Saving step by step

Last week's news that Tube fares are to rise by 25 per cent does not worry Elisa Gortazar. Unable to endure the stifling heat and overcrowded journey to work any longer, she changed her life. Now she wakes up with the pleasing thought that she has only a brisk, 10-minute walk to work from her two-bedroom flat in Fulham.

Gortazar, a 30-yearold assistant manager at Jigsaw, King's Road, is one of the increasing number of young people choosing to rent near work. Having done the figures and looked at her lifestyle, she decided it was worth living in a smaller property and using money saved on her commuting expenses to pay the more expensive rent.

Gortazar previously lived in a five-bedroom house in Willesden Green. "Moving close to work is the best decision I ever made. I used to hate travelling on that hot Tube every day. I have a stressful enough job as it is, and arriving hot and flustered is not the best start."

Although she pays more to rent the two-bedroom flat she shares with a friend - she now pays £450 a month, whereas her room in Willesden cost her £300 - she no longer has to spend £75 on a travel pass.

"I don't mind paying a bit more to live in Fulham. It's such a beautiful place; there are lovely restaurants and bars."

Gortazar is not alone in deciding to pay a bit extra in rent to improve their quality of life.

With one in six people reportedly working a 60-hour week, many workers recognise the benefits of living closer to work.

Nigel Bosworth, of the City branch of Hamptons International, reports that in the past month alone there has been a 20 per cent rise in the number of people looking to rent in or around the Square Mile.

"The hot weather has been the trigger. People found it totally unbearable to use public transport, and it was probably the last straw after the closure of the Central Line." Estate agents report increased enquiries for rented property from customers spurred on by the amount of property available at low rental prices.

Max Oppenheim, a 22-year-old underwriting assistant, now lives within walking distance of his City-based job. He moved from a three-bedroom flat in Highgate to a two-bedroom flat in Wapping. His rent has increased from £80 a week to £100, but he no longer has to pay £75 for a travel pass, meaning his monthly costs are only around £10 more.

"I love living in Wapping. It's just so convenient for work. I can get door-todoor in 15 minutes," he says.