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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

If I could I'd scream in the PM's face....

109 replies

mamafridi · 04/01/2013 09:55

ARE YOU TRYING TO SEND ME OUT ONTO THE STREETS?!!!!

I have had ENOUGH!

I sold up and moved to the UK (London) to be near family. I am in my early forties and me, my husband and DD are stuck in a small flat paying an outrageously high rent while my husband commutes into central London (another horrific expense) to a job that barely pays the rent so all house bills, council tax, food, etc are deducted from our savings (precious money from the sale of our home). We have no chance of getting a big enough mortgage to help us buy a place big enough to live in and if I work full time too we would have to pay the stratospheric fees for nursery.

I can't believe that anyone in government, especially Cameron, Clegg, Osborne, can continue to make things so hard for so many struggling, hardworking, people like us and then on top of that say that it is actually helping Britain's economy and getting it out of the financial mess it's apparently in.

Are you suffering similar difficulties? What are they? Is there anything we can do to make life easier? Is there a solution or do we simply resign ourselves to life on the streets sometime in the near future.

Am I being unreasonable? Please tell me that I'm not...

OP posts:
RedHelenB · 04/01/2013 09:57

YANBU but capital cities will always be expensive to live in. Could family help out with childcare?How old is dd?

Original poster
mamafridi · 04/01/2013 10:12

I understand that capital cities are expensive, but then shouldn't wages reflect that too? Shouldn't minimum wage perhaps be slightly higher to match the expense of travelling on trains and buses.

My mum helps when she can but she's in her 70s and my dd, who is 2, can be a handful.
However, I really can't believe that just because those of us who live in London should automatically be penalised because of where they live.

OP posts:
Tweasels · 04/01/2013 10:19

Whilst I am am very anti CamerClegg. Surely, you chose this. You sold your home to live in a flat that you can't afford.

Where did you live before? Was the cost of living better? Did you have to move nearer family?

WorraLiberty · 04/01/2013 10:21

I was going to ask the same as Tweasels

Did you do your maths before you moved and could your family not have moved nearer to you instead?

HollyBerryBush · 04/01/2013 10:22

I'm afraid you made your lifestyle choice by moving to the UK.

On a practical level - is a bike or moped an option?
Can you go to work?
Can you move further out?

If you are living on MW then I'm sure you get tax credits etc and HB.

Sirzy · 04/01/2013 10:26

What tweasles said.

You shouldn't have made the move unless you knew you could afford it. Why not move to a cheaper area?

MrsKeithRichards · 04/01/2013 10:30

Isn't there already allowances made for those working and living in London?

If your dh Isn't earning enough maybe you should live somewhere else?

Original poster
mamafridi · 04/01/2013 10:34

I moved because my mum's getting on and I wanted my dd to spend more time with her than she was when we were living abroad. I did my homework as much as it was possible, but unfortunately you can't predict what job offers will come through or not once the choice is already made.

The flat was the cheapest we could find. It's a small 2 bed flat near to my mother. We could have moved somewhere cheaper this is true, but then we would have had to buy a car and the idea of us moving to UK was to live closer to family.
So I'm gathering from the responses above that I don't really have anything to complain about and that no one is suffering similar difficulties with the current economic situation?

OP posts:
Original poster
mamafridi · 04/01/2013 10:36

What allowances? If anyone knows and could tell me I would be v' grateful.

OP posts:
HollyBerryBush · 04/01/2013 10:36

Without sounding trite, when I bought my first house, which was no more than a two up/two down affair, I had to move way out into the sticks, until I'd have enough pay rises/got some equity, to move back into London. And I worked nights and weekends barmaiding on top of my full time job. I never expected things to be handed to me on a plate. If you want it, you work for it.

Strictly1 · 04/01/2013 10:37

Without meaning to sound blunt, I'd move. My income determines where I live and whilst I may wish to live in a particular area, if my income won't allow it, I simply can't. I don't really see how the PM created this mess for you?

WinkyWinkola · 04/01/2013 10:39

Can you move out of London with your mother? Cheaper housing.

We moved out to Hertfordshire and it's 30 mins to Euston. Less than our Northern Line commute!

HollyBerryBush · 04/01/2013 10:40

I did my homework as much as it was possible, but unfortunately you can't predict what job offers will come through or not once the choice is already made.

I would disagree on that entirely - you get your firm job offers before upping sticks and moving. Our mates are in australia, have been for 12 years, he was back and forth doing interviews etc before they sold up here for good. Ditto they are now moving back - and they are over here, interviewing with the intent to come back in a year - the ball is rolling - and they will come back and forth before selling up in Oz.

ChazsBrilliantAttitude · 04/01/2013 10:42

Its difficult, I can understand why you wanted to be near your mum but London property is extremely expensive. A lot of surveys put London second after Monaco for the highest price per sq M for property in the world.

How old is your DD, can you work as well?

Could you move further out along the tube lines? What zone are you in now?

WorraLiberty · 04/01/2013 10:43

What part of London do you live in?

Greater London/Essex is much cheaper and the transport system takes you all over so you wouldn't necessarily need a car.

HappyMummyOfOne · 04/01/2013 10:43

Why is this the governments fault? You chose to live in an expensive area, chose to have a child and choose to only have one adult in the household earning.

If you want more money then move, find childcare or work nights and weekends around your partners hours rather than blame others.

MrsKeithRichards · 04/01/2013 10:44

Some jobs pay more to cover the inflated cost of living in London.

jessjessjess · 04/01/2013 10:44

By allowances I think they meant the London weighting some jobs have.

The thing is... you can't expect to live anywhere just because you want to. We moved out of London because it cost too much. For a while I commuted in by coach.

Not sure I understand your problem. You are lucky to have jobs and savings; many don't. When I clicked on the title I expected you to be one of the people who are in a much worse situation.

TheSecondComing · 04/01/2013 10:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

HollyBerryBush · 04/01/2013 10:46

Too many people think London is some Utopia paved with gold I'm afraid. Any of the GLBs are only 25-30 mins into central London and far cheaper to live in.

amillionyears · 04/01/2013 10:47

For the last 30 years, the UK has been quite a cushy place to live.
It isnt necessarily going to stay the same.
And may not be like that again for hundreds of years.

amillionyears · 04/01/2013 10:48

A cushy place to live on the whole.

LaVitaBellissima · 04/01/2013 10:49

Go to the Citizens Advice Bureau and ask what you are entitled to, although if you have been out of the country for a number years that might change your entitlements.

I don't think you situation is Cameron's fault, YABU Smile

amillionyears · 04/01/2013 10:49

For the last 30 years, the UK has been quite a cushy place to live on the whole, is what I am trying to say.

AndBingoWasHisNameOh · 04/01/2013 10:49

There are many issues that can be laid at the government's door but I don't think the OP finding an expensive place expensive is one of them.

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