British artist Andy Leak found an alternative and cheaper way than renting apartments in London – he started living in Argentina, and commutes to work by plane.
This amazing story was reported by The Guardian.
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Leek took such a desperate step after he was evicted from his home in London because he was unable to pay the rent. It turned out that a much cheaper option was to rent an apartment in the Argentine capital Buenos Aires and fly to work in the UK by plane. The 38-year-old artist points out that the flight costs less than a monthly train ticket between Bristol and London.
Andy Leak – artist for two countriesPhoto: Anabela Gilardone/The Guardian
According to the latest figures from the UK Office for National Statistics, average private rents in the UK have risen by a record 9.2% over the past year (11.2% in London).
Hampton area data for the first quarter of each yearPhoto: TheGuardian chart
This is the highest annual increase since 2015, according to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, and is equivalent to a “stunning” £2,500 rise in average annual rents in London.
“I really like London, but it makes me so angry – Lik explained, I think many people feel this way. The more the housing crisis slows us down, the more people are going to live in Glasgow, Manchester or further afield.”
The publication’s analysts note that in recent years, a sharp rise in rental costs is forcing more and more people to leave London. In the first three months of 2024, 36% of renters left London for other cities, up from 27% in 2012.
Rent per calendar month in London in pounds sterlingPhoto: TheGuardian chart
Leek was an art director for an advertising agency and paid £1,000 a month for a flat in Brixton, but his landlord evicted him when he couldn’t pay the rent.
Since moving to Argentina, Leek has paid just £400 a month in rent and has returned to London four times. He claims: “It’s much cheaper than staying in London”.
His move from London to Argentina, a distance of 11,000 kilometers, is impressive, but the rest of the tenants are likely to be reluctant to make such changes, so they will move to Epping in Essex, Broxbourne in Hertfordshire and Tonbridge and Malling in Kent. Other popular destinations for ex-London tenants include Watford, Luton and Slough.
Previously, we talked about a luxurious apartment for rent in Khmelnitsky.
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