West Hampstead Life

New Bank of England governor Mark Carney will be living in West Hampstead apparently. The Daily Telegraph broke this news, on Canada Day appropriately. Canuck Carney, who’s taken over from Sir Mervyn King as top dog at the bank, is known for his relatively frugal approach to life and it seems he won’t be able to spend even half his housing allowance in our part of NW6. He’s chosen West Hampstead because two of his four daughters are enrolling at one of the private schools in the area.

His relocation package includes a £250,000 accommodation allowance. Clearly that won’t get you a whole heap in West Hampstead if you’re buying. It will get you a ground-floor retail unit on the Kilburn High Road or a 17th floor flat in Camden council’s Snowman House on Abbey Road/Belsize Road.

Of course, Carney will be renting not buying. That quarter of a million pounds works out at a fairly whopping £20,833 monthly rent, or £4,807 a week. Is it even possible to spend that much money on rent in West Hampstead? The simple answer is no – not even close. Here are the most expensive rental properties in West Hampstead according to property search engine Zoopla. Some are more “flatshare” than “family home” of course. I’ve listed them in price order, but I think the Weech Road one (full details here) looks the best bet, though if each of his daughters wants her own room then it’ll have to be this first Hilltop Road property, which is the only 6-bed rental in the area listed on Zoopla (and the Carney’s can still have a guest room).

In the meantime, given Carney’s role as chair of the Monetary Policy Committee, watch out for a sudden switch from renting to buying – might mean a change in interest rates is on the cards!

Hilltop Road, 6-bed, £7,583 pcm (£1,750 pw)

Goldhurst Terrace, 4-bed, £7,258 pcm (£1,675 pw)
Only one photo for this, but it has a “Stunning modern fully fitted kitchen, 3 modern fully tiled bathrooms and a private garden”