Can it be possible to be wholeheartedly OS in London or am I just being a bumpkin?

Maitane

Hi Toonie,

The only sure place is that I'll be Edgware way - OH may work from home.
The thing we'd like mostly is good transport links. As I mentioned earlier, we're not too bothered by areas considered rough.
I might check out Walthamstow now, thanks.

Anyone got any tips about what to avoid like the plague?

MiddyMum

Maitane, I think you will be fine to live anywhere if you don't mind rough places. So I don't think you will need to avoid anywhere like the plague unless you mean places that have high rents?

Maitane

Just anything that might be worth warning us against Middymum!

Like perhaps dodgy landlords or something. We saw house shares that would accept couples where all the bills are included, that seems like it would be great while we get our bearings but I wonder about the possible downsides.

MiddyMum

Maitane wrote: »

Just anything that might be worth warning us against Middymum!

Like perhaps dodgy landlords or something. We saw house shares that would accept couples where all the bills are included, that seems like it would be great while we get our bearings but I wonder about the possible downsides.

I see, avoid foxtons lettings like the plague they have a bad rep on here for some reason.

No way could I share with another couple, you may find your sat morning lie in disturbed by the other couple having a domestic...:rotfl:Each to their own and all that but not for me. I would prefer to go for the studio flat in a rough area, cheap as chips once the rent is split and you will still be able to afford your debt repayments and have lots of money left over.

Toonie

I've lived in Walthamstow for nearly a year now and love it, previously I lived further out on the Essex borders (Woodford Bridge) and found that I just wasn't close enough to transport. In order to get to places I had to take a bus just to get to the tube station and they were fairly temperamental. Walthamstow is great for commuting, you've got the tube and train as well as an amazing amount of buses. I take advantage of the market, the Turkish and Asian supermarkets and we have two supermarkets close enough to walk to and then three others just a bus ride away.

The problem with south London is there are not as many tube options. If you use google maps and type Edgeware Road and then zoom out of London, you will see that south of the river the tube stops are few and far between. It is well serviced by mainline trains but the convenience of the tube in London is great. From here I can be in the centre of town in just twenty minutes.

There is no where I would say to avoid like the plague, although I would suggest when looking at areas, make sure there isn't just one bus/tube train option, as if they go down you get stuck easily.

Maitane

Thanks everyone, your help is much appreciated.

Thanks Toonie - The words Turkish Market had Mr Maitane rightmove-ing Walthamstow in minutes.

That's what's interesting me the most about moving- all the convenience, buses and trains more than once an hour! Not being weird for eating the exotic sweet chilli sauce, let alone having a Kashmiri mother. Not to mention free galleries and stuff but then the cost of leaving seems high and I wonder about it.

vanoonoo

it's mainly the rent that is high - everything else balances out and if you are already trying to live oldstylish and are used to shopping around then you'll do fine. its things like socialising eating out and drinking in higher priced places that pushes your expenses up, that and the temptation of lots of shops. get an oyster card as soon as you can and keep it topped up to cover your travel expenses. it helps you work out the most cost effective way to have travelled each day (ie which type of ticket) and it backtracks for you as long as you remember to swipe in and out!

Gigervamp

Earlsfield in SW London is nice. It's become quite a trendy area, the train gets you into Waterloo in 15 mins, there's Tooting Broadway tube (Northern Line) just over a mile away. Wandsworth, Clapham, Tooting Bec and Wimbledon commons are nearby for when you want a bit of greenery.

Toonie

In as far as lettings agents go, I would say don't use a company called Dwell in Walthamstow, they were absolutely rubbish and very unprofessional.

As far as the cost of living goes, I'm used to London having never really lived anywhere else independently. After rent and bills I'm left with around £200 a month and that includes buying food, any clothes I need and the odd night out. I manage fairly well because of the convenience of all the shops and not having to just use one. I can spend a bit of time walking around the little corner shops (my local one has 6 free range eggs for 99p at present and 4 pints of milk for £1).

Last week I was off work and spent days out in town, the galleries and museums were free, travel was minimal and because I was considering it my summer holiday I had dinner in a restaurant. Dinner and drinks for two came to £60. Normally though, I'd have taken lunch or sometimes have bought sandwiches from M&S and the day would have cost only a couple of pounds in addition to travel.

Maitane

Thanks everyone. Your help has been great so far.

I've taken your Walthamstow advice Toonie and found some places decent enough to have a look at when I next come down to sign my contracts and the like.
I like the idea of using days out and about as a kind of break and if we packed our own picnics, we'd be able to spend time in the green spaces as mentioned by Gingervamp.

Now for Mr Maitane to get off his backside and get more details and negotiate with his lot so we can make the decision by Sunday.