Zone 2 London - which are the cheapest areas to rent?

princeofpounds

If they were both based in central London for work then it would be easier - just a choice as to how far out they needed to be to get the right rent/commute balance. But St Albans keeps rearing its head.

St Albans is one of the easiest commutes into/from London. The train is fast and regular. It's not that big a deal, the cost aside, if they ar not too far from the station. If they worked next door in Central London that would be great, but one working in Chelsea and the other in Aldgate would be just as long time-wise and more crowded.

The part of London controlled by the Corporation of London, the financial bit, is just called The City, you'll see it on sign posts, as opposed to West End, it may even be the original city for all I know. When people in London say The City it's a specific part of London

Yes The City is the original London, on the north side of London Bridge. Also known as The Square Mile. London as it is today is really an amalgamation of three 'cities', that of London, Westminster, Southwark, and then all the many other places it swallowed up.

Surprisingly perhaps The City is not the most expensive place to rent an apartment for inner London, despite its centrality. It is not normally a residential area. Some apartments are expensive, but there are cheaper ones down slightly dingy side streets or on blocks that are basically glorified traffic islands.

Finally, I'd say that although this may come as a culture and wallet shock to them, I would not be too downbeat on moving here, at least for a while, and whilst young. Their horizons and opportunities will expand hugely if they don't disappear into their shells. And if they make a success of themselves they can take their money north where it buys a lot more than they could earn by staying put.

The key thing is, London is not a place for sitting still.

pcgtron

To give you some kinda idea of London rents. In 2004 I rented a 1 bedroom house in zone 3 near a tube for 1000 a month, but it was a very nice flat. The house shares I had in zone 3 where anywhere between 3 and 5 people sharing, and the minimum I paid was 360 a month in 2003 in a 5 bed share and the most was 600 a month in 2007 for a 3 bed share. I nowrent out my old flat that I bought in zone 3 for 1140 a month for a 1 bed and it's oppositea tube station
All of these flats where in muswell Hill, East Finchley, bounds green and Turnpike Lane in North London. I'm afraid there expectations of what they can get are too high for London

totallybored

mhoc wrote: »

The other additional strain on the budget will be BFs need to go back to see his family at weekends - 4 hour drive or 2 hours from kings Cross, at least £50 return.

She needs to ditch the bf, over 2.5k a year on him visiting his parents! Is she sure there isn't another woman there?

Hillbilly2

To back up what PGTRON posted, we live in Muswell Hill and a 1 bed garden flat here to rent is £350 per WEEK

egoode

I've recently moved to Nunhead, was originally looking at Brockley and the transport connections here are much better than I thought they would be and I can get a 2 bedroom flat for much less than what I was paying for a 1 bed in Bayswater. So here's another vote for SE London.

If they are really serious about moving to London and living in zone 2 they should consider ditching the car as that would save them money and make the most of the public transport available. I've been without a car for the last 9 years and don't miss it at all, on the few occassions I would have needed a car for shopping etc. I've found the store would usually deliver for a small fee or a cab will do.

Also I would think anything in zone 2 would generally cost £1000+/month unless they consider a room in a flat share (mine was £750/month when I shared) or look at studio apartments.

mhoc

totallybored wrote: »

She needs to ditch the bf, over 2.5k a year on him visiting his parents! Is she sure there isn't another woman there?

The other women are his mum and his nan :rotfl:

Good grief, not thought of it as 2.5K per annum - that's a good amount to save towards a deposit

mhoc

BigAunty wrote: »

Granted the recent travel is prompted by family sickness but I'm afraid before that, it just sounds like he's a mummy's boy. Not good. He's going to have a very limited experience of London by not exploring its best features at weekends.

Exactly my point.

I am hoping this is the point when BF realises its time to make the complete break - grown up proper job, flat and GF

My daughter only came home 3 times last year (we are 90 miles away) but we are constantly in touch - phone, text, email facetime, skye etc - so you don't need to drive up and down the country every weekend.

Yes both boys were ruined and spoiled by their mother - major life shift when mum became seriously ill last January.

mhoc

Anyway latest update is that BF has def got the job, one day in St Albans and the rest driving around London to see clients so they have shifted their flat search now to St Albans

thanks to everyone for all of the useful info on this thread, a real eye opener.