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Original poster

Sick of Manchester rental costs

170 replies

Cinammonroll · 19/01/2023 10:07

I know it's one of the biggest cities and there are many jobs here, but it's just not affordable to rent.
I take home about £1750 net per month, I'm looking for a better paid job.
If we're supposed to be spending roughly a third of our pay on accommodation.. the most I could afford would be a houseshare, or a small bedsit with everything in one room.
If you want a flat that's more affordable, you're looking at approx 10 miles away from the city centre. Even flats in inner city undesirable areas are expensive.
I live with my partner luckily and split costs. However our rent has just increased by £175 pcm. Yes we'll get a small payrise in April, but it doesn't match the costs.
I've just been on rightmove and looked at rent in places like Blackpool. I know it's a more deprived area, but rent is astronomically cheaper than Manchester.
I'm contemplating leaving the city, obviously depemds on my partner too but it's just not affordable at all.
We went to view a crappy 1 bed flat for 575 without any utilities or council tax, and were told we were one of 12 visits that afternoon.
Has anybody else found this and decided to move to a cheaper area?

OP posts:
IhearyouClemFandango · 19/01/2023 11:00

575 isn't extortionate, most people then pay bills on top?

Original poster
Cinammonroll · 19/01/2023 11:02

575 because it was 12 miles out of the city centre and the size of a shoebox, and above a shop. Then council tax, god knows what for electricity, water, internet etc. So probably a grand. And yes between us 500 each is affordable. But for a single person on my salary that wouldn't be. That's what's depressing.

OP posts:
roarfeckingroarr · 19/01/2023 11:03

£575 between two people sounds like a bloody good deal. About the same I paid for a room while at university in the SW over 12 years ago.

Original poster
Cinammonroll · 19/01/2023 11:04

575 because it's in Wigan borough, nowhere near Manchester really. It was a tiny flat, and the council tax and bills will be a few hundred on top. One tidy one bed flat for 2 people. It's really not that good a deal.

OP posts:
Devineursula · 19/01/2023 11:06

It seems astonishingly low to me but 🤷‍♀️

BabyMoonPie · 19/01/2023 11:07

This was on the MEN website last week....

Sick of Manchester rental costs
Ifailed · 19/01/2023 11:08

One tidy one bed flat for 2 people. It's really not that good a deal.

OP, people keep telling you it is a good deal in the current climate. Welcome to 2023.

Appleblum · 19/01/2023 11:09

Cinammonroll · 19/01/2023 10:54

That's 575 just for the rent though, council tax is high here, then bills, wifi, insurance etc .

But these are all bills you have to pay no matter where you live?

It still sounds affordable to me.

Snowpaw · 19/01/2023 11:09

What about Radcliffe? Has a tram stop. Bit grim in places but your money might go further there?

Cuppasoupmonster · 19/01/2023 11:09

Devineursula · 19/01/2023 11:00

£575???

that seems unbelievably cheap to me!!!

Same and I’m in a town in the South West! The north has it good compared to the south in this way…

RedToothBrush · 19/01/2023 11:10

Cinammonroll · 19/01/2023 10:20

I work in North Manchester and partner works in city centre. I'd have no issue living in Oldham but it's difficult for him getting home late.

There was an article in the Manchester Evening News last week about rental prices in each borough in Greater Manchester.

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/property/what-now-costs-rent-home-25936813?int_source=amp_continue_reading&int_medium=amp&int_campaign=continue_reading_button#amp-readmore-target

There were some surprises in there for me. It's not about how far from the city centre you live. Some boroughs are markedly more expensive. And not necessarily the ones you'd expect -
Bury and Oldham come out really unfavorably.

That suggests to me, something more about a 'captive market' in these boroughs which people in others having more opportunities to get onto the property market still either because they are on higher wages or house prices are comparatively low. Bury and Oldham scream low wages and high house prices which are trapping people who want to stay in their community.

The obvious point here is, that moving within Greater Manchester - not necessarily further away - is perhaps what people should look at doing. That's always going to be much more difficult for families.

But yes, the Manchester Evening Report opened my eyes and showed me something, I really wasn't expecting to see and I do think is worth passing on and encouraging people to reflect on. It's not the same across the city by any means.

