Outnumbered - is the lifestyle realistic?

[Mrsemcgregor]

So I’ve been watching Outnumbered on Netflix with my DS (he loves it!) and I’m wondering if the lifestyle they have is achievable in London considering their jobs?

Pete is a teacher in a secondary school and is yet to achieve head of department and Sue is part time in what I assume is an admin/PA type role. I’m hypothesising that their joint income is likely to be around £60k? Maybe £70k. Where I live they would be lucky to be on £50k but I’m adding extra for London wages.

The house they live in is huge! I am not sure where in London it’s meant to be, but their is a scene where Pete mentions problems on the tube so I assume they are within the underground network. It’s 3 stories and at least 4 bedrooms and two bathrooms, a massive kitchen dining area, a garden and a nice sized lounge with a big bay window. Even where I live that would set you back close to £500,000. That house must cost a fortune in London?

Pete’s mum and dad are still alive as is Sue’s dad so I’m assuming no large inheritance, and they mention a mortgage so they haven’t inherited the house.

Can any London mumsnetters confirm or deny that this is realistic?

(I know I have far too much time on my hands and have given this way too much thought )

I just think it's really odd that you focused on the RTB example but I guess in your eyes they don't deserve it as much or need it.
At least own it rather than deflecting.

I was just explaining how it’s done, and how it’s unremarkable to live in a £2m house in Wandsworth with a normal middle class income.

We didn’t pay £2m of course

@Didyousaynutella

It would be fine if it wasn’t set in London. Why do all these shows have to be set in London. Why can’t the my just be in a normal naive surburb of a normal town. Then I could get on board. I just can’t relate to family life in London.

'Cold Feet' was set in and around Manchester.

Brookside!

I do have neighbours who are teachers, but they bought in the 1970s and 1980s.

Current teachers who bought in the 70s/80s?

Or retired people who used to be teachers?

Retired

Current teachers at the DH’s school who live locally are either well married or live at home with their parents. I should think the younger ones are in glatshares.

That’s true Jess. But that’s one show. Just think they miss their audience a lot of the time.

Maybe but I think the 'Outnumbered' set up could apply to anywhere in the country. I can't say I ever thought much about whereabouts they live or their house, only them.

@ShipOfTheseus that house costs £110k?!?! When???

We started teaching in '95, bought 1st house on teaching salary (both full time) for £55k in 96. I think we were able to go up to £73k then so no, if we are talking about from '96 onwards, we wouldn't have been able to afford it.

The whole 3 story's thing that's how majority of houses are built in London my friend who lives in London has a house exactly like the one in the program and she's on benefits with a 13 year old so ....

London is expensive but it's just a regular house who ever said that they would need millions in the bank is ridiculous hardly a mansion is it

It is possible. We don't live in London but our first house was only £56,000 in 1999. It's now worth over £200,000. We've moved since and the house we bought was first sole for £100,000, it's worth £250-£300. In the south east out house would be £500k more than it is.

House prices are ridiculous!

It depends when they bought their house! My parents bought their 4 bed very similar house in a nice-ish part of East London in 1995 for £70k!!!!!

Doing it now would be impossible without family money. Times change.

[quote monkeytennis97]@ShipOfTheseus that house costs £110k?!?! When???

We started teaching in '95, bought 1st house on teaching salary (both full time) for £55k in 96. I think we were able to go up to £73k then so no, if we are talking about from '96 onwards, we wouldn't have been able to afford it.[/quote]
Roughly when the outnumbered couple might have bought it. Someone upthread posted the property details of the price the house sold at over various years. And you need to assume they probably owned a flat each previously, which will have increased in value. DH and I bought a similar house in that area in 97 - it cost 200k - our joint salary was 55k. We each had owned a flat previously that had doubled in value, and that makes a big difference.

This house isn't in East London or any old part of London though. Its Chiswick / Wandsworth according to earlier posts.

@whoeverthrewthatpaperyamomsaho

London is expensive but it's just a regular house who ever said that they would need millions in the bank is ridiculous hardly a mansion is it

The millions is the amount needed to buy a house like that now, not 25 years ago.

Chiswick, London W4.

I think that Sue held a much more wealthy position before having the children. I live in a medium wealth area and quite a few of the mums at the school gates have au pairs and none of them are on over £100k. Also, are all stories of the house owned by them? There could be tennants on the top floor.

The house on 2.4 Children was much smaller than The Brockmans's but property was easier to come buy back then.