DS (22) - New job in London - Live at home initially or rent?

[CornflakeMum]

DS (22) will be starting a new graduate job in London this summer. He will have a good salary (£50k) and will be working in the Chiswick area.
He's beginning to think about his options, which are obviously his choice, but I'd be interested in perspectives from people whose DC might have done the same.
Key consideration is that we live in the London commuter zone, and while it's not a great journey (2 changes) he could commute from home in just over an hour door to door.
Another factor is that he's already been told he will be in the office a maximum of 3 days a week and expected to work from home the rest.

He seems dead set on 'getting his own place' before he starts work. DH and I are trying to encourage him to not rush into things, but to consider commuting/staying in a Premier Inn 3 nights etc for a while until he gets a feel for the company/ the area/ where his colleagues live etc.

Any wisdom/ thoughts?

@VanCleefArpels

He will not have anything “grotty” on that salary. For context my DC on graduation got a job at less than half that salary and rents a really nice studio in SE London for £800pcm. Your son will be able to afford a “proper” one bed flat on his income. Commuting to the sticks is miserable at the best of times. Train companies have reduced services due to Covid /fewer passengers especially late at night. He would not be able to properly participate in work and social life if having half an eye on the train timetable.

The commute from SE London (where there are cheaper flats available) to Chiswick would likely take longer than commuting from outside London.

Chiswick/Ealing/Acton you’d be looking at £550-£750 for a room in a shared house and well over £1,000 for self contained.

@longestlurkerever my point was that you can still enjoy the benefits of London, going out etc even without living there. I could more understand living in central if you’re working there and don’t mind spending all your money on rent, but it doesn’t make sense to commute from there to Chiswick. Living in Chiswick is not exactly a step up from suburbia for a 20 something, it’s a place to raise a family rather than a young person’s area imo. My friends who do live in London almost exclusively live in east London - but again that would be a hassle to get to Chiswick. My sister lives in Acton in a pretty grimy place but she’s a student and only lives there for proximity to UWL rather than by choice!

Does he have friends in London already OP? That might help him figure out what areas he would prefer

@comefromaway I know geography is not ideal for OP’s son. My point was that small flat does not necessarily mean grotty especially on more than twice the salary!!

We're not completely in the sticks -we're in the TfL fare zone!

In fact DH & I met in our 20s and moved here and often got post-midnight trains home. DH commuted into London and I drove South to work.
Before that I lived in Clapham and that could take 40 mins from central London!

OP. You obviously have strong views about what he ought to be doing but nothing I hear about his plan makes me think it's daft or unworkable so I just don't get why you're so bothered? Surely trying things out is how he'll work out who he is? The experience with the housemate has led him to decide he wants to live alone. He may or may not decide living alone is everything he hoped it would be but either way he will learn from it. From what you say it sounds a less risky plan than attempting to recreate your happy experience living with colleagues. What if he falls out with them?

What about trying three months in one of these coliving spaces? It might give him chance to find his feet before getting a more permanent place. coliving.com/spaces/xxorrsth

Where does a 22-year-old graduate find a £50k job! That’s what I’d like to know.

I recently read about a 'lodger/host' matching service called Doctor in the House. So, young professional arrives in a city, needs a decent place close-ish to work, doesn't have the time or will to tramp around looking, it's flexible on length of tenancy and basically you find a place in someone's house via the web-based business. It might be quite self-contained, or you might use the family kitchen. I had a quick look and the places look very nice (obviously, they show the best).

Would that work while he finds his feet? He could live independently of you but without being tied in to a 12 month contract.

Congratulations to him, he sounds very well sorted, at least career and money wise - maybe some more independent living will help him mature on the friend/social front?