Cuppasoupmonster · 19/01/2023 11:10

Ifailed · 19/01/2023 11:08

One tidy one bed flat for 2 people. It's really not that good a deal.

OP, people keep telling you it is a good deal in the current climate. Welcome to 2023.

Yes but we can only advise on her current situation which is relative, we can’t ‘empower’ her to change the economy.

Sechskrügelgasse · 19/01/2023 11:13

Cinammonroll · 19/01/2023 11:04

575 because it's in Wigan borough, nowhere near Manchester really. It was a tiny flat, and the council tax and bills will be a few hundred on top. One tidy one bed flat for 2 people. It's really not that good a deal.

It's not a good deal no. It's an entirely reasonable market rent though. My old 1 bed flat was £500, then council tax, utilities, internet was on top of that. It completely normal! You're not going to find anywhere, in reasonable condition, for less than £550 now.

Original poster
Cinammonroll · 19/01/2023 11:14

Yes I agree it's an alright deal for 2 people really. But I mean for a single person on a salary like mine it wouldn't be which is worrying.

OP posts:
Original poster
Cinammonroll · 19/01/2023 11:15

I think the whole 'only spend a third of your income on rent' isn't realistic for a lot of people sadly.

OP posts:
Cuppasoupmonster · 19/01/2023 11:16

My house share was £500 plus bills, this was an ‘average’ area of Bristol. Not even an en suite!

RedToothBrush · 19/01/2023 11:16

Also, rental prices drop massively outside the city limits. There are some really nice places around the city which are much lower rents than the city itself. To the point that it's shocked me. The catch is you often need to drive (though not always). Three bed houses in Knutsford which does have a train line into Manchester come out really favourably compared to somewhere like Gorton. I'm guessing it's because demand for rentals lower.

I do think it shows it makes little sense. Clearly there are some landlords out there who are making a packet.

Supertatato · 19/01/2023 11:17

£575?!? Funking hell, I think I'll move to Manchester. I live 56 miles from the center of London and the cheapest one bedroom flat around here is £875

xogossipgirlxo · 19/01/2023 11:17

"We went to view a crappy 1 bed flat for 575 without any utilities or council tax, and were told we were one of 12 visits that afternoon."

It is cheap, IMO. You won't get anything cheaper, unless rural area that isn't very nice (I don't mean places with cottages and nice high streets).

Devineursula · 19/01/2023 11:18

So is your concern about your situation or single people?

either way… you’re on a very decent rental in relation to just your monthly take home alone!

RedToothBrush · 19/01/2023 11:19

Supertatato · 19/01/2023 11:17

£575?!? Funking hell, I think I'll move to Manchester. I live 56 miles from the center of London and the cheapest one bedroom flat around here is £875

Wages are lower up north though. And public transport costs more (yes really) though it looks like Burnham will fix that. It's not as simple as it sounds.

Sechskrügelgasse · 19/01/2023 11:19

Cinammonroll · 19/01/2023 11:14

Yes I agree it's an alright deal for 2 people really. But I mean for a single person on a salary like mine it wouldn't be which is worrying.

You're not single so what's your point?

Even if you were, on your sole income, after rent you'd still have over £1k a month left to cover the bills and extras. That isn't unusual.

Nw22 · 19/01/2023 11:19

575 is very cheap.

I work in central Manchester and no one I work with has a commute under half an hour.

Devineursula · 19/01/2023 11:19

Cinammonroll · 19/01/2023 11:15

I think the whole 'only spend a third of your income on rent' isn't realistic for a lot of people sadly.

But you alone are spending less than a third of your take home!!

and that’s not even including your partner’s!!

DownInTheDumpster · 19/01/2023 11:19

biedrona · 19/01/2023 10:59

575 for 2 people? That's not a lot, sorry

I agree with this. I mean it kindly OP and obviously if it’s what you can afford that’s what it is but expecting to pay less than £300/month for housing pp is extremely low these days especially if you want to live in a popular city centre location.
We paid £1450 a month for a small flat above a takeaway in london 7 years ago!! Manchester still seems cheap to me 😂