Locals in this London postcode are divided on whether its peaceful community outweighs safety concerns
What it’s really like living in one of London’s cheapest postcodes
Out west in Hillingdon, West Drayton is one of the cheapest areas to rent in London. The Elizabeth line has also put it firmly on the commuter map, slashing journey times into Central London.
The median rent for a two-bedroom letting in the UB7 postcode is £1,600, which is the same as the borough-wide median in Hillingdon (£1,600), but lower than the London median of £1,850.
With green spaces like Stockley Park and the Colne Valley nearby, the area blends suburban calm with urban convenience. But for locals, the debate isn’t just about transport links or house prices – it’s whether the community feels safe.
We spoke to residents in West Drayton to find out what life is really like in the area. Georgia Dragomir, 40, said: “It’s a really good community – peaceful and quiet, nothing really happens. I feel like we’re a little bit outside of London, and mortgages are really good, it’s under a thousand pounds a month.”
Lise, 55, pointed to shoplifting as a major issue. She said: “People walk into Wenzel’s and Iceland and they steal whatever they like… then, genuine people have to pay the prices when they’re hiked up because of people stealing. The area has declined so much over the years.”
She added: “The police are very good here though, very proactive, and you usually see a police presence. Recently, they were fining people who were doing drugs in public benches; out there in the open, in front of children.”
Sandip Rana, 47, says he hasn’t seen any shoplifting. He added: “It’s a very safe place to be, and the mixed community is very good! We’re outside of London, but still feel very close.”
For long-time resident John Tedman, 73, the biggest change is population growth. He said: “Like all of London, the community is multinational now… this is still a safe area though; there is the normal sort of London crime, but we’ve always had that. The shared demand for housing, the new blocks of flats – that’s the biggest change.”
Others don’t agree the area is safe. Linda Loveridge, 57, who has also lived in West Drayton all her life, said: “It has changed a lot, a lot more flats, a lot more people from different areas. Not very safe around here, to be honest. A lot of knife crime. A lot of thefts too, in shops and residential buildings.” Former resident Georgia Pegram-Mill, 21, added: “It feels a bit run down and a bit isolating. I’d say only some parts are safe.”
Affordability in West Drayton
For some, West Drayton offers affordable housing and a quieter pace of life. But for others, rising crime and rapid change are leaving the community divided on whether it’s really worth the lower rent.
The median rent for a two-bedroom letting in the UB7 postcode is £1,600, which is the same as the borough-wide median in Hillingdon (£1,600), but lower than the London median of £1,850.
House prices in West Drayton have an overall average of £403,819 over the last year, according to RightMove. The majority of properties sold in West Drayton during the last year were flats, selling for an average price of £281,080. Terraced properties sold for an average of £460,426, with semi-detached properties fetching £513,789.
Overall, the historical sold prices in West Drayton over the last year were 3% up on the previous year and 7% up on the 2022 peak of £376,567.
Provisional figures from the Office for National Statistics show the average private rent in London reached £2,252 per month in the year to June – up seven per cent from £2,100 a year prior. It was also up 29 per cent from an estimated £1,741 a month five years ago.
Kensington and Chelsea had the highest rental cost in the region at £3,616 per month, while the lowest was in Bexley at £1,485. The only London borough that saw a drop in rental prices was Brent, where prices declined by three per cent. The average private rent in Great Britain was £1,355 per month in June. This was £84, or seven per cent, higher than 12 months ago.
The figures also show the different costs for various homes in London, from £1,698 for a one-bed property to £3,542 for a home with four or more bedrooms in June.
Among the property types in the area, a detached house cost £2,823 to rent per month, while a semi-detached cost £2,840 per month. A terraced house was £2,735 per month, and a flat or maisonette was £1,988 per month.
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