Renting in London

twstmoka

Hi there

I am currently having to move out of my apartment in Embankment because my friend is going back to China.

As a result I now for the first time do not have student accommodation or a friend to co-rent with.

Studio apartments are so expensive in relation to the quality and higher cost and space and location of two bedroom apartments. Also I do not want to live on my own but I must move by 20th August and have not found anyone yet. What I want to do is find a private landlord and pay (what I understand to be the norm) of 6 weeks in advance along with 4 weeks deposit (which should be signed for and held in a government backed scheme?). However this would cost three hundred pounds per week for two bedrooms in Clapham where I am looking. Obviously I do not want to end up paying for the dead space of a second bedroom and the higher cost which would likely become unaffordable once the five thousand pounds I currently have is used.

Ultimately I know people do this. Often they move into one bedroom and let the living room and do not own the property. However what realistic advice do you guys have?

A) If I take a one bedroom studio it will mean I have to live alone. Miserable. Smaller space and less benefits than a two bedroom apartment. However at around one-hundred-seventy five pounds per week always probably just about affordable.

Take a two bedroom, move in and then a race to find someone to live with to share the cost. However I now have more space, less rent to pay myself and shared utilities and council tax costs. However if I do not find someone (it is London I am sure it is easy depending on who you wish to share with) then in the long run three-hundred-pounds per week is going to be too much.

Obviously the second option carries a lot of risk but for me to live alone so does the first option.

Lizling

spareroom.co.uk ?

twstmoka

Just to clarify I am looking for advice regarding the two options above. Obviously I can use spareroom.co.uk to find somebody but I have been there and done it. I do not want to be charged extortionate prices and move into a house where the click is already established between housemates. Absolutely not for me!

Please be as detailed as you can regarding your advice. Do most private landlords care about sub-letting as long as you are not crowding the space?

princeofpounds

You need to find a landlord prepared to let to you at the limit of your affordability AND let you sublet for option 2. Good luck on that.

How do you think about those two factors? Ultimately this is a personal decision to take a risk, we can't judge for you. I'd be quite happy to live alone and would hate feeling pressured to take a freaky lodger simply to make the next rental payment. To only need them to not pay you on time once and your own landlord will be at your door, unless you have reserves.

twstmoka

Well from amongst my time being a student it has seemed commonplace. In fact we managed to live in Charing Cross and Embankment because my friend lived in the living room.

Obviously we are friends and I am not suggesting that. Ultimately my career is quite lonely and involves a lot of time on my own. To come back to a miserable studio flat would kill me I am sure. In addition I am sure I can find lodgers to pay upfront or at least well in advance?!

Surely I can just find a three-hundred pound per week flat and pay the 10 weeks then move in and find somebody no?!

Lizling

twstmoka wrote: »

Just to clarify I am looking for advice regarding the two options above. Obviously I can use spareroom.co.uk to find somebody but I have been there and done it.

Ok, fair enough and totally understandable.

I have done option B before, but I was only able to do that by convincing the landlord that I was able to afford the entire rent myself. When the other person moved out, I was liable for the whole lot and I'd also be liable for any damage they caused. I really wouldn't do it unless you can cover the full rent yourself.

twstmoka

I am 23 years old so still happy to have a student lodger. I think if I was mid forties then finding another person of similar interests etc would be a lot more complicated. Ultimately I want to know is it deceptive of me on behalf of the landlord?

twstmoka

I do not have enough for the whole 6 months plus deposit so the estate agents wont go near me. As I do not have a guarantor who earns over 54K to take on the liability. However it is my understand landlords from gumtree etc only want 10 weeks.

In addition finding a studio flat is near tow hundred pounds and that is a lot less affordable than a two bedroom three hundred pound shared flat. I am just in the unfortunate position I do not have somebody to make the move with me.

Lizling

Tbh, I still don't see what's wrong with looking on the internet to find other people looking for a houseshare then teaming up and finding somewhere together, if you don't want to live alone.

twstmoka

Well nothing I thought you were suggesting move into an existing house share.

That is one option but then that takes time along with finding somewhere to live before August 20th.

I have to take a risk. I just wanted to know in the users on this forums experience whether private landlords care that much about sub-letting. Aslong as the original tenant still lives in the property. Also do they come to collect rent or can you pay it via the bank?

In the past we have been left alone for 6 months and I do not want a situation where I have to meet them every month. If I am paying the rent I want to be left alone.

Lizling

I'm on my 6th rental and I've never had a landlord who came over to collect rent. Bank transfer has always been fine, and if it wasn't I'd think there was something dodgy going on.