Living alone (renting) in London?

Vampgirl

You might find this useful tool for searching: http://www.rightmove.co.uk/tube-map.html I would start by looking at properties on direct tube lines to your place of work: you might have to go a bit further out than 30 mins and look in zone 4 and outwards, but at least if you're getting on in one of the outer zones you should get a seat and with no changes it should be less than an hour. Don't forget to take into account the cost of transport though!

Out,_Vile_Jelly

A lot of professional young people house-share in London, and it's not as you might remember from your student days; many club together to get a cleaner for example. It's a good way to meet people when moving to a new city. Living on your own is expensive as there's nobody to split the bills with, and with limited storage in a small studio flat it would be impractical to bulk buy and batch cook meals. Everybody who works in central London would like a 30 minute commute; nice areas in that range are likely to be out of your budget.

Read your rental contract carefully to see if you are responsible for finding a replacement tenant should you move out, and ensure you're clear about bill payments.

lulalola

Thanks so much for your responses everyone!

Thanks Vampgirl for that rightmove Tube map link - really helpful!

To those of you asking about whether I have friends in London; I do have several close friends there already and I'm happy living alone currently so I wouldn't be worried about loneliness.

I am already aware of the high cost of living alone - painfully aware today as my electric bill has just come in! **shudder** - but I would find it hard to give it up. However, looking at the studio flats within my budget, I think I would just have to be brave and try house-sharing again. Still in two minds about whether to apply for the job (may be posting on the employment boards soon to ask for help with that!) but if I do, and I get it, your replies will have been really useful in determining how I go about looking for somewhere to live, so thanks again :beer:

butterfly72

Have you looked at spareroom.co.uk? The ads have descriptions of the type of people they want to share with. Might be worth a look. I used to travel to UCL from golders green and Hendon on the northern line. Terrible tube line and the prices along there are high unless you travel further along. Its not a particularly nice area to live in,but you have hampstead etc and Camden for nights out.

I now live in lovely sw London and pay £875 for a really nice large 2 bed flat on a leafy street, nice area and off street parking. But this is actually a bargain and similar flats are well over 1k per month.

Good luck!

jungle_jane

i would avoid tubes and look nearer to places on a rail link. for example, i own a flat near Goodmayes (zone 4, east london). it takes 20 mins to liverpool street on the train...but you can also walk 15 minutes up to Newbury Park (central line) which takes 30 mins to liverpool street.

i much prefer overland train - its much quicker, you usually get a seat and of course property is much much cheaper.

Similarly in South London you will find areas not serviced by tube have trains that are reliable, quick and of course way way cheaper

i think that £600 is a bit ambitious though - i think for that money you would get a nasty bedsit. if it were me, i would much prefer to use the money to find an amazing and spacious house share with one other person in an area that is well serviced by train and bus...i do think you pay a massive (and unnecessary) premium for being near a tube...

[Deleted User]

I think while its good to plan for things (seeing if you can afford to live if you get the job).., going deeply into where u want to live/in what, might be going a little bit too far. You haven't actually applied for the job, attended even one interview yet etc. Applying for a job is a different thing to actually getting it lol.

I wish u well.., and I'd check rental prices in advance etc but think to do more is kindof overkill before u even apply for a job.