Where to move for a two bed rental in London?

[OurMary]

So DD and her boyfriend moved to London 18 months ago for their first graduate jobs. They fell into the usual graduate trap of picking out a lovely 1 bed flat in zone 1 at the top of their budget (£1800 a month).

Now working from home is kicking in, they realise they need space. A two bed in their current area would cost £2,500 a month which is out of budget.

Their combined take home is roughly £5500 a month after tax, student loans, and good pension contributions.

Can someone recommend any good areas for a period 2 bedroom flat? Ideally they want to spend less than £2,100 a month and not have a huge commute.

@OurMary
I have several 20 something DCs with loads of friends in London. One has 2 bed in Kennington. However it’s zone 1 and getting expensive. Might be worth a look as great communication links and it’s friendly with a park and good local
facilities. Definitely getting popular! Oval and Camberwell are options. Clapham is expensive. DD says it’s mostly grads who think they are still at uni. If you are more mature, it might not be for you.

Walthamstow is very popular. Hard to get anything! Shepherds Bush is great. Stay reasonably close to underground stations in side roads and it’s fine. Loads of bus routes.

If they need canary wharf, obviously go East. Check out overground though. Tube isn’t everywhere. DCs don’t really socialise in Soho. They tend to go anywhere friends suggest. Could be any location!

Anyway I’m sure the answer they will pick will be Clapham / Wandsworth / Balham, maybe also Streatham and Tooting.

Surely they want to look around East London?

Hackney, Clapton, Dalston etc. Though they may need to compromise on the period bit

Those areas are where the vast majority of young professionals want to live in zone 2.

And Balham, Streatham & Tooting aren't in zone 2...

That's one type of 20-something in one kind of industry.
My 20-something and her 20-something cousins would think Clapham far too "rah" and would pick Hackney / Dalston or maybe Peckham over anywhere in SW London any day.

lol

Brixton.

Fast into town on the Victoria Line
All night tube at weekends
Brilliant shops and the market with pop up restaurants
Fab cinema
New theatre
The Rec: pool / gym etc
Close to the lovely Brockwell Park - with Lido

If they do enjoy socialising and clubbing, the Central, Victoria, Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly lines are 24 hour on Fri and Sat nights.

They have lived in London for 18m.
They must have similarly aged friends.
Surely their friends are better advisors that their out-of-town Mum and Mum-aged contacts?
Where do they like?

There is absolutely no way they would want to move from zone 1 being young and having fun to moving to a sleepy zone 5 with limited transport options.

Something like this OP- Maida Vale

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/134048546#/?channel=RES_LET