...to wonder how the hell anyone on an average wage manages to rent in London?

[jonrotten]

I hate renting. Really fucking hate it but have no choice.

Dh works full time earning 30k. He works for a London borough, pretty good job with good prospects.

We live in a west London suburb. A three bed house flat goes anywhere from £1,600 pcm to £2,200 for somewhere that isn't a shit hole.

We claim top up housing benefit which means we can afford £1700. But no one will take you on with even partial housing benefit.

It's crazy. We can't move further afield as even within a 30 mile radius prices are still high and Dh would spend so much getting to work that it wouldn't be worth it (he has very good prospects where he is so its worth his while to stay).

I am so pissed off at the moment.

Ah I see so ds's father is not your dh? Sorry I thought it was the same person. But he can't legally stop you from moving? Do you share custody of your ds?

No you don't sound annoying!

Short term yes a move would be best. But long term there is ds job my uni and work placements, ds school.

Dh father (my ex) is a massive knob determined to make my life as hard as possible.

Sympathies OP, your situation sounds very very restrictive. Most people can move to cheaper areas - south is way more affordable than west. And I guess it'd make a big difference if both of you worked. Plus the situation with your son's school and his dad seems to make constructive suggestions redundant. Not picking holes, just saying in response to your title, there are lots of ways that people manage to rent in London, but your situation is much more frustrating. In a market where landlords can pick and choose, it's extremely tough for HB claimants. My friend (single mum on HB) found landlords on Gumtree more flexible than those she tried through agencies.

It's not really a matter of bedrooms.....m.no one would rent us a two bed either. This place is a pit but we feel lucky to have it.

Can you not just say to DS' father that you've been given notice on your current place and you're having to move? He can't dictate you having to spend a certain amount on rent that you haven't got. Unless he wants to pay more in maintenance, that is. I will never understand people fussing over travel in London; it is SO easy! We are SO well connected; your DS' dad wants to try living in Cornwall . I used to make a 3 hour round trip to work and back; I'd do twice that to see my son.

South Norwood looks good; also think about Surrey rather than actual London; we are 20 minutes from Waterloo on the train and rent wise, we do pretty well. £2k a month for a 4 bed large semi with a huge garden with 2 outstanding schools within half a mile. The secondary in catchment is also a good.

I think the secret is commuter belt housing and then putting up with an hour or so to work and back. It's no longer practical to have work on your doorstep. It's how it is for many people.

I wish moving was the easy answer. Personally would love to move to the welsh capital but it's the usual reasons family etc and probably far more expensive than where I'm from.

So, I can understand where you are coming from.

I can't get my head around what you are paying for a flat. It's crazy money. Where I live you could buy yourselves a four or five bed house in a lovely area.

You haven't utmost sympathy op and others in a similar situation.

I'm guessing there are a lot of flats to rent in your preferred area?

When ive been looking ive been deliberately looking at the ones that have been on for a while.

There are quite a few private landlords on Rightmove, they're less likely to look at your income and think you can't afford it. Your bank statements will show you can afford to pay the full rent. Obviously you can't really afford it as you have to eat

But you need to just get the top up benefit without them knowing.

I have every sympathy, you're in a crap situation

And stay where you are as much as you can.

Btw...not all landlords are evil, conniving sons and daughters of Satan.

I'm a landlord for two properties belonging to elderly relatives. One rent I've pegged at £600 PCM for a three bed with garden and garage and the other £425 for same without garage and have such lovely tenants it will break my heart. To have to get themto move when it's time to sell the houses.

I probably could get more but it's not worth the hassle. One keeps putting down new carpets and I keep telling her to stop but she won't listen!

I like to treat people fairly. It's their home and I want them to be happy.

Go smaller. We are in a1 bed with 4 and 5 year old. Mainly as saving for large deposit on house soon. That's with both of us working full time in high tax bracket.

