A social media manager who paid £825 a month to share a damp, mouldy flat in London has revealed how moving to Manchester transformed her life. Lecia, 31, now lives in a two-bedroom, two-bathroom flat with a balcony, gym and pool for the same monthly outlay.
London Living Conditions
Lecia originally moved into a shared flat in London after a breakup, paying £825 per month as part of a four-way split on a £3,300 rent. She described the property as 'genuinely atrocious', with mould, rotting furniture, decaying bathroom floorboards, mushrooms growing from the floor, and a mice infestation. She even developed asthma while living there.
'I do love London, but my quality of life was so low. Looking back, I think it really affected me mentally as well,' she said.
Manchester Upgrade
When her partner secured a job in Manchester, relocation became inevitable. Now the couple splits a £1,650 monthly rent for a modern flat with amenities including a gym, pool and sauna. Lecia uses the spare room as an office for filming content, and her boyfriend works from the second bedroom.
'Even though I'm paying a similar amount in rent, my quality of life is so much better. I actually want to be in my flat now. I cook, have drinks at home instead of constantly going out, and life just feels calmer,' she explained.
Financial Benefits
Lecia noted that while they treated themselves to a fancier flat initially, they plan to move to a modern one-bedroom in the city centre for around £1,200, enabling significant savings. She described the move as 'a blessing in disguise' for her finances.
Online Reactions
Some online critics urged her to stop encouraging southerners to move north, but Lecia clarified she is originally from Manchester and had only relocated to London. She warned that living in the capital 'wears you down' and advised anyone considering a move to go for it, but not to view it as permanent due to the toll on wellbeing.
