to think you can rent privately in London...

[MsMarshmallow]

...in a nice, safe area
...with decent state schools
...less than 30min commute to central London
...not relying on trains

AIBU to think you can get all this for less than £1200 / month for a 2 bed?

Yes, I probably am!

But I had to try though ;-)

Seriously, does such place exist?

Erm one 't' off Sutton and one additional 'f' on of, cancels each other out, right?

I live in Finchley, my rent is £1100 for a 2 bed but I've been here many years and haggled to keep the rent down. But only today I saw what looked like a lovely 2 bed advertised for 1300 so probably not impossible to find one for cheaper.

It's pretty safe around here. I used to live in Camberwell and know what unsafe feels like. Schools are excellent, Barnet have highest OFSTED scores or something like that. Takes a bit longer than 30 min, probably 45 min to Central London by tube.

Ah yes, the wizard of sutton.

Hmmm council tax. I have to pay more than my mum, who's a five minute walk away but a different borough with the same post code, but then my rubbish is collected every week.

London is so vast, I don't envy you your decision

Wandsworth Borough Council Tax is pretty cheap. Tooting and Balham are south of Northern Line.

Harrow? Met line to Kings Cross in 35 minutes…

This is a nifty website www.commutefrom.com

Bromley? Trains straight into Victoria, St. Pancras or Charing Cross in under 30 mins. Either zone 4 or 5 do check as I can't remember.

Very good schools, adequate local shopping facilities and lots of green spaces with easy access to the Kentish coast & countryside in under an hour.

I lived in Southfields a few years ago in a 2 bed flat for about that much. Usually did the train from Earlsfield into Waterloo, which was around every 5 minutes in peak hours. Always crowded, but only 13 minutes iirc.

Always felt safe, there was a decent shopping centre in Wandsworth nearby or Wimbledon.

It was cheap for Southfields at the time, but Earlsfield was a bit less, so worth a try?

I was right by this one - it was a lovely area, right by a huge park.

No idea about schools, it was pre-DC. But council tax in Wandsworth was cheap.

My daughter moved to Balham two years ago. Loves it. Walks home alone at night all the time. She pays 1700 a month for a three bed (shared between three if them) so you might be lucky. Very nice area re cafes/shops etc

Wanstead?

I've currently got my eye on a flat in highams park it's in between Walthamstow and chingford. It's a new build 1 bed brand new for 1030 a month. That area I would feel more or less safe coming home late.

Walthamstow, wanstead, snaresbrook, Highams park (you'd have to use overground there but it's every 15 minutes - 25 mins to Liverpool street)

My DS has just moved to Balham too - 3 bed (small but lovely) apartment but it's £1,800 pcm. He loves it there, 30 mins into work, safe as far as you can be, nice locality with a community feel.

Get onto zoopla, do a search, come back for opinions on your top 10 area results. A lot more productive than "is London expensive?" "Yes but..." Thread you've created!!

plenty of trains are included in the tfl so look around train stations as well.
tbh those trains are as crowded and dirty as tube trains...

I'd pick a train journey over the tube any day. More space, ventilation, cleaner, etc. maybe reconsider that as it will open up a lot more possibilities.

Look at: Bromley/Beckenham/Sydenham/Catford/Lewisham/Brockley and around.

I second GwenStacy's suggestion of Harrow. The met line really is fantastic.

I was going to say yes until I read the no trains but, we rent out a flat that match all of your criteria otherwise, the trains from here are much nicer than tube trains though. What trains are you catching that are so horrible?

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-47787103.html

West Norwood is only 22 mins into Victoria and London Bridge, has very good state school and new leisure centre.

Earlsfield?

Depends. Maybe in SE London? I let out a 2 bed in zone 6, SW, 20 min from Waterloo for 1500 so a gist chunk above 1200

Pinner, Eastcote, Ruislip?
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-48228583.html

I've got a mate living in Balham, paying 1200 a month for a one bed.

My brother lived just a bit further down the road until he moved at Christmas, and he was paying a portion of £1700 a month for a bedroom in a three bed flat share.

I'm not sure about getting two bedrooms for £1200. A one bed these days basically starts at £1000 because they assume it's for a couple, so charge double. I think for a two bed you will be looking at a minimum of 1300-1400. But 1500 wouldn't surprise me.

If you're in the tfl zones, trains aren't more expensive than the tube. They're also significantly more pleasant most of the time. I think if you could get past your dislike of them, you'd be able to find what you're looking for.