I would look at a 2 bed flat. Youngest can share easily with you a few more years yet. In the meantime your dh hopefully gets promoted and maybe you start work

Also (and I hope this doesn't sound twatty) - your husband is only (!) earning 30k a year in a very expensive part of London so that means his 'prospects' aren't yet realised, he's not far enough up the ladder to move jobs?

I would be doing everything to keep him in that job if it has a good future.

That's exactly it Laurie - he's oy been there three years, he's gone from 18k to 30k in that time as he's good at what he does and he has the most fabulous bosses who are really pushing him and letting him grow and have plans for him. He'd be daft to leave it.

We will have to stay here. It's actually a one bed. We just have a sofa and TV in the kitchen and we sleep with dd in what should be the lounge. We have no room to move in here! IKEA has been my best friend......

I just wish that landlords and agencies wouldn't just see HB and automatically say no without knowing full circumstances.

Like I said though it's not about the number of bedrooms - we pay £1300 for this place but still need the HB top up to live. It's the HB issue.

Surely we can't be the only family in this situation.

Artandco sorry to hijack OP thread.
How do you manage the logistics of housing/sleeping all of you in a one bed?
I'm pg with dc one and will be living in a one bed flat with dc and dp until we find a suitable and affordable home.
Any tips for storage or where you put your kids to sleep?

Mountain - we had x2 cotbeds until recently, just along one wall. We now have just bought a bunk bed. Our bed in the middle.
Main thing is just don't buy into all that baby/ child's stuff. Apart from cot beds we didn't buy much else for in house. Sorted our our clothes so theirs fitted in drawers already there, baskets under cot beds had spare bedding/ supplies/ out of season stuff, now the bunks have drawers under. Didn't buy bouncers/ bath seats/ etc, just sheepskin rug on floor that moved where needed.
Only buy small toys/ books/crafts that fit in baskets or a cupboard we have.
Living in London we don't feel that they need lots and lots of toys for entertainment, and our home isn't where we stay 24/7. We use all the parks and galleries and museums, have gym membership to swim often, and similar vibe. So we use outside space lots so that inside they are happy to not be able to run about.

Get a babyzen yoyo 0+ pram.folds tiny!

you could be eligible for share to buy - www.sharetobuy.com/firststeps

there arent many 3 bed tho except in odd places. like peckham. but check west london way on the site

Really feel for you. I'm mostly SAHP but do some self employed stuff and my DH has just qualified as an Architectt- this is the reason i've not been able to commit to a proper job as he was working as an Architectural Assistant all day and studying at night in the office and at weekends. We live in Brighton in our own 2 bedroom flat with a mortgage a lot less than your rent but we feel stuck. I have an 8 year old DS and 4 year old DD so we need a 3rd bedroom. We've thought about moving to Surrey so that I can get a job in London again and so that the Season ticket would make it worthwhile but we can't afford it! My DH works for a well known Architectural practice with offices in London and Brighton and is an Architect ffs, with 10 years experience but we can not afford to live comfortably- we both have debt from university, overdrafts, our DC have never been on holiday outside of the country, we hardly ever buy and clothes, we've both just had to borrow money from our parents for dentistry. I feel like it is one big con and despite our qualifications and working hard it doesn't make any difference, they are paying the 'market rate' apparently and tough shit- lets just help the very rich just get richer! I'll vote for anyone next week who can alter this scenario!

Wow Artandco you sound like the queen of making space work!
I definitely need to do a declutter of our own thingsvand put babies clothes in existing drawers.
It will work some how!
Where in London are you?
I'm North!

Central London here

That sounds like a very high rent. We are on the London/Surrey border and it's about £1300 for a three bedroom house. Area is nice. 20 minutes into London.

Seriously do look at Croydon though, much cheaper, lovely and green (in parts) but most importantly the overground now goes directly into Willesden Junction/Shepherds Bush - so easily commutable to W London (esp as doesn't go into Zone 1 so much cheaper) - plenty take folded bikes for onward commute.

I am sorry that ex is a knobhead but as you yourself have said you will need to move at some point, and surely it's better you take the initiative rather than being forced out?

Good luck

My road :D www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-17597763.html