Talk to me about London living?

[iloveeverykindofcat]

Here's the situation - I'm a college lecturer in my late twenties with 2 cats. I'm currently working on a fantastic but temporary contract in Wales, after which I may have the opportunity of a central London position on about £36k. What kind of place would I be likely to rent for this? (Could live outside London and go in by tube). Could I make a deposit on anything? Could I get a garden for the kitties - their welfare is very important to me. Obviously the social scene would be amazing for me - I'm a vegetarian and huge alternative/post-punk music fan and I'm really missing the Cardiff scene where I am now, which is rural, but how would the rest of my life be? Thanks

[Sleepybeanbump]

Totally agree about finding another city where your money will go further. London is not so much fun with little disposable income and if you have to live far out because of the need for outside space for the cats then it's also not so much fun getting home.

[phoria]

Also it's very common for people in their 30s and 40s to be in house shares in London. Sad but true. It is a good way to meet people though if you're a newbie to the city.

SE is definitely one of the more affordable areas in London. I think you could find something on that salary.

[HeadDreamer]

I actually agree with the posters about looking for a different city. Academic salaries are very similar across the whole country, just with a London allowance. This means you get so much more as an academic in a cheaper city.

And 40min commute being average is absolute madness. I have what I consider a long commute here. It's 45-60min driving 35 miles! Most people around here have a much much shorter commute. And £2k for a 2 bed flat. You can get a 4 bed here too in the catchment of one of the best secondaries around.

The prices thrown around here are absolute madness.

[HeadDreamer]

It's might be true it's common to house share in your 30s and 40s in London. It doesn't make it pleasant though. And you are only doing it because it's so darn expensive.

[phoria]

HeadDreamer I'd say an average commute in London is an hour for most people

[bialystockandbloom]

W8 yes you have a point. I suppose I was not comparing London vs a.n.other city, but was talking about the merits or otherwise of SE compared to other parts of London. Being typically London-centric I'm afraid Maybe it's because [I'm a Londoner] other than university I've lived here all my life, couldn't consider living anywhere else in the UK.

But the parking thing is a bit of a red herring. Parking when you live there is either free or residents only. Meters in most parts outside very central area is usually under £3 ph, and the thing is there is a great thing called public transport I get the thing about finding a space, but the costs of running a car itself are basically the same.

[iloveeverykindofcat]

I would absolutely move to Leeds or Manchester if the post came up. Even if one of those reminds me of a somewhat creepy ex who said 'You are everything, the only thing I need' to me in the middle of the night a strange town and the theme from Psycho started playing in my head

[NotCitrus]

If you live in London you don't need a car, and if you want one can use Zipcar or hire one, so you can save say £1000 on the cost of insurance etc. If you can walk or cycle to work and thus not need a Travelcard, nor a car, then London suddenly becomes much more affordable.

There's cheapish places near E&C still, or SE London or even Colliers Wood or Tooting.

Other cities are available...

[kaputt]

I love artandcos 'Lewisham/Croydon'. That's like saying 'Notting Hill/Seven Sisters'. Take it you're not in the south much, art?

I earn £35k and we're lucky in that we were able to buy last year. I'd be in a flatshare otherwise, but it'd be a nice one, and as others have said plenty of nice reasonable adults (with pets) do it. You could live pretty much anywhere outside super-central, depending what kind of distance/niceness balance you want but SE is lovely and would be handy for work. Peckham/Brockley/New Cross all fab.

You'll be spending about £1000 a month on housing/bills I'd say, so I guess it depends if that seems like a horrifying reduction in quality of life. It's what I spend and I'm fine on it though!

[Whatthefoxgoingon]

Artandcos idiotic tarring of the entire SE postcode made me laugh. Ever hear of SE1? Waterloo? Dulwich village? Greenwich? Blackheath?

The SE postcode is, in parts, the most value for money area to buy in. Elephant and castle is well positioned. I'd definitely look throughout this postcode, in zone 4-5. I have always lived in NW London, there are plenty of shitholes around here too. Any long term Londoner can tell you our good and bad areas are cheek by jowl here.