The rental market in Greater Manchester is nothing short of a nightmare for most tenants these days. Not only have rent costs gone up by a staggering amount over the last few years, taking the average rent in Manchester to £1,600 per month, but securing a rented home seems to be somewhat impossible.
As demand for rented properties continues to outweigh supply across the region, anyone who wants to be in with a chance of getting a rental has to fight off fierce competition. Tenants who are desperate to rent are having to do whatever it takes to win the battle - including signing up to rent without even viewing their new home, and paying a big chunk of money upfront.
Matt and his partner George are currently renting a flat in the sought after area of Didsbury in south Manchester, but getting there was far from easy. Matt, 34, spoke to us as part of our Where I Live series, where each week we speak to tenants and homeowners about their journey, the costs involved and see how they've renovated to make their place their own.
