What I Own: I got a £12,000 bonus to buy my one-bed Brentford flat

This weekend, we’re in Brentford meeting Harry (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) Welcome back to What I Own – Metro’s property series where we speak to homeowners about getting on the ladder. When 27-year-old Harry Horrigan and his partner, Oliver, first moved to London, they missed the community they’d found living up north. Back home, they were used to friendly greetings from fellow dog-walkers and bumping into their friends doing the weekly shop. But the Wembley neighbourhood they’d been renting in didn’t quite have that same village vibe. So, when they looked around a one-bedroom flat in Brentford and realised it was full of creatives, just like them, they were instantly sold. The couple put in an offer for the £390,000 home, and ended up receiving a £12,000 contribution towards the purchase from the housing company. Ask Metro Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications. Here’s what Harry had to say about their property journey… Ready to start your homebuying journey? You can access completely fee-free mortgage advice with London & Country (L&C) Mortgages, a partner of Metro. Customers benefit from: – Award winning service from the UK’s leading mortgage broker – Expert advisors on hand 7 days a week – Access to 1000s of mortgage deals from across the market Unlike many mortgage brokers, L&C won’t charge you a fee for their advice. Find out how much you could borrow online Mortgage service provided by London & Country Mortgages (L&C), which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (registered number: 143002). The FCA does not regulate most Buy to Let mortgages. Your home or property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. Tell us about yourself! I’m a creative, and work in media and radio. I pick up a lot of freelance work, but whenever I have time off I like going to gigs, the cinema, coffee shops, and restaurants, and enjoying the slowness of the local area. I live with my partner, and we’re both from a town in the northeast called Middlesbrough. We met through a mutual friend, then moved to London together. Harry works in media and radio (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) What do you think of the area? Any favourite local spots? It’s Brentford, so it’s right near Kew. My favourite things about the area are that we have an Everyman cinema, which is a three-minute walk away. We have an unlimited membership, which I absolutely love. I go at least twice a week, but we only need to see two films a month, and then we’ve made our money back from the membership. There are loads of pubs, including the Coach and Horses, and the Weir as well, which is on the river. Every week, we’re exploring and finding more. When did you move in? September 2025. How much did you pay for your property? It was £390,000. Our deposit was £30,000. What’s the monthly cost of living in your flat, including mortgage and bills? The mortgage costs around £1,750, and the bills are between £400 and £500 on top of that. How did you save up for your deposit? I had a Help to Buy ISA, and I’d been saving using that since 2019, so about six years. I was saving up as I went along. We received £12,000 as a top-up through the Fairview deposit scheme. Initially, I wasn’t sure about it because it was only for certain flats. But they put it down for us to use on moving costs, which helped a lot in terms of getting packed up and getting a removal van and furnishings sorted. They started off decorating the open-plan living space (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) What was the process of getting a mortgage like for you? I found it a little bit challenging because at the time I was still fully freelance. I was just about to sign a contract for a full-time job, but I didn’t know if I was definitely going to get it, so they were a bit cautious. It took about a month, and it was really quick from signing to moving in. Where were you living before this? Were you renting? We were renting in Wembley, in North London. When we’d take the dog out for a walk at home up north, people would say good morning, and we just felt like Wembley wasn’t really like that. We wanted a community. There are a lot of creatives here as well, and you can definitely feel that in the area. There are independent shops, and a lot of artists and young professionals. What made you want to buy? We rented for almost five years, and it’s a little bit disheartening, because you’re not ever going to see that money again. A big thing for us was the decorating, as we really wanted to make the place our own. Our old flat had white walls everywhere, and everything was quite plain and boring. Moving in here, we’ve been able to start from scratch and do everything exactly how we’d like it. Trinkets are an essential part of their home (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) How did you find this property? Was it through an estate agent? We were originally looking at a smaller flat just outside Wembley, by the canal. When we went to view it, we realised it was nearly double the price of this one, so we took it off the list. When I was looking again, it had come up on a sponsored ad for the whole development, which