Graduate enjoying first job but struggling to find affordable rented accommodation. Any suggestions of where else to look other than spare rooms, open rent or right move?

[Pistachiomonster]

Young person has found first graduate role 1-2 1/2 hours from home. They are enjoying the job but not the accommodation.

It is a nice room with ensuite, sink and small fridge but only one small Velux window as in attic area. Its in a large 8 bed HMO in a not nice area, they only occasionally see someone in passing in the HMO every few days, they aren’t using the kitchen as the others don’t keep it clean and it smells (so they are spending money eating out and to get away from the accommodation), the accommodation isn’t in the nicest or safest areas (so this will be unsustainable when the nights draw in due to the cost and safety). The washer and tumbler are kept in a dark damp basement (which looks grim).

Is there anywhere else to look for accommodation. They aren’t on a high starting salary and can’t afford to buy or rent a flat on own yet as the rent plus bills is too high. Tried spare rooms, open rent and right move. Are we missing anything or anywhere?

I have graduate friends who did Property Guardianship to save for a deposit. They lived in a disused hospital in cenral London but the rent was peanuts like £200. If I had my time again I would do it.

Have you tried looking at some sort of homeshare living arrangement (where an older person living alone rents out a room at below market rate in return for e.g. the security of having someone else in the home, someone to have dinner with a couple of times a week, or someone to run errands etc)? Different schemes have different rules/expectations, but it might be worth considering.

https://homeshareuk.org/

https://twogenerations.co.uk/homesharer/

https://homeshareliving.co.uk/find-a-homeowner/

Where do they work? Manchester direction or north of Bury? Do they need a car if they lived closer to work? Dd lives in Manchester and I appreciate how expensive rent is. £650 is cheap and unfortunately he’s probably going to have to increase his budget.

he could certainly ask on the Manchester Reddit (seems to cover greater Manchester, not sure if also a bury one). If he works closer to Manchester I’d recommend moving to Manchester, even if it’s north Manchester.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/92460078#/map?channel=RES_LET

two bed house for rent if he can find someone who wants the second room. I’d be tempted to rent somewhere like this solo and then sub let the second room out. No idea how legal that is!

That could be good if it’s legal but she’d have to be able to afford the initial rent (from one of the OP’s earlier posts I think this is a she) and be ready to deal with an awkward lodger if necessary.

Studio apartment in fallowfield, would need to pay bills I guess on top of rent. Might be wrong side of Manchester if needs to be Bury side.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/92306436#/?channel=RES_LET

https://www.facebook.com/groups/903825216762939 Fb group.

i do appreciate how hard it can be, Dd moved there not knowing anyone.

How about nextdoor.co.uk - I'm nowhere near Bury but in my area there's lots of room for rent ads and 'wanted' posts also get responses especially from professional people - obviously proceed with caution as I'm sure like everywhere there's scammers and creeps but sift through and you can find great recommendations. If there are other 'wanted' ads from others in similar situations she could message them and they could look for a private 2 bed together, I know obviously again it is a risk as you're committing to the tenancy with the other person who may up and leave, but the trouble with houses set up and run as HMO is that in exchange for not having to make that commitment, you do get the downsides of less well maintained houses and transiant housemates.

The other thing you could maybe look into is air BnB, my brother found himself a lovely deal as lodger to a lady who let out her spare room on there, he initially booked to stay for 2 weeks while looking for something long term but she liked him and could see he was reliable etc and offered the room to him for 6 months. You can usually read between the lines of Airbnb ads of which are genuinely used as occasional/holiday let's and which are open to longer term?

Any other suggestions of where to look when the company is tiny (less than a handful of people work there) and they don’t know anyone else apart from the people they work with and they are all older and settled.

They have gone on fell walks and explored other nearby city centres and attended a craft session by themselves but they don’t really have any hobbies or interests in the new city but that is a whole other thread. So the only people they are seeing on a week to week basis is those they work with.

I have tried Right Move, Zoopla, Open Rent, all the estate agents and tried asking anonymously on two local facebook groups. All their seems to be is more HMO’s or one or two bed unfurnished houses or flats priced at well over £800 per month plus bills.

I’m wondering if any of these purpose built student places might have the odd spare room? Personally if I was her I would look for professional shares in Manchester and reverse commute-

DS moved to a house share he found on spare room in a strange city to start his graduate scheme during covid. It was a miserable time for him. He barely saw anyone in the house and eventually found a small flat that was a long commute but cheaper.

Maybe it would all feel better once she has chance to make some friends. Meetup is good for groups of special interest. Keep looking on spare room because new places come up all the time.

No idea whether it’s legal to rent a property in sole name and then sublet but think it might not be legal. Also if you don’t know them and have no locks on bedroom doors so they could take everything you have and also not stump up for bills.

They are working in a small market town north of Bury. They wouldn’t mind living there as they are quiet and aren’t into clubs etc but it’s very expensive. Thanks for the suggestions so far.

There are co living places in Manchester such as Union and I think Square Garden. Lots of young professionals and post grads. Think Dd pays £800 a month and that includes bills. But it’s in the city centre and no good if you need a car.

Sounds like you/they’re looking in broadly the right places online. But each of the HMOs is going to be different - different collections of people, different atmosphere etc. I tried a few house shares before finding a good one years ago.

Can they expand their search area to include bigger towns? It’s worth driving further to work if it’s better at home.

And if they’re very stuck because there’s absolutely nothing else affordable, head down save and work hard to be able to afford somewhere better as soon as possible?