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?

What rally said. The train thing is a bit irrational and it's costing you.

Not a chance in Balham. It was the area with the fastest rising prices in London last year. You'll struggle to get a 1 bed for that.

Furzedown, the bit in between Tooting/Balham/Streatham has some really excellent state schools, but is a bit of a transport black spot. But the right bits are walkable to Tooting Bec tube.

Personally, I'd rather rely on overland trains than the northern or district lines...

What about the East Dulwick end of Peckham? You've got the orange line (technically a tube!) as well as the fast trains into London Bridge. Great state schools and so many hipsters and trendy bars that you'll be very safe at night (partly because the streets are never quiet and partly because any decent mugger would be going after their new MacBooks and designer wallets )

You might find something within walking distance of High Barnet tube although it's probably more than half an hour into central London. Train travel is probably more pleasant than the Northern line.

East Dulwich is v expensive I was paying 1100 a month for a 2 bed flat there back in 2003; if you're looking in SE London (and is has a decent mainline train connection to London bridge) I'd try Forest Hill, Nunhead, New Cross, Peckham. Not sure why you want to limit yourself to tubes only, as you will see a direct correlation between properties on tube lines and higher rent

im 25 mins from charingcross by over ground train. i live in a 3 bed/ 2 reception rooms. my rent is 1100 a month.

I live on Walworth Road in a 2 bed for £1270 pcm. I don't think anyone would say it's lovely but I've never had any trouble here (3 years+) and so easy to get around it's great. It's not just the tube journeys though. There are tons of buses so wherever I am there's usually a bus/night bus to just get on and drop me off outside the door.

Which parts of Peckham are nice? I thought it was quite dangerous. I used to be hipsterish B.C. and own a macbook so what you are describing sounds like music to my ears ;-) How are state schools there?

Primary or secondary?

I wouldn't say that bromley/Sutton/coulsdon etc were within London but I'd think you could get something in z3 in the SE for your budget, especially in the forest hill/Sydenham areas - Sydenham has three stations and its between 15-20 minutes into town, either victoria or London Bridge.

Hmmm....I live just up the road from you (other end of KHR) and pay £1270 for a one bed flat. It is ground floor and has a garden but doesn't have dou le glazing and could hav done with a lick of paint three years ago when we moved in, let alone now!!

I think you need to revisit the trains question, because you're much more likely to get what you need in south London. I'm in Zone 6 - so on a travelcard on my Oyster and it was a revelation after years on the tube. Faster, less cramped, better ventilated, and every 10 minutes or so. Quite reliable - no worse than the Northern Line anyway.

I just looked locally and there are quite a few flats in that price range near goid schools and easy walk to the station. Surbiton isn't really London, though, so it depends how you feel about that. You'd definitely find somewhere in Sutton and similar, too.

I'd look at Penge/Sydenham/Forest Hill area - or further down the same line. Overground and quick to London.

And haggle for rental priced.

Don't forget you can get a monthly train ticket for specific stations to/from work and this might be cheaper than zoned travel passes.

Gosh, you don't get much for £1200pcm in London. A small 2 bed that you don't even own.

Have you looked into part rent part buy schemes? They would be a similar price monthly...

I don't know how many bedropms but the rent on this seens low

We pay £1300 in shitty Streatham which I hate, but its a 2 bedroom detached house with a garden (needed, cats), not a small flat, which we thought would be worth it with baby on the way. We couldn't even get a flat for that in Lewisham where we used to live and loved :(

Good lord. Please forgive my too many errors to forgive typos.

There is no way you'd get that in East Dulwich, or even Peckham now which fucks me off. My husband is from South London and we can barely afford to live in it.

That's a 2 bed peacoat the mortgage may not be extortionate but at £505,000 (market value) a 10% deposit would be just over £37,000 which is quite a lot of money!

Harrow area? Down the met/Piccadilly.

Minimum saving is around £8K. So you wouldn't need £37K.

I don't know how many beds you need but I'm looking at a potential 2 bed like this (to rent the 2nd room, even M-F). I have no savings but this looks reasonable in terms of upfront costs.

Disclaimer: i rent in East Dulwich. Gorgeous. But out of my price range to buy.

The £8k is to qualify for shared ownership. The deposit is required for the mortgage peacoat.

I don't think you need £37K.

Seriously I hope not. But also - I know 3 friends who've bought through shared ownership and they had no where near £37K.

You only need a mortgage on the 25%,and maybe only roughly 5% of the mortgage that you take out. It may be possible - at least, its worth investigating. My DP did this on £5K on a shared ownership - its now worth £300K.

Although he only owns 25% of the overall profit.

Update: spent the morning in Camberwell, Peckham and East Dulwich. Hated it. Sorry. I just love NW! Will try East Finchley tomorrow.

Oh no! Sorry you hated it. I used to live NW and I do love that part of town, probably more than ED where I am now. Just so expensive!

We pay £1025 pcm for a two-bedroomed house with garden in SW London (zone 3). We also have the lowest council tax in the country. We do commute by train, though, as the District Line is rubbish.