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Not what you are after but I am beginning to wonder whether Brentford is becoming increasingly a place where properties are rented out. The houses either side of me are now rented which has never been the case in 36 years here and I know of several other houses in the road which are rented - some only recently - as well as seeing an increasing no. of To Let signs up as I go on my near nightly street crawls.While the above are rented as houses, I've been dismayed to see an averaged-sized house in one of the roads converted into what would seem to be five separate living quarters. There are five entry buzzers outside the front door and through the downstairs window you can see that a toilet (door left open so can see that) and presumably shower has been built into a corner of the room while a small sink area with cupboards above is in the alcove nearest the window. Presumably what little work surface there is would accommodate a microwave. Now if you start imagining furniture in what is left of the room, let alone when you start adding 'extras' like a kitchen bin and somewhere to hang a tea towel it gets ridiculous. If all rooms are the same then nobody is sharing bathroom or kitchen facilities so it may be that this 'arrangement' would not be classed as an HMO. I think it comes to quite something that a rather modestly sized family home can be turned into something quite so ?can't find the words? Your average student accommodation would generally have more space - a shared lounge for example and laundry facilities on site. Maybe there is something more on offer within this accommodation than is immediately apparent - I certainly hope so.

Anne England ● 2160d