Rent in London is renowned for being a massive joke. Just hop onto any lettings site and you'll always find a bunch of tiny little box rooms masquerading as actual, doable living quarters, all of which cost an absolute fortune. Then you find out it's not even in London at all but fucking Slough or something.
However, it turns out it is possible to not get completely ripped off. Well, that's been the case for one family, who've managed to land a home worth £2.2 million ($2.9m) for just £90 ($120) a week.
Muriidi Abati, 57, and his wife Maryan, 43, have lived there for 15 years with their seven children aged between eight and 23, after coming to the UK from Somalia.
Advert
It's not even in a shit part of London. The four-bedroom, four-storey Georgian townhouse is in the flash borough of Islington, which is home to around 215,500 people.
Credit: The Sun / News Syndication
The house itself is one of the most expensive council properties in the UK, and is located in Clerkenwell - an area that's home to slick bars, Michelin star restaurants and trendy cafes, as well as the exclusive City of London Barbican estate. It's also just a stone's throw away from London's West End.
Advert
The area has an industrial past, but poshed-up a bit in the 90s, and these days it manages to attract a fair few young professionals after that coveted London life.
The house is owned by Islington Council, but if it was rented privately, the tenants would apparently be paying £900 per week - that's 10 times the price that's currently let for.
Yeah, it all sounds pretty cushy - but just remember this four-bedroom home is for nine people altogether. Plus, when you actually think about it, £90 a week elsewhere in the UK doesn't sound quite as cheap.
Credit: The Sun / News Syndication
Advert
And the Abatis sound like they're got a humbleness about their home - and are aware that many other people aren't so lucky.
Speaking to The Sun, Ms Abati said: "We're very lucky and grateful to have this house. It's sad there are not enough houses for everyone."
Islington Council has about 18,000 families currently on its waiting list but last year only managed to find homes for around 1,250.
While it's a rare case, it's not the only example of councils sitting on mega-expensive properties. Back in 2013, two Southwark Council pads near Borough Market were sold to a private developer for a total of £2.96m ($3.96m). One of them was then put on the market for a whopping £3.5m ($4.7m).
Featured Image Credit: The Sun / News SyndicationTopics: UK News, News, Property, London