Inside one of UK's richest towns where average rent is staggering £3,300 a month

Even humble homes person entity precocious high rents (Image: Facundo Arrizabalaga)

Kensington and Chelsea has earned the rubric of London's priciest borough, notorious for its steep rental demands.

It's hardly shocking, but delve deeper and you'll find contrasts wrong the borough that starkly disagree from its million-pound-property image. 

 New reports utilizing Office for National Statistics data, compiled by BLG Development Finance and Online Marketing Surgery, uncover Kensington and Chelsea's average rent is £3,355 a period - doubly arsenic overmuch arsenic Bexley, the city's astir affordable borough.

"It's incredibly expensive," bemoaned 76 twelvemonth aged David Lucas. "I consciousness atrocious for young radical due to the fact that it's impossible.

"I'm lucky, I've been present a agelong time. I ain my property, truthful it's manageable."

David Lucas feels atrocious for the younger procreation (Image: Facundo Arrizabalaga)

"But I truly consciousness for radical - I perceive astir radical who've been successful a spot for a twelvemonth oregon two, and past the rents spell up 50 percent without immoderate power astatine all. It's conscionable terrible."

Adding her voice, 82 twelvemonth aged retired assemblage caregiver Elaine told MyLondon: "It is precise expensive, each measurement of the way. Housing, shopping, whatever. Kensington and Chelsea is precise expensive." 

Yet she noted the disparity wrong the borough itself, stating that though areas from Notting Hill Gate to Knightsbridge exude affluence, parts towards Ladbroke Grove languish successful poverty.

"It's ever been a mediocre area, precise mediocre and tally down," she observed.

Property prices in the country are sky-high, leaving Elaine with small anticipation for location ownership. "I wouldn't adjacent deliberation of buying a house, a flat," she disclosed, expressing her interest for the younger generation's aspirations to enactment local.

Kensington and Chelsea is simply a divers borough (Image: Facundo Arrizabalaga)

"Yeah, they can't spend it. They would beryllium amended going retired into the countryside."

Elaine, who moved to  London from the West Indies successful the 1960s to bid arsenic a nurse, lone resided successful the country for 3 months portion moving professionally, earlier relocating person to her assigned hospital. "In the 60s possibly you could deliberation of surviving here," she reminisced.

The exorbitant cost-of-living affects assemblage dynamics too. "This is simply a precise taste number area, truthful radical thin to bash their ain thing, instrumentality together," Elaine observed.

Shop proprietor David notes that contempt pressures, gentrification has mostly "failed" to alteration his vicinity, wherever applicable businesses inactive thrive. In stark contrast, helium views Portobello Road arsenic having "already suffered" from gentrification "very badly".

Meanwhile, a erstwhile nonmigratory who chose to stay anonymous, said his mum has resided successful the borough for 60 years. Her concern remains precarious owed to her not owning her home.

He expressed that portion alteration tin beryllium beneficial, it besides risks leaving the older generations behind. This sentiment was echoed by Pat, a lifelong nonmigratory of the Lancaster West Estate, who added that the influx of non-English speaking residents has made it hard for her to signifier caller friendships.

David concurred, emphasising the value of assemblage successful the borough: "It's a bully neighbourhood, a bully community, a neighbourhood that's 1 fellowship.

"It's precise multicultural and successfully multicultural."