To say this would be enough?

[LeopardPrint12]

Joint income of 32K to live in a 1 bed flat in Surrey.
Just trying to help advise someone.

Surrey is a big place. In some parts it would be enough, in others, not. Many agents stipulate that you must have an annual income of e.g. 30 times the monthly rent, but your friend would need to check exact requirements with each, and it would also depend on their other financial outgoings. Where are they looking to live?

For starters joint income of £32k suggests one or both are working PT so assume there’s a child or some additional needs involved? And then Surrey is a potentially very expensive part of the world but there’s a big difference between a 1 bed flat in Weymouth & a 1 bed flat in Waverley!. It’s roughly £2,200 take home a month so take a middle ground location like Redhill and you’re looking at £1,200pcm plus £110 c/tax which leave £900 for gas, electric, water, food, travel expenses - I mean doable I guess but I’d say to sufficient to exist not live.

KT16 area

I doubt it unless you have a substantial deposit

The cheapest one bedroom flats in KT16 currently on Rightmove are at the £1,100-£1,200 mark. They may just scrape affordability calculations, but it would be entirely dependent on each agent’s individual criteria. Even if they did, it doesn’t leave a lot leftover for other essential outgoings like council tax, utilities, commuting costs let alone anything else. One or both of the couple needs to increase their earnings.

This.

Can they both work full time? Also worth doing a benefit check as could be entitled to help with rent or childcare.

But would depend on additional costs, do they need to run a car or even two? How many DC? Commuting length etc.

You'll struggle...

1-bed flat (around 220 k on Zoopla)
Take home pay is 2 x (from £17,500) is £2,700 per month (thesalarycalculator)

Best guess?:
£400 food - say ~5 x £80
£200 car/fuel
£250 utilities
£50 phone
£30 broadband/tv
£100 (guess) council tax
£1200 mortgage? - That's supposedly the average

Odd bits n bobs, that's £10 spare a day?

I'm online for these figures, so could be way off in some.

They had a 30K deposit and the flat is 180K

I can’t see that working out. Can they do anything to increase their income? Increase hours if part time, second jobs?

Yes I think they will have to get a second job.
What are peoples general opinion as to what salary is needed?
You can see why single people would find it so tough in this area.

Generally mortgage lenders will lend up to 4.5x salary - so for a £180k flat with a £30k deposit they’re not too far off what would be required in terms of income - although again, the figure lenders are actually prepared to lend depends on circumstances and outgoings. They can approach a mortgage broker for a decision in principle to get a better idea of affordability.

Assuming this is a couple where one (both?) is only working part-time, is there a reason they aren’t looking for a full-time position rather than a second job? Two people working full time even on minimum wage would be bringing in almost £48,000 jointly at least. Some lenders are wary about counting income from second jobs in the same way, due to sustainability.

They don't need a 2nd job op they just both need to work full time. As another poster has pointed out, 2 x minimum wage would be £45k+ and one of them (whoever 'they' are as you've been very vague) are clearly not working full time.

And now you've said it's to purchase a flat I'll say definitely not as you need to add insurance plus service charge and will need to cover any home emergency expenses.