Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Flip

Original poster

Cheaper rental areas and cost of commute to central London?

15 replies

GMsAWinner · 10/05/2023 15:19

DD is about to graduate and has seen some perfect jobs in central London, earning approx £30,000. We're thinking her take home pay would be around £1900-1950 (including payment of student loan).

She doesn't think she can afford to live on this, so I just thought I'd ask which locations are cheaper to rent (north/east would be good) and also the cost of commute from those areas.

She's looked at one particular area and flats were £1,000pm, she found what looked like a grubby studio for £925, on top of which they'd be the cost of commuting, utility bills, mobile, food, clothes. She doesn't expect to have lots of money for socialising but would like enough for the odd coffee out/drinks out a couple of times a month for a social life, or the odd book to read (by choice she won't have a tv).

OP posts:

SheilaFentiman · 10/05/2023 15:25

Would she house share? Might get more overall space that way.

MadEyeMoodysEye · 10/05/2023 15:25

It's very hard to live alone anywhere near London unless a very high earner. Almost all the younger people I know flatshare, would she consider that?

MadEyeMoodysEye · 10/05/2023 15:27

I flatshared until I moved in with my now DH, our first place together was £900pm for a 1 bed flat and that was back in 2005.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Property

ohtowinthelottery · 10/05/2023 15:27

Every young person I know who has gone to London has been in a house share. It's the only way it's affordable

LizziesTwin · 10/05/2023 15:29

Have a look on Spareroom with her. DD is older and earns more but still lives with friends.

SheilaFentiman · 10/05/2023 15:30

Eg double room incl bills in Finsbury Park https://m.spareroom.co.uk/flatshare/london/finsbury_park/16706980

amicissimma · 10/05/2023 15:32

Highly recommend a share. Cheaper and friends/support group/local knowledge included.

Peanutbutteryday · 10/05/2023 21:51

Agree with flat share. I always went for bills included. I loved the peace of mind if knowing my living costs are X and always X. Also I loved not having to negotiate paying bills with other house mates who I didn’t always know well. I’d recommend a bills included. Avoid SW and parts of N if she wants cheaper rent.

willowstar · 10/05/2023 21:54

Agree. We live two hours by train out of central London in order to afford a home for our family. I pay silly money to commute in twice a week. I shared a house until my mid 20s when I met my other half.

NotStayingIn · 10/05/2023 22:01

I think a huge part of starting your career in London is the experience of living in a shared house. It makes London affordable and is brilliant fun. Sure you will outgrow it, but I think it would be a huge mistake to get an expensive place on her own further out and have no money for going out without at least first trying a few shared places. You meet a lot of your friends via the flatshare too, so she would be cutting out quite a large social circle by living on her own straight away.

AlexaWhatsMyUsername · 10/05/2023 22:02

My DC is at Uni in London - in 2nd year. First year they had private halls booked 6 months in advance and for second year we spent a very stressful summer trying to find accommodation. Came on to post two tips from that experience.

Firstly download Citymapper app and use that to check travel time/methods and costs from any locations she considers.

Secondly, use street view on Google maps to “walk” virtually the route from accommodation to the tube etc so you can see what that would be like. Street lights? Wide roads? Dodgy looking area etc.

Most of the flats went for over the amount they were advertised at. It was literally a bidding war. Some (not all) accepted offers without viewing. In the end this was the only way to secure one for us. Hence the online due diligence being invaluable.

We knew it wouldn’t be easy but it was way harder than we anticipated. Some of the places she viewed were awful and yet still had a dozen other people viewing.

Lcb123 · 10/05/2023 22:03

Surely she’d do a flat share, cheaper and more socialising. Look at south / south east London outside the Tube network is usually cheaper. Can get the trains instead.

NotStayingIn · 10/05/2023 22:08

Also if you are worried about her safety I would recommend a flatshare too. A lot of our nights out would be with a mix of flatmates and other friends so generally wouldn't go home alone. Or we'd meet at the tube stop after nights out to walk home together from there. And there is the safety of having more people in the house, people knowing if you weren't home yet, etc. Going back on your own to the arse end of nowhere on a night out isn't going to be much fun for her either.

camelfinger · 11/05/2023 06:50

I came to London in 2001 and naively thought I could afford my own little flat on my graduate salary. I walked into a lettings agent in Islington who barely looked up, telling me to look at Loot or TNT magazines (blast from the past). So yeah, a flat share has always been essential for working in London, and is a great way to meet people too.

doadeer · 11/05/2023 07:15

Do you mean she is looking for her own place? Would definately share and live in London. My brother is managing and he is on that salary. I've lived in London since I was 18 and I always shared until late 20s when DH and I got a place. Living in London is part of the experience

Flip