Bank of England governor Mark Carney could be moving to West Hampstead with £5,000 a week housing budget

Mark Carney could rent this Swiss Cottage five-bedroom home, well under his £5,000 housing budget (Image: Archant)

It emerged on Monday that the newly appointed Bank of England governor Mark Carney could be moving to West Hampstead with his wife and four daughters, two of whom have enrolled at a nearby private school.

The governor, who started his first day in the £480,000 job on Monday, is looking to rent a high-end property in the area with his £250,000 annual housing allowance.

But when Heathman rang round the West Hampstead estate agents, not one had heard Mr Carney’s Canadian tones in their branches, though several kept tight-lipped on whether or not the former Goldman Sachs banker is on their books.

Carla Bradman, marketing manager at Paramount estate agents in West End Lane, said: “I’m not really surprised Mr Carney has chosen West Hampstead as there is a big demographic of bankers here.

“West Hampstead is where Hampstead was about 20 years ago. Hampstead’s high street is full of chain stores but West Hampstead has lots of independent shops and restaurants.

“Not everyone in West Hampstead knows each other’s name, but it’s nearly like that. A lovely community is really important for a family.”

With a budget of £5,000 a week, Mr Carney, who is temporarily renting a house in west London, has a range of large homes to choose from. Ms Bradman pointed to a five-bedroom three-storey townhouse with back garden in nearby Swiss Cottage, a snip for the governor at £1,200 a week.

The home has off-street parking with room for three cars but as Mr Carney made his first journey to work on Monday by Tube, rather than by chauffeur-driven car as his expenses allow, perhaps he won’t be needing it.

Other agents explained that Mr Carney’s budget was almost too large for West Hampstead, saying that Hampstead homes might better fit the bill.

Mark Watkinson, sales negotiator for Highgate-based Goldschmidt and Howland estate agents, said: “It’s a great area with fantastic access into the financial part of the city with the Thameslink line and the Jubilee Underground line.”

Let’s hope Mr Carney gets the country’s economy back on track soon, otherwise his West Hampstead neighbours might come knocking.