Renting in London. Advice please

SerenaGoode

neilp wrote: »

I would second all of that, but add that she would be likely to get more for her money in south London than north. I lived in Brockley in SE London for a year. It was a great area, with very good transport links, and rents were significantly lower than friends and colleagues in areas like Camden were paying.
suggestions I can.

Cheaper yeah, but not as nice. I'm not an anti-South London snob (OK I am a bit), but I think for a first-timer the area around Camden might seem a bit nicer. She could always try South of the River later when she's got used to London...

liz545

I'd second the suggestions to see if her new job has any internal bulletin boards or accomodation offered, just for a few months. It's much easier to find somewhere when you're living in the city than when you're miles away and have to make a special journey down to find places! In terms of finding a flatshare, look on moveflat.com, fridaycities.com and gumtree.com - they all have 'rooms to rent' pages and she can post her details for 'room wanted' as well. I live in South London (Elephant & Castle) and work near Holborn, and it's great for transport links, although it might be a bit busy/urban/offputting for someone who's moving to London for the first time, but the people I rent from have a large number of properties around S.E London so maybe worth a try, as they're very reputable and the rents are good value for the area: http://www.yatesestate.co.uk/ HTH!

Generali

SE London is cheap but most of it is violent and crime ridden, even by the standards of London. I've lived in West Norwood, Downham (Grove Park) and Bromley so I know the area. I finally decided to move out of West Norwood when someone was beaten to death with a hammer outside the pub across the road from my now wife's flat. A Copper advised me that living in Downham wasn't the best choice I could make in life after I called the police to an attempted assault (of me).

I don't like Camden that much (too many drunks and students but that's just the inner snob in me coming out) but it's a definite step up from almost all of SE London (Blackheath excluded and to a lesser extent Greenwich which is ok-ish).

jonsbird

I have never lived in London nor have any desire too. But.....so much of it is filthy,full of crime and undesirables.

Of course like anywhere there are good places. Ask her to make enquiries within the work force where she will probably get the best advice.

I wish her well in her new venture.

PasturesNew

I've never been to London and don't know anything about it.
So, taking a postcode from a posting above, I find this a great site when I am looking at properties.

The map is marvellous for instantly seeing where every property is and you can sort by price

http://www.nestoria.co.uk/nw5/property/rent

neilp

As a non-Londoner I've never really understood the north-south rivalry, and it is not a subject I want to get into on here. However, what I will say, is that it is misleading and unfair to describe south London as violent and crime ridden. There are undoubtedly areas where one wouldn't want to live, but much of it is as safe as anywhere in London, just not particularly pretty. If one can live with that (and let's face it, not many of the affordable bits of London are pretty), it offers comparatively good value for money.

My advice would be for anyone new to London to make up their own minds about where they want to live, based on what is important to them!

SerenaGoode

neilp wrote: »

As a non-Londoner I've never really understood the north-south rivalry, and it is not a subject I want to get into on here. However, what I will say, is that it is misleading and unfair to describe south London as violent and crime ridden. There are undoubtedly areas where one wouldn't want to live, but much of it is as safe as anywhere in London, just not particularly pretty. If one can live with that (and let's face it, not many of the affordable bits of London are pretty), it offers comparatively good value for money.

My advice would be for anyone new to London to make up their own minds about where they want to live, based on what is important to them!

Absolutely right - there's good and bad everywhere, and in general London really isn't as 'filthy and crime-ridden' as non-Londoners imagine. South London has some lovely areas and some bad ones. however I think for a first London experience North London is a bit easier to adapt to. It's kind of 'less hardcore' London, if you know what I mean. And there are more obvious nice places within reach.

SerenaGoode

Generali wrote: »

SE London is cheap but most of it is violent and I don't like Camden that much (too many drunks and students

Yes, I think some of the nearby areas are nicer to live in than Camden, which is a bit touristy and crap in parts.

fc123

Generali wrote: »

SE London is cheap but most of it is violent and crime ridden, even by the standards of London. I've lived in West Norwood, Downham (Grove Park) and Bromley so I know the area. I finally decided to move out of West Norwood when someone was beaten to death with a hammer outside the pub across the road from my now wife's flat. A Copper advised me that living in Downham wasn't the best choice I could make in life after I called the police to an attempted assault (of me).

I don't like Camden that much (too many drunks and students but that's just the inner snob in me coming out) but it's a definite step up from almost all of SE London (Blackheath excluded and to a lesser extent Greenwich which is ok-ish).

SE Londond is not that bad!!! Greenwich is quite chi chi (I had a business there for 12 years!!) Woolwich, well that's a whole different ball game..though it is "re-generating" with the Arsenal and stuff now.

As another poster said: Room share www.gumtree.co.uk first so that she is not locked into any 6 mnth let. Blackheath ( SE3) is nice and easy train journey to Centre.
Certain bits of Camden could prove a little fierce for a newbie to London.

Mind you, lived in SE all my life, left at age 41 and, now??? Would NEVER return!!!!

sarahluv

Generali wrote: »

SE London is cheap but most of it is violent and crime ridden, even by the standards of London. I've lived in West Norwood, Downham (Grove Park) and Bromley so I know the area. I finally decided to move out of West Norwood when someone was beaten to death with a hammer outside the pub across the road from my now wife's flat. A Copper advised me that living in Downham wasn't the best choice I could make in life after I called the police to an attempted assault (of me).

I don't like Camden that much (too many drunks and students but that's just the inner snob in me coming out) but it's a definite step up from almost all of SE London (Blackheath excluded and to a lesser extent Greenwich which is ok-ish).

i live in SE London! it's not crime ridden and violent. everyone i know who has been mugged in london has been mugged in north or south west london.

i live near blackheath. also, i'm moving and my room is up for rent from the 24th if anyone is interested!