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Welcome back to What I Rent, our weekly series that takes a look at what renting is like around the world.

Last week we were in Miami, Florida, nosing around the very retro stylings of Dani’s $5,100-a-month pad.

This time we’re hanging out with Faria, a 31-year-old customer service representative who has lived in Australia for the last five years.

She rents a townhouse in a suburb, along with her husband and her three-year-old daughter, and works from this space most days, too.

Here’s what Faria rents.

Hey, Faria! How much do you pay to live here?

We pay around $490 per week, which is $1,960 per month.

And what do you get for what you pay?

This is a two-bed, two-bath townhouse. It also has a beautiful courtyard where we have spent many nights counting the stars.

There’s also a park in this premises, which was a big selling point for us.

Do you feel like you have a good deal?

I think the rent is alright given that it was recently renovated and we get to enjoy new fixtures and flooring.

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What do you think of the area?

Once you live in the north, you can never live anywhere else. It has a University, a shopping mall, good schools and parks and great cafes. It has everything you need.

It is surrounded by trees and gardens and it’s much quiter than the rest of Sydney.

Also, have I mentioned how safe this area is? If you have kids then this is the best suburb to raise them.

How did you find the property?

We found this house in domain app which we normally use to find rentals.

How have you made the house feel like home?

It’s not easy to make a rental feel like home.

It required a lot of decorating and cleaning to make it feel like my own.

There’s also no fixed rule while decorating your rental. Each house has its own charms and you have to use it to your advantage while decorating. With this house, I did the same.

Have you found it difficult to decorate while renting? Is your landlord okay with you making changes?

Since I have always been renting in Sydney, I have found many tips and tricks to decorate my houses in a rental-friendly way.

There is no decoration that will permanently alter or damage the house so I am pretty sure our landlord has nothing to complain about.

Do you feel like you have enough space?

Space is always an issue with rentals in Sydney. I wish the dining space were bigger. Also, we lack cabinet space in the kitchen.

Are there any other issues with the house?

The only problem with this house is that it doesn’t have an air-conditioner and Sydney summer can be brutal.

We have spoken to the agent but unfortunately we still didn’t hear back from them.

Do you have any plans to relocate?

We don’t have plans to move any time soon. We are more like long-term rentals.

And what about buying a place?

I would love to own a house of my own one day and hope that day will come very soon. Renting in Sydney isn’t always easy.

Shall we take a look around?












What I Rent is a weekly series that’s out every Tuesday at 10am.

Check back next week to have another nose around a rented property.

How to get involved in What I Rent

What I Rent is Metro.co.uk’s weekly series that takes you inside the places people are renting, to give us all a better sense of what’s normal and how much we should be paying.

If you fancy taking part, please email [email protected]. You’ll need to take pictures of your kitchen, living room, bathroom, and bedroom, plus a few photos of you in your bedroom or living area.

Make sure you get permission from your housemates! You’ll also need to be okay with sharing how much you’re paying for rent, as that’s pretty important.

We’re not just after the prettiest places out there, by the way. We want the reality of renting, so if you’re currently renting a place you hate, we’d love to see that too (and sympathise greatly!).

This article contains placements with affiliate links.  We may earn a small commission on purchases made through one of these links on these placements.

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