Renting in London

Strapped

If you're happy to share with a student then get yourself on down to the accomodation offices of all the unis and advertise on their boards. You'll soon get someone to share with. I did this when I became a postgrad at a new uni, and actually got chatting to someone who was there reading the boards looking for a room, and we ended up teaming up and renting a flat together (rather than, as you say going for the miserable boxroom option - because that's often what you get with the last room in a shared house). Also worth trying the major accounting firms (if you can bear to share with an accountant lol) as many of them will have new intake trainees starting soon and the firms help them find accomodation (although they usually pair up people within the firm, but if you decide to go for option 2 above then they're a good source of potential flatmates). Good luck.