The Flatshare

The entire premise of The Flatshare, wherein Leon and Tiffy share the same bed at different times of day, was borne out of two young adults needing a cost-effective living arrangement in London. Leon’s flat is in Stockwell, which is in southwest London. Though it is not exactly in the center of the city, it is a desirable location and, as Tiffy notes, close to the tube station. Many young adults in their twenties and early thirties, such as the characters in The Flatshare, would struggle to live on their own in London, even while working full-time jobs. In fact, most of the characters in the book are living with flatmates: Gerty and Mo; Martin and his girlfriend, Hana; and Tiffy and Justin, before he breaks up with her. When Justin tells Tiffy that she needs to leave, she has very few options for places she can afford on her small salary. These circumstances are not necessarily inherent to London, but rather in any crowded, expensive city. Places like New York and San Francisco are also known for their high costs of living; young adults living in cities such as these and working their first jobs sometimes need to get creative to make ends meet.