current flat, so a lot had to go.’’
Although the kitchen and bathroom can get congested, Lynch said that’s offset by lower living costs. The apartment is well-heated throughout winter, without any additional cost to residents.
‘‘We have radiators, which the body corp has set on a timer. I can walk around my flat in a T-shirt and shorts in June like it’s no big thing.’’
The apartment building is at least 100 years old, said Lynch. ‘‘The inside of the corridors make it feel like an old school or a dentist. It’s got some funky smells which change from week to week, and I can hear my neighbour listening to horse racing through the wall.’’
However, its character features make the flat feel like home. ‘‘We spend a fair bit of money at Lush for the bathtub and the balcony is really nice to go out to with a cup of tea in the morning.’’
Lynch said it’s not hard to feel unsettled as a renter but she feels privileged to live in her flat having seen the average central Wellington rent double since she flatted as a student.
‘‘I paid $125 for my first room on Marion St. $160 to $180 per week was the standard room price in 2012. In 2016, it became $220. The increases don’t stop.’’
So perhaps it’s no surprise she said she’d welcome the idea of signing on to a two-year lease. ‘‘It shouldn’t be a privilege for renters to feel like they can put down roots for more than a year.’’