Working at Bank/Canary Wharf - where to get a flat?

[thetroutpout]

Hi, my DH has to work in London for a year or so. He will be based in bank and canary wharf, he wants to rent or possibly buy a flat, where do you reckon would be good places to look as we don't really know London at all? Needs to be safe, not too expensive, not too far from work. Thanks!

I would personally live in Greenwich - lovely place, very safe, and the DLR will take you right to either Canary Wharf or Bank. How much do you want to spend?

If you search Rightmove for SE10 that's where I mean - but you would want to be able to walk to the DLR (although you can tube from North Greenwich - but I wouldn't live in the millenium village as it feels quite isolated to me - altho there are some lovely flats there and quite reasonably priced).

Or live in Canary Wharf itself...? Different blocks seem to be differently priced. Don't know it well though sorry, we lived in Blackheath (but Greenwich is better connected for transport).

South east london - Greenwich, Brockley, Forest Hill etc all within about 30mins commute time, or closer there are some reasonably (for London!) priced places on the Isle of Dogs (where canary wharf is) or around Rotherhithe (some parts around there are a bit dodgy but around Rotherhithe station/along the river there is quite nice). Entirely depends on what he's looking for 1/2bed etc and budget...

Hi thanks, do you think if he bought something like www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-38725469.html he could rent out a room to help pay the mortgage? How much do you reckon someone would pay to rent a room in a shared place like this? Thanks - being a bit cheeky asking all these questions, we are going down there next week to see some agents. Ta.

I don't know that area sorry, but I think you can search for room rentals on Rightmove and also check out the flatmate finder site (name of which escapes me.... google rent a room). I don't know anyone who has rented a room in London, but my understanding is that there is significant demand esp for weeknight rentals for those who work there in the week then go home at weekends.

This is a nice area. But it is quite small.... Still, central Greenwich is very lovely and it's close to good transport for where your husband will be working. Close to Greenwich park and lots of restaurants/bars/shops too. The Cheeseboard on Royal Hill do a fine cheese, and the butchers there is excellent too.

That area you linked to op isn't great tbh, we looked at some houses around there and I didn't feel very safe there (no doubt someone else will be along soon to say they found it fine - everyone has different views on parts of London)

You'd get a lot more for your money in Brockley - eg m.rightmove.co.uk/quickPage.html;jsessionid=10CF89C8F177C38AFE1B7EC8E29AC269?page=8&cc=html5%2Fhomepage.html%3Fpid%3D38725469%26goto%3DRESALE_PROPERTY_DETAILS#details 10min max walk to dlr station or direct trains to cannon st (v close to bank) from st johns or overground from brockley

Check out the rental costs on right move or have a look at a website like monday to Friday to give you an idea of likely rental income. As long as it's within 10/15mins of decent transport links and the room is in reasonable condition then it should be easy to rent. The rental market is pretty fast moving and there's a lot of demand.

Sorry link didn't work, try this

www.kfh.co.uk/residential/flats-for-sale/london-brockley-se4-wickham-road/2104307/

"not too expensive, not too far from work."

Bit of a problem there.

How about Surrey Quays/Canada Water/Rotherhithe? Easy hop on the Jubilee line to Canary Wharf and a bit less expensive than the north side of the river. We lived in SQ for 7 years and loved it, and it's even better connected now the East London Line is extended.

Some examples of poss properties thereabouts:

We lived near this development - v affordable and rentable:
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-34853290.html

This block was being completely refurbed a few years back. Looks pretty nice now, is right by the river, great views:
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-38282234.html

Further around near Rotherhithe - def worth a look:
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-38936015.html

Right by the marina:
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-38282129.html

Any of those would be way nicer than Mile End I reckon. And cheaper!

Agree that Surrey Quays area would be good to look at. We lived on the edge of one of the docks (not in one of the blocks linked above, but in the next one along) for 7 years and DH worked in Canary Wharf and the City during that time, whilst I was in the City.

If you live near to the marina, it gives the additional transport option of the Thames Clipper from Greenland Quay pier - two minutes to Canary Wharf pier. DH loved having a commute of 10 mins door-to-door.

Hi, thanks, some great ideas here. Thinking that buying a place and renting out a room to someone else might make sense, then we can sell it on afterwards (but that's kind of assuming prices in London are going to continue to rise). Otherwise you are paying out money to help someone else pay their mortgage. Just thinking of the potential downside though - gorgeous swedish female lodger? I would have to be allowed to vet them!

ooh we used to live in Wickham Road, Brockley, there are some truly lovely properties there and St John's station is just down the road.

