Moving to London - is it possible?

MysteryMe

dave88uk wrote: »

I came to this forum looking for help on an issue. I was assured it was a friendly place that could be used relatively anonymously.

I really appreciate the valuable things that were said by some, however to be honest I didn't bother looking after seeing some of the sarcastic, borderline abusive and unhelpful posts from others. That's a bit of a shame really because there are many, many people who don't have shoulders as big as mine.

Anyone coming to this thread with an issue such as mine is free to contact me, because I have found a way to take up this job in London and to live marginally cheaper (in a good area) than I currently am in the North East.

Of course I'd be happy to share how I've managed this with others, please feel free to PM me. Never fall at the first hurdle and let other people's negativity drag you down, where there's a will there's a way!

I've re read the thread and for someone who claims to have big shoulders you seem to be a sensitive soul.


You received a lot of helpful, informed advice from people who actually know what they are talking about with regards living and working in London. It wasn't what you wanted to hear though.


I hope others in the same situation take the advice of those people on this thread who are prepared to give their reasoning on an open forum.



There is something about the phrase "I have found a way" that does not sit well.

january_23

dave88uk wrote: »

Anyone coming to this thread with an issue such as mine is free to contact me, because I have found a way to take up this job in London and to live marginally cheaper (in a good area) than I currently am in the North East.

Of course I'd be happy to share how I've managed this with others, please feel free to PM me. Never fall at the first hurdle and let other people's negativity drag you down, where there's a will there's a way!

I would love to know how!
My OH and I live in zone 4. Together we have a take home of just over 24K a year. With annual 1-4 zone travel costing 1.8K (no point driving in as congestion charge is £10.50 a day alone before you add in insurance, petrol, repairs etc so we don't bother with a car - like a lot of people living in London I would say). We then have rent (not cheap - the 1 bed place above ours is for sale, OIEO 200k) and council tax (not too sad given it's band C on a 1 bed place) the costs add up fast and that is just for the two of us! Add on work costs (suits/shoes/co-worker birthdays etc), bills, food etc we don't have an awful lot of money left, although we do allow ourselves a few luxuries.
30K to support 5 people in or near London in a good area? I am honestly confused as to how.

january_23

Owain_Moneysaver wrote: »

People keep saying that, but I remain unconvinced.

The provinces do have shops, restaurants, theatres and nightclubs too.

The one thing friends of mine, my OH and I would agree as being a huge plus for living in London zoning are the night buses. Outside London zoning buses seem to stop around midnight/1am and not pick up until 5am or so. As long as you have a travel card/oyster card you can jump on a bus basically no matter the time.
Great for going home after a work do that ends late/friends party without the cost of a taxi.

tadgh_99

MysteryMe wrote: »

There is something about the phrase "I have found a way" that does not sit well.

Agreed. I really really can't see a way it could be done. :think:

kinger101

Just to reiterate what others have said

(a) £30k is peanuts in London. You might manage as a single person renting a small room in a shared house. It won't support a family.
(b) You probably won't be in a "nice area" for £240k.
(c) £30k salary won't get you a £240k mortgage. Given the other expenses of raising a family, you'd be lucky to get a £120K mortgage based on affordability criteria.

Ivana_Tinkle

I don't know why you got such negative reactions. Obviously it's totally do-able, as plenty of families do manage to live on London on that kind of money. (We did for a decade, although we got fed up and moved away in the end.) Good luck!

january_23

It may have been possible before to buy a family home and live in London on 30k but now? Not in a good area as they are saying.
Renting I would say it will be possible as with children on that kind of income you are likely to get LHA etc.

Gentoo365

Young people get by on that amount as they share with friends and are less fussed about the property they live in (it's just a place, not a home).

People who have lived in London a long time can get by as they did not have to buy at the recent prices and (until mansion taxes etc come in) the fact their property is worth loads is irrelevant until they sell it.

Others get buy as they are (actually) well off, i.e. they have investments and wealth. Sometimes from family, sometimes from savings.

Others are claiming benefits of some sort, or are struggling.

However a family moving to London now, without a large amount of money to put down on a property will find it very difficult. It is not just the property costs, it is the transport costs and the extra costs related to longer hours (commute+work) resulting in having less time to do some stuff yourself.

Also childcare, and any other service you will use that is impacted by higher wages. This is likely to go up if the living wage is used more by employers.

£30k is a really poor salary for a company to expect someone to relocate for. They could probably fill that position, but only with someone who is either already settled in London, or is young/single and transient so has no need to find a place for themselves.

kinger101

Ivana_Tinkle wrote: »

I don't know why you got such negative reactions. Obviously it's totally do-able, as plenty of families do manage to live on London on that kind of money. (We did for a decade, although we got fed up and moved away in the end.) Good luck!

The take home pay on a £30k salary is around £1950 a month if you don't make any pension contributions. The repayment on a 25 year £240K mortgage is £1,138 at 3 % (and £1,546 if it goes up to 6%). Even if OP cycled into work, it's had to see the rest of their pay leading to a satisfactory lifestyle.

Of course, they may be entitled to benefits, but I don't think this was what OP was aiming for. Other people aren't being negative. They're being pragmatic.

James_B.

We pay our new graduates in London £50k starting salary, and they still have to compromise quite heavily on where they live. £30k is really not doable here with a family.