Living in Hayes: travel links, parking, schools, best streets — and the average cost of monthly rent

Heathrow and central London are just a short hop away for renters who live in this part of west London.
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The promise of Crossrail has brought the west London suburb of Hayes wider recognition, as well as significant redevelopment and new building.

When the line eventually opens, locals hope the area will benefit from an added buzz to lift it from its current status as useful but a bit dull to more of a social hub.

Until then, you can’t fault the convenience of Hayes for commuting both into and out of London, as well as further afield via nearby Heathrow airport.

Who lives there?

Tommy Anderson of Hunters estate agents says a real mix of people live in Hayes, from corporate relocations to social housing tenants, to airport workers, pilots and other professionals working locally.

Parking in Hayes

Parking is free for a first car and a residents permit for a second car costs £40 per year.

Crime in Hayes

Crime in Hayes is below the London average with five crimes reported per 1,000 residents.

The top reported crimes are violence, residential burglary and vandalism.

Fitness clubs in Hayes

Botwell Green Sports and Leisure Centre is the local Better-run gym and there’s a PureGym on the Springfield Road Industrial Park and a Nuffield Health facility in Stockley Park, which also has an on-site Wetherspoon pub.

Rob drives five minutes to David Lloyd Heston and also visits the driving range at Stockley Park Golf Club.

Average cost of renting in Hayes

Property size Average monthly cost
One-bedroom flat £1,096
Two-bedroom flat £1,365
Two-bedroom house £1,282
Three-bedroom house £1,657
Four-bedroom house £1,759

Source: Rightmove

Best Hayes streets to live on

“Anything around the station is very popular with renters, in particular Highpoint Village — a high-end development with concierge, gym, sauna and underground parking — and Trident House, a more affordable option,” says Tommy Anderson, branch manager of Hunters estate agents in Hayes.

Hayes travel links and accessibility

Hayes & Harlington station is due to be on Crossrail when the new high-speed line eventually opens, which local renter Rob expects to change the entire area for the better.

Until then he takes the train to Heathrow in about half an hour door to door and can get into Paddington for socialising in 20 minutes.

Best schools in Hayes

There’s a number of “good” primary schools in Hayes, according to Ofsted.

These include Cranford Park Academy, Botwell House Catholic Primary School, Lake Farm Park Academy, Wood End Park Academy, Rosedale Primary School and Dr Triplett’s CofE Primary School.

Supermarkets and food markets in Hayes

Rob goes to the Asda Superstore or the Tesco Express at the end of his road for convenient food shopping.

There’s a Lidl, an Iceland and a Sainsbury’s Local in Hayes Town.

Downsides?

Traffic has become a bit of a nightmare in recent years.

“There are lots of new developments and hence many more people living in the area,” says Anderson.

What the locals say:

'Handy for the planes and the trains'

Sociable: Rob Devine and three flatmates pay £650 each plus bills for a four-bedroom flat at Fizzy Hayes
Adrian Lourie

Rob Devine, 27, moved from Manchester to live in London because of his work.

A pilot based at Heathrow, he wanted his own space but was also looking for some social life around him, so co-living and build-to-rent developments appealed.

However, he found his options limited — unless he wanted to live in the equivalent of university halls. Then he saw an advert for the Fizzy Living build-to-rent development in Hayes.

This offered the balance of a private home space with regular residents’ events and a community on the doorstep.

Rob moved in 14 months ago and now shares a four-bedroom balcony apartment with three flatmates — two other pilots and one of their girlfriends, a nurse.

“You can keep yourself to yourself if you want but there is also the social aspect,” says Rob. “The building has a communal mezzanine and a rooftop terrace which get used for the socials Fizzy organise and pay for every couple of months or so. We had a barbecue in August with a bouncy castle for people’s kids… not that we didn’t use it ourselves.”

Rob also uses the residents’ app, which has forums for getting to know the neighbours and trying out ideas among each other.

However, he says he has got to know most people through their dogs because it’s a pet-friendly development.

As Hayes is handy for Heathrow, he and his flatmates also know some cabin crew from their airline who live in the same development.

Rob and his flatmates pay £650 a month each, plus bills for heating, hot water and council tax. Underground parking spaces are included.

“All the rooms are one-offs but of a similar standard, so it was really easy to move in and divide up the rent and bills fairly,” he says.

They have a five-year lease but can move out any time after six months with a two-month notice period.

Shopping in Hayes

“For basics, Hayes is great. There’s Argos, Boots, WH Smith and Poundland near the station. For clothes I go to the big shopping centre in Uxbridge or if I want even more choice I’ll head to Westfield White City in just 25 minutes,” says Rob.

Eating and drinking in Hayes

Rob recommends GG’s for gourmet burgers and a shisha lounge and Loaded for American-style fare.

Captain Morgan’s is an Irish pub right at the end of Rob’s road, otherwise he and his housemates will jump on a train to Hammersmith or Chiswick for a night out.

Culture in Hayes

The Beck Theatre in Hayes is a 600-seat venue that hosts a variety of comedy, music and panto and Rob says there are rumours that a cinema will be included in one of the new blocks of flats being built nearby.

The Fizzy Hayes block is built on part of the old EMI record company site, commemorated by a huge statue of the His Master’s Voice dog logo.

Green space in Hayes

Rob uses the roof terrace on his block of flats or heads to Stockley Park for more greenery.