I built Canary Wharf.

Well not all by myself obviously, but was there in my hard hat and stilletto's picking my way through the mud for the infrastructure stage.

I lived in Ilford and Barking during that time. It was an OK commute and much cheaper than nearer the site. Didn't like the DLR though. Gave me the heebie geebies being up high.

Mind you this was in the late 80s, early 90s when a one bed flat in Ilford cost 50,000.... might not be as cheap any more.

I would look along the East London Line - Honor Oak Park and Forest Hill would lbe good places to consider

DH works in city and CW. The Isle of Dogs and Narrow street around Limehouse are literally within walking distance to Canary Wharf and has loads of playgroups/ city farm/ parks for kids. The other places which are nice close to CW/ Bank and which are short bus or cycle commutes are Wapping and St Katherines Dock. www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-23593890.html
Expect to pay around £500pw for a 2 bedroom flat a bit more for one with a river view ( worth it though!). Living in these places means you really save on transport costs so can spend more on accomodation. If you're going to be only here for a year living close to work and very close to the centre of London and by the river will mean you make the most the city has to offer.

By the way is it only your dh that will be staying there?

I think there was mention of a beautiful Swede?

Hi thanks yes it would just be DH and a lodger, me and the DC's are going to stay put as it is not a permanent job, just for a year or so. And obviously yes the beautiful swede. NOT!!

partly off topic, but I hope you will be able to spend at leat one night a week together as well as the weekends

I have worked away from home a lot, and had lots of colleagues doing the same, and it is not helpful to home relationships. Even without a root vegetable.

Trout - I do hope you have done the maths properly because from where I'm looking at buying a flat in London just now would seem madness. I despair when people trot out this "renting is dead money" shite.

I second Rotherhide/Surry Quays however I stayed in Shad Thames which is a bit nearer Tower Bridge, is walking distance to the City and can get to Canary Wharf by river boat or DLR.

I really liked the area as it was a bit smaller and felt more secure than Surrey Quays and I could walk to work. The only downside was the number of tourists strolling over Tower Bridge as I was either trying to get to work on time or dying to get home and put my feet up!

there are a lot of new flats being built in Bermondsey atm and the area is quite up-and-coming / trendy in parts...there are only 2 stops on the Jubilee Line to Canary Wharf, and you can get the train to London Bridge then walk over it to get to Bank...

I wouldn't do Rotherhithe which has nothing very much in the surrounding area. We looked there about a decade ago and it hasn't changed much at all. Some of the roads next to the river are nice but why travel to Canary Wharf when you can live there? I live a few minutes' walk from Canary Wharf, there are hundreds of shops, bars, free, easy parking for Waitrose at one end and Tesco at the other. There are many green spaces and docks, a huge piece of land called Mudchute Farm with a tearoom, horse riding, animals for children to visit and touch. There's also a watersports centre for windsurfing and sailing on the Millwall Dock. There's also a cinema and Docklands Museum with mornings for children. The gastro pub called The Gun is also lovely. Twenty minutes to Bond Street on the Jubilee Line and really close to Spitalfields, Hoxton, Hackney and all the fashionable areas. Early on a Saturday morning I can drive to Covent Garden via the Savoy within 20 minutes too!

I know someone who lets a flat on the Isle of Dogs, that's the loop of land that contains Canary Wharf. It isn't in a gated development but in very good condition within a 3 storey building of flats. She lets it for £285 per week for a one bed in a private road near a dock. A gated development will be more as you're often paying for sitting in the landscaped areas, concierge taking in your parcels, cctv, gym and sauna. River views have an added premium, it will be around £350-£400 for a 1 bed.

If you have any questions, just ask

This should link to the shops and restaurants in the area.

www.mycanarywharf.com

I worked in a bank there and lived there in a flat. It was perhaps the single most soulless depressing experience of my entire life.

Sorry that I cannot add anything constructive, and I hope you do find somewhere nice to live, but if DH can find a job somewhere else, even if it is less money, I would encourage him to take it.

With the way the housing market is going and a 2 bed flat near canary wharf from. £200-250,000 I'd be tempted to just rent a room for the year rather than buy.