Eleanor Noyce
Published November 22, 2025 8:00am
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This week, we’re down in Bristol (Picture: Scott Laxen/Hannah Van De Peer)
Welcome back to What I Rent – Metro’s tenant diary series exploring what renting is like in the UK and further afield.
When 27-year-old Hannah and 26-year-old Scott first met, they knew they wanted to spend forever together. So, just under a year later, they decided to live together.
In May 2024, Hannah moved into Scott’s three-bedroom house, but together, they started looking for somewhere new they could put their own stamp on.
Looking around for new solutions, they ended up moving into their two-bedroom flat in the Clifton area of Bristol in May 2025.
In the future, they’d love a little bit more space, but for now, they love their cosy home. They’re even hosting their first Christmas there this year.
Here’s what Hannah had to say about their renting journey…
Tell us about yourself!
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I’m Hannah Van De Peer, 27, and I live with my partner, Scott Laxen, 26. We met on Bumble in September 2023 and moved in together just under a year later — when you know, you know!
I work as a freelance writer and Scott’s a train technician; together, our hobbies include hiking, concerts and watching Twin Peaks.
What kind of property do you rent, and how long have you been there?
We rent a two-bedroom flat in the heart of Clifton, Bristol. After I moved into Scott’s three-bedroom house in mid-2024, I quickly realised I wouldn’t be able to afford my share of the rent, so we started looking at other options.
Together, we decided to downsize and move to a part of the city we both absolutely love. We’ve been living in our cosy flat since May 2025.
How much do you pay to live here?
Our rent is £1,200 per month in total, plus bills which amount to about £350 a month.
And what do you get for what you pay?
The flat itself has two bedrooms — one decently-sized and one not-so much. We have a shared bathroom, and a lovely big living room with an absolutely gorgeous window (sounds so strange, but it’s the first thing people usually say about it).
The living room is open-plan and we’ve got a tiny kitchen to the side — it’s a little too small for my taste and we find ourselves a bit overwhelmed if we’re both in there at the same time.
Do you feel like you have a good deal?
I almost feel like we’re paying for the area as well as the flat itself. There are definitely ways in which the flat could improve (like a bigger kitchen), but it’s cosy and it’s more than enough for the two of us.
Hannah and Scott met on Bumble two years ago (Picture: Scott Laxen/Hannah Van De Peer)
What do you love to do in your flat?
We’re spending our first Christmas together in the flat this year, so admittedly, I’ve started early with the decorations just out of pure excitement. Scott might sit and watch TV while I’ll be next to him, making little decorations like dried oranges or bauble chains — I feel like it sounds a bit twee!
Otherwise, it’s a great little flat for sitting with a glass of wine, just watching TV or listening to one of Scott’s vinyls. I really like the view, too, so I’ll usually sit and watch the world go by while working from home.
Where is your home based? What do you think of the area?
It’s based in Clifton, which you can’t really beat — it’s filled with independent bars, coffee shops, food halls and charity shops, so we never run out of things to do.
We’re always going for date nights or little coffee runs during the day — our current favourites include Tapps for wine, La Tazza for charcuterie, Bosco for pizza and Bakesmiths for a banging oat milk gingerbread latte and almond croissant.
If we had to mention our least favourite part, probably the high volume of first-year university students who live nearby. It’s mostly fine, but occasionally they’ll have 12-hour house parties, which will leave us sleep-deprived.
How did you find this property?
Via a slightly desperate search on RightMove, with just one month to go until the end of our notice period.
How have you made this place feel like home?
Scott and I have very different individual hobbies, so I like to think there’s a touch of us both in the decor, as well as bits and pieces that represent the two of us.
So, Scott likes Marvel — which means we’ve got a big Marvel canvas in the living room. I like campy bits of tat, so we’ve got a random pair of glittery lips on the shelf as well as some ornamental cherries.
We both like David Lynch films, so we’ve got some posters scattered about. Scott also let me choose a couple of the vinyl covers he tacked on to the wall (Cabaret, Billy Joel and Jesus Christ Superstar).
