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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

How unreasonable am I being to consider spending this much on rent?

179 replies

Nicebucket · 22/08/2015 03:21

I'll try to keep this brief, even though I'd love to have a moan and a rant.

I've moved back to London recently (job transfer) and I'm hunting for a flat. I've lived in London before for 3 years as a student, so I am familiar with the city.

I'm going mad searching for a flat!!! I'm working in Canary Wharf and anything close to work is hideously expensive.

I would really prefer to live alone if I can (or maybe share with just one other person) but obviously that's very expensive.

I saw a studio flat today that's about 10-15 mins from work, near Crossharbour and its for £1300 a month with all bills included. The additional bills I will have after this are the Oyster card, phone and Internet.

The studio was tiny, but modern and in a really peaceful area.

Am i being crazy to even consider this?!

I could get by if I got this flat, but just barely. I wouldn't be able to save anything and wouldn't have money left over for luxuries.

Is it worth it? My colleagues and friends tease me mercilessly for being too much of a princess to share, but I've had such terrible experiences in the past with flat mates! One of them stole my stuff and disappeared

Also, I'd make a terrible flat mate. (Seriously!) I dislike noise and mess and Since you can't avoid that with flat mates, I'd be an awful nag. I literally hate noise and parties, even on weekends. I'm so dead tired from work, I just want to sleep or have a nice, peaceful day. I love my own space Sad

Is there any hope for me? Is it even possible to live alone in London and still manage to save some mkney?!

OP posts:
JawannaDrink · 29/08/2015 15:14

You've chosen to live in pretty much the most expensive city on the planet. You want the luxury of living alone, AND you want to be incredibly picky about what area you live in.
Frankly you don't really get to complain about how hard it all is. You want to live a lifestyle you can't afford. Thats a problem you have made for yourself, its not the governments fault, or anyone elses.

bittapitta · 29/08/2015 16:59

OP you've misread/misunderstood BitterAnds post. The example given was 2 people sharing in the area you want paying £650 a month - instead of 2x£650 pm which is what 1 person living in that property would pay. They have "saved" themselves £650/pm.

poocatcherchampion · 29/08/2015 17:11

Have you said what your take home is yet?

Original poster
Nicebucket · 30/08/2015 10:27

I don't want to post my salary on the main thread, but if someone feels they can better advise once they know what it is, I'll PM it to you.

JawannaDrink-

A lot of people don't really get a straightforward choice about where they'll live. Not everyone living in London is living there by choice. So while it isn't anybody's fault at all, I do think that's it's a bit unacceptable that hard working, reasonably well off people in their late twenties and thirties are being forced to live like 18 year old students or being resigned to tiny depressing studios in unsafe areas with high crime rates. Even New York has rent controlled apartments.
Secondly, there are also people who love London and are actually forced to leave because they just can't afford the living cost. Again, this is unfair and definitely something the government should look at a bit more deeply.

Anyway, we distress!

I viewed both options 1 and 2.

Option 2 for £1250 is way over my budget, but the landlord said he'll have something much cheaper to show me this week. So I'm hopeful about that.

Option 1 was actually quite lovely. I know it sounds unusual to have people living long term in a place without a tenancy agreement, but I spoke to loads of young professionals who were living there. The on site management is great, as is the on site gym etc. The studio was small, but it has everything and it was bright and cheerful not depressing at all.

I'll see what cheaper option the agent can show me next week before I decide.

OP posts:
Original poster
Nicebucket · 30/08/2015 10:27

I meant digress not distress! Sorry, autocorrect!

OP posts:
Branleuse · 30/08/2015 10:33

fucking hell, i only live 55mins outside of liverpool st on the train and that pokeystudio flat is £400 a month more than my gorgeous 4 bed victorian house with garden. commuting fares can be a lot, but you wouldnt even have to go that far out, and youd save money and it wouldnt necessarily make your journey longer

grapejuicerocks · 30/08/2015 10:45

I'd find a room in a house that is owned by the person that lived there. When you view you will see whether they take pride in their home and you can gauge the quietness of their lifestyle. Just you and a nice homeowner.

JawannaDrink · 30/08/2015 10:50

You are living there by choice, and you want to live in Bayswater, so your plight of the poor unfortunates spiel rings a little hollow.

Artandco · 30/08/2015 11:03

You are looking in wrong places

This place just over 1/2 mile from plumsted station is on zoopla.

£950 pcm (£219 pw)
1 bed flat to rent
Plum Lane, London, Greater London. SE18

Original poster
Nicebucket · 30/08/2015 11:04

JawannaDrink-

Umm, I don't WANT to live in Bayswater. It's 1 hour away from work, believe me I'd rather stay somewhere closer. But perhaps you don't realise that it's difficult to find a studio with bills included in london, but in Bayswater/Queensway they're quite common. And £1000-£1,100 with ALL bills included is not bad. I know friends who share and pay more.

