Moving to City of Bath.Where to live?

PhD_Student

I found a similar post but I have different needs so I started a new one.
I am moving to the City of Bath to obtain a PhD degree. I am a single mother with a 2 years old child. I need advice where to rent in Bath? I prefer a small house with one bedroom and with a garden. The area should be like super safe and this is my number one priority. I am from Sweden so I would prefer something outside the center, in a family residential area, and surrounded by parks and green areas. It would be nice to be no longer than one hour from the university of Bath. Child care are expensive in UK as a heared so it would be nice if there where a number of child day cares in the area so I can choose the best quality versus price, if that is even possible. A low rent would be nice also. Thanks for your help.

Savvy_Sue

You absolutely will not get everything you want for a low rent, is about the only helpful thing I can say.

Bath is expensive.

Will you have your own transport? That will make a difference, although the centre of Bath is deliberately very car unfriendly, so you'd want to be the Uni side of the city if you do. And worth noting that I have colleagues who commute from Bath to Bristol, so presumably the reverse is possible: there are buses and trains between the two if you choose somewhere convenient for either of those.

The university has its own nursery so I'd definitely look into that.

Also can you get campus accommodation for your first year?

PhD_Student

Campus might not be the best place for a child to live. I want something more family friendly. But thanks for the tip regarding univercity nursery. I did know about it and will check it up. I do not have a car and I intend to use busses/trains. I heared Bath is a safe city so I am not sure if Bristol is as safe as Bath. My original plan was to avoid city center, but I do not know where in Bath to rent.

PhD_Student

I can add that I want to avoid suburbs also. Nice and safe areas is what I am looking to either near the university or in the country side.

WestonDave

You won't find a one bedroom house with garden in Bath - they pretty much don't exist. I've lived there all my life and couldn't tell you of one unless its as a "granny annexe" attached to another house.


You also need to be aware that buses and trains in and around Bath are expensive and limited. There is a good bus service from the centre of Bath to the University (I'm assuming the University of Bath not Bath Spa University - please clarify!), however if you stray off that route you will find that other areas aren't as frequently served etc.

WestonDave

Bath does however have a lot of green space and parks. So on that basis you might be better off finding a flat around the Bathwick area (if you can) - these might give you some ideas - http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-43012571.html http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-50746936.html http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-53086640.html - these should all be in relatively easy access of the bus route to the University and you will find at least 2 parks nearby, plus access out along the canal into open countryside. Its a fairly central area but not right in the centre where the nightclubs etc are.

Savvy_Sue

PhD_Student wrote: »

Campus might not be the best place for a child to live. I want something more family friendly.

There will be a few families living on campus: not many, but I'm sure a few.

PhD_Student wrote: »

I do not have a car and I intend to use busses/trains. I heared Bath is a safe city so I am not sure if Bristol is as safe as Bath.

probably not, but bad things happen in Bath just as they do in any city, anywhere in the world.

PhD_Student wrote: »

My original plan was to avoid city center, but I do not know where in Bath to rent.

Your best best is to find somewhere on a convenient bus route to the University. It is stuck on a (very steep) hill outside the city centre. See if the links from this page point you to suitable locations.

PhD_Student wrote: »

I can add that I want to avoid suburbs also. Nice and safe areas is what I am looking to either near the university or in the country side.

Personally I'd strongly recommend NOT living in the countryside anywhere in the UK without a car, but then I'm a city girl ...

And as WestonDave says, we do need to know if you're talking about the University of Bath, or Bath Spa University. It looks as they're each stuck out in the middle of nowhere ...

mind you, at this stage of the year, your options are going to be very limited. My sons have always sorted themselves out well before Easter ... Have you talked to the accommodation office?

PhD_Student

I'll be studying in the Univercity of Bath. That's a good advice too to look in the bus routes. Thanks everybody. I haven't speak to the accommodation office. I'll call the univercity tomorrow and see what they can help with. I hope they are better than the univercities here in Sweden where all what they do is to give you a list of websites where you can find accommodations and that's about it.

Savvy_Sue

The accommodation office won't be much help, but they will have lists of what might still be available from landlords who are willing to rent to postgrad students. You might find further limitations because not all will be happy to have a child in the property.

snack_shack

I live on the outskirts of Bath and I would recommend you look at some of the newish housing estates on the outskirts such as Radstock, Trowbridge etc as they might provide you with what you're looking for. Trowbridge will be cheaper than Radstock I think but is about 8 miles from Bath.