Our area was named ‘best place to live’ but it’s the WORST – sky-high rents & ridiculous fines means we’re all leaving
LOCALS living in an area dubbed the “best place to live” claimed sky-high rents, ridiculous fines and phone thefts make it HELL.
Despite Walthamstow being crowned the best place to live in London, the reality has left many residents desperate to move.
Describing it as an “edgy town” that is “cool without being frosty”, The Times credits its independent shops, peaceful scenery, and diverse culture as its main appeal.
With a 7.8 per cent population increase between the 2011 and 2021 census and a generally younger-than-average population compared to the rest of London, it’s seemingly on the up, although current residents disagree.
One resident named it “the sh****est borough in London”, with parking problems causing daily frustration.
While there is a lot they were excited about – the upcoming opening of a new Soho Theatre for one – locals would rather the council tackle ongoing issues first.
Although Walthamstow Central provides quick and easy access into the city via the Victoria line, transport connections in the area can be inefficient, especially for drivers.
This is off-putting for commuters, with many of the homeowners we spoke to also working in the area to avoid these issues.
Drivers complained about slow-moving traffic and road closures which have caused long delays.
Jawaid Hotak, 38, has lived in Walthamstow for 17 years and runs a handbag stall on the market.
He said: “Everywhere is blocked. There is too much traffic, road closures everywhere, and roadworks everywhere.”
Customers might be drawn in by cheaper prices, but Jawaid says they are put off by traffic wardens and the risk of fines.
He said “traffic wardens give you tickets straight away” and added: “Customers drive to get cheap items, park and get a £65 fine within five minutes.”
This is a problem that led to long-term resident Rafique Mohammed, 67, calling Walthamstow, “the sh****est borough in London.”
Despite living here for 50 years, the parking problems made him want to leave the area, “people who can afford it will move out,” he said.
Rafique blames the council for these issues, which he says aren’t as bad in the neighbouring Chingford.
He struggles to park near his house due to confusing parking zoning and road closures.
Other residents have started giving false addresses or dishonestly using disabled parking badges to secure spaces.
He said: “They’re abusing the system and nobody checks it.”
Haji Shabaya, 73, felt similarly frustrated by the council.
“They’re so pathetic, they want to stop pollution but they’ve made a right mess of the streets. The main roads have so much idle traffic which leads to more pollution,” he said.
It has left Haji feeling angry about the way the borough has changed in the 60 years he has lived there.
When asked if he thought it was the best borough in London he added: “Not anymore – before it was.”
SOARING RENT
Traffic isn’t the only issue affecting the area, with rising rents causing financial problems for many of its residents.
House prices have been steadily increasing with the median house price in the borough reaching £525,000 in 2023, an increase of 63% since March 2015.
Jawaid pays £1550 for a one-bedroom flat he shares with his wife and young son, often having to borrow money from friends to make his rent payments on time.
This affects his business as he says “people aren’t spending money anymore, everything is expensive.”
“It used to be a good time on the market before,” he added.
The area was given a deprivation score of 25.209 by the 2019 Indices of Deprivation, making it the 12th most deprived of all London’s boroughs.
While openly praising the area for its strong community feel, Nawrozi Mansor, 33, agreed that rent is too expensive.
He pays £700 a month to share a seven to eight person house in the area, which is conveniently located near the kebab shop where he works on the high street.
He said: “The rent is high but the area is nice. I know everybody so I like it here.”
However, Nawrozi wouldn’t consider moving as likes the people and wouldn’t want to commute into the area.
Community seems to redeem the area for many residents.
Not only does the area have an incredibly diverse population, with 47 per cent of its 278,400 residents coming from a minority ethnic background, but its independent shops and friendly residents have made it a welcoming area to move to.
Although they no longer live in the area, couple Jackie, 70, and Terry Russell, 72, still regularly visit.
Now living in Chingford, Jackie loves coming back to the area for its shops, especially the market which makes the high street feel lively again when it opens every Thursday and Saturday.
She said: “I mostly just come here for the cheap fruit.”
Residents and visitors alike seem to enjoy the wide range of shops offered on the high street.
Sean Cull, 30, a ventilation engineer working in the area, said: “I quite like high streets like this, maybe because it reminds me of places like Lewisham.”
Despite this, he doesn’t think he’d move here, saying “It’s too expensive.”
Rising house prices have come after several decades of relatively cheap rent, a trend that Kim Lambert, 73, worries will lead to the area “losing its je ne sais quoi.”
This is something he has already started to see as the area is becoming more gentrified.
“The nature of the surroundings is changing because it was so cheap,” Kim said from his fruit stall on the high street.
He is concerned that it is becoming an “up and coming Shoreditch or Camden” reflected in a population that skews younger than London’s other boroughs.
RISING THEFT
This younger population is impacted by issues like phone thefts and increased crime, something 26-year old Andrei Boyo has experienced, leading him to give Walthamstow a “4 out of 10” rating.
Andrei says he has been attacked “at least twice” including being slapped on the back while walking down the street.
“People steal your phone out of your hand while you’re walking down the street,” he says.
However, as Jawaid says, these issues are not unique to Walthamstow and are experienced all over London.
Crime statistics for the area are generally lower than for the rest of London, and have experienced a slower rise over the last few years than in other boroughs.
Between January-December 2023 there were 96.5 offences per 1,000 of the population compared to a London average of 115.4.
The local police station, however, was closed with a sign on the door saying to contact Chingford Police Station with any issues, and to ‘be aware of pickpockets’. There were still several police officers patrolling the area.
Ultimately, Andrei says, “The place has integrity and there are lots of types of people” which makes it “feel very alive.”
“It’s a lively place,” he added.
Waltham Forest Council did not respond to a request for comment.