I'll ask you respectfully to please leave my thread if you're only here to criticise without making an effort to understand the situation or what I'm trying to say. You also sound a bit resentful yourself, and I can't understand why.

OP posts:
Original poster
Nicebucket · 30/08/2015 11:05

Artandco-

Thanks! That looks good. However, that rent is quoted without bills. With bills, it will come to £1000-£1,100 which is exactly the same as what I'd pay I'm the places I've viewed.

OP posts:
Artandco · 30/08/2015 11:05

Here
m.zoopla.co.uk/to-rent/details/37930836?resignedin=true

Has own garden and private driveway. Can walk to either Woolwich arsenal on dlr or plumstead station both within 15 mins

Original poster
Nicebucket · 30/08/2015 11:13

Thanks again!

Like I said earlier, it's £950 with no bills. And it's unfurnished. So if I factor in bills and the cost of furniture, it'll cost me the same as the studio for £1,100 with everything included. In fact, the studio has no deposit on it so it works out cheaper.

OP posts:
Artandco · 30/08/2015 11:13

Yes but £1100 is £200 less a month than the others you said were £1300, plus commuting fees less so savings. You could cycle to Canary Wharf from there also saving commuting fees

Original poster
Nicebucket · 30/08/2015 11:17

I already said that I'm on longer even looking at the ones for £1300.

The studio I mentioned is £1100 with everything included, unlimited Elevtric, council tax, water, heating and even Internet and gym membership.

I don't think I'd be able to cycle to Canary Wharf from Woolwich Arsenal if I'm being perfectly honest with you. And in maximum a couple more months, the weather might not permit it anyway.

It's a great flat, don't get me wrong! I personally don't think it is more economical than my other option though.

OP posts:
ninetynineonehundred · 30/08/2015 11:20

Second the Lewisham idea. It's perfect for canary wharf, 20 mins on the dlr and much much cheaper.

Artandco · 30/08/2015 11:23

Studio, lewisham. 5 mins walk to two dlr stops direct to Canary whalf. £800 a month. That's £500 cheaper than origanal post

m.zoopla.co.uk/to-rent/property/london/sandrock-road/#/to-rent/details/15985998?search_identifier=4909f67a01f6bd7ecfcaff6f8157b2fe

Original poster
Nicebucket · 30/08/2015 11:48

Two things-

All the rents I've quoted are with every possible bill included. So keep that in mind (for example, if you factor in bills, the Lewisham flat is not £500 cheaper)

Secondly, let's forget the £1300 option, it's off the table.

The one I'm considering at the minute is £1,100 with ALL bills included.

OP posts:
Original poster
Nicebucket · 30/08/2015 11:50

Lewisham option looks fantastic- electric bills included too. I'm viewing this one Monday!!

OP posts:
Artandco · 30/08/2015 12:04

The lewisham one is £800 including gas and electric

Original poster
Nicebucket · 30/08/2015 12:40

Lavenderhoney-

You're right, I'm sure there are. But finding such people is harder than you'd imagine. Most people who rent shared accommodation actually don't even end up meeting all of their flatmates in advance, let alone getting to know them. So while I'm sure similar minded people exist, I wouldn't know either way until it was too late.

I'm thinking of taking up a studio for a while and then expanding my network to find potential flatmates. At the moment, I have 5 days to find something which isn't enough to get to know people, find suitable flatmates etc.

So if I sign on for something for 6 months and use that time to look for other professionals who want to share.

I've already sent word around the office, but I wasn't able to find anyone else who's looking for a flatmate at this time.

OP posts:
Original poster
Nicebucket · 30/08/2015 12:42

Artandco-

Yep, thanks for spotting that one :-) I'm definitely viewing this flat on Monday/Tuesday. I'd been looking at Lewisham for a while, but I couldn't find anything. This looks good

OP posts:
Original poster
Nicebucket · 30/08/2015 18:41

Also meant to add- a lot of these ads for cheaper studios are complete hoaxes! I've called agencies to enquire about them and they are inevitably "gone" (even if the ad was put up less than 24 hours ago)

And then magically, the only flat the agency happens to have available is more expensive.

OP posts:
Original poster
Nicebucket · 06/09/2015 11:30

Still nothing :-(

I don't know if it's supposed to be his hard, or if I'm doing something terribly wrong.

OP posts:
JessieMcJessie · 06/09/2015 11:52

What went wrong with the Lewisham one?