Have you found it difficult to decorate when renting? Is your landlord happy with you doing bits?
We’ve always found that command strips are usually fine because they don’t stain the walls or peel the paint off. Our landlord has been inspecting us frequently and hasn’t really mentioned it.
But obviously, the story would be drastically different if we wanted to paint the walls or hang some pictures up.
Do you feel like you have enough space?
I do — Scott doesn’t always. Big spaces intimidate me a bit — I’m quite a scatterbrain and find it hard to keep on top of the tidying.
Scott was initially worried we’d be living in each other’s pockets here, which is fair enough, but I think he’s adjusted now.
What would you like to have but don’t with this flat?
A kitchen double the size of our current one, preferably!
Are there any problems with the home you have to deal with?
In our first few weeks, our (already very cracked) sink caved in… the landlord definitely wasn’t best pleased with that, as we had a whole flat inspection shortly afterwards.
The windows are single-glazed, so I’ve been cold to the bone a few times already this year, and it’s a little bit mouldy, though nothing wild.
Do you have plans to move again any time soon? What about buying a place?
I don’t think we plan to move again for a while — I’ve personally moved five times in nearly three years, so it’ll be good to settle for a bit.
Scott’s very set on buying in the next five years; I’m happy to continue living fairly aimlessly. It’s more exciting that way.
What’s your favourite piece of furniture in the house?
We have this sort of end table, which is made from oak; it’s really lovely and matches the window shutters in the living room. The only thing is, it was meant to be a full-sized dining table — but when it arrived, we realised it was a quarter of the size. A possible second-hand scam, I fear, but I won’t be paying the delivery fees to send it back to Turkey.
Was there a specific inspiration for your decor?
Pure maximalism, I think. I’m obsessed with filling it with little motifs which scream ‘Hannah,’ ‘Scott’ or ‘both.’
What are your biggest property non-negotiables when looking?
Undoubtedly, we always need a second bedroom — we do have a constant rotation of guests, but Scott also works night shifts, which means our sleeping patterns clash a bit.
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We once went to a viewing in the same area earlier this year, during which the estate agent casually pointed out that the fridge-freezer was in the living room — so I’d say no kitchen machinery in any other rooms, please.
Is there anything you’d change about your home?
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I’m going to sound like a broken record, but a bigger kitchen would be amazing. Scott reckons the second bedroom is a little too narrow, so if the landlord would kindly let us knock a few walls in, that would be ideal.
Shall we take a look around?
Welcome home! (Picture: Scott Laxen/Hannah Van De Peer)
Hannah has decided to jazz up their plant with a festive makeover (Picture: Scott Laxen/Hannah Van De Peer)
Ho ho ho (Picture: Scott Laxen/Hannah Van De Peer)
This is Hannah’s little working-from-home nook (Picture: Scott Laxen/Hannah Van De Peer)
They’ve made the place their own since they moved in (Picture: Scott Laxen/Hannah Van De Peer)
Hannah’s one wish would be for a bigger kitchen (Picture: Scott Laxen/Hannah Van De Peer)
It’s getting festive in here (Picture: Scott Laxen/Hannah Van De Peer)
Now this is an impressive spice rack (Picture: Scott Laxen/Hannah Van De Peer)
The landlord has allowed them to decorate with a few Command strips (Picture: Scott Laxen/Hannah Van De Peer)
Hannah is a fan of little trinkets (Picture: Scott Laxen/Hannah Van De Peer)
We’re enjoying those glittery lips (Picture: Scott Laxen/Hannah Van De Peer)
Now this is camp (Picture: Scott Laxen/Hannah Van De Peer)
Hannah is a freelance writer, so needs a cosy working-from-home set-up (Picture: Scott Laxen/Hannah Van De Peer)
A desk plant is an essential (Picture: Scott Laxen/Hannah Van De Peer)
When they first moved in, though, their sink caved in (Picture: Scott Laxen/Hannah Van De Peer)
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