is called Printmakers Yard. I thought it looked similar and really nice, so we booked the viewing for a few days later. What stood out to you about this flat? What made you choose it? I love the balcony and the fact that it’s sheltered. If it’s raining, you can still sit there. We really like that there’s a lot of storage space too, and there’s a rooftop garden which is communal, so when we have friends round, we often sit up there. It’s a nice space away from the actual flat. How would you say you’ve made this property feel like home? We’ve wallpapered the bedroom and pretty much painted every single wall in different light shades. We also bought various quirky things we probably wouldn’t have if it were just renting, and we’ve got a nice outdoor sofa for the balcony. What would you say is the main inspiration for your interior design style? We love House of Happy, and lots of brands like that. Anything that’s a little bit different. The lamps in our front room are from Sophie, and they’re just upside-down divers with the lights on the feet. Very maximalist, and very colourful. Is this your favourite home you’ve ever lived in? Yeah, absolutely, because it’s ours. We have people around, family or friends, and we make dinner together, or have drinks. It’s not rented, it’s not our parents’ houses, and it’s in London, which is our favourite city in the world. What’s your favourite room? The bedroom, because it’s dark and cosy. I love staring at the wall there; it’s like a meadow, and it’s a very expensive wallpaper that we splurged on. It’s just really calming. I work really early mornings, and it’s nice to be able to come in here and just chill, no matter the time of day. Where love lives (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) Do you feel like you have enough space? We’d definitely like more, but as young professionals, it’s amazing that we’ve got our first home. We obviously would’ve loved being able to afford a two-bedroom flat so we could’ve had an office, but we’re working with what we’ve got. We’re already happy with what we have. Do you have any plans to change the property? We haven’t decorated the hallway yet, so we’d like to get some art in. Have you had any issues with the property? We had an issue with the glass hob on top of the oven, which cracked. We didn’t drop anything on it. I think it was just when we were boiling something. When they came to investigate, they said it was their fault. They replaced it free of charge. There’s been a bit of an issue with the hot water as well, but that seems to be resolved now. Do you have any advice for anyone looking to buy their first home? It’s a bit more affordable than you’d think. There are lots of schemes out there where they’ll give you some money if you sign for it. It’s always just worth looking into and seeing your affordability. What are your plans for the future, housing-wise? I could see us moving again, but for not for at least five to eight years. I work in central London, so it’s perfect, and my partner works from home. Deals of the Day Wuka launches the UK’s first period-proof swimwear for heavy flows Bridgerton fans are rushing to buy these new Netflix-inspired perfumes now £12 off The affordable summer wardrobe update you'll wear from rooftop drinks to beach holidays The £7.99 lip balm beauty fans love for glossy, hydrated lips just dropped four new shades This Keskine hydrogel mask could fix your summer skin I can see us staying here for a good while. Shall we take a look around? Harry and Oliver are huge fans of the balcony (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) It’s covered, so they can use it year-round (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) Outdoor space in London can be a rarity (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) The couple also love visiting the local cinema… (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) …and even have an unlimited membership (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) The local area is closer to their northern roots (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) Maximalism and colour inspires their style (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) Anyone for a cocktail? (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) Even the bathroom has pops of colour and quirky pieces (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) A classic What I Own toothbrush shot (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) They saved money using their Help To Buy ISAs (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) The mortgage on the home, which features this sleek ensuite, comes in around £1,750 per month (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) At the time they applied, Harry was freelance… (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) …so they found getting a mortgage slightly challenging (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@metro.co.uk Arrow MORE: UK bank launches new 100% mortgage that could get you on the ladder with £0 deposit Arrow MORE: Waymo car involved in crash with two vehicles in London Arrow MORE: Man banished from every corner of Croydon The Key Sign up for must-read property stories, DIY hacks and tips for buying a home.