I moved to London... help!

Started by Ali, Mon 04/05/2009 12:14:16

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Ali

Hello,

I just moved to London to study, and I don't know the place very well. Me and Nelly are going to be flat / shared house hunting soon and we wanted advice on where we should be looking. Then I though, who better to ask than the lovely chaps and chappettes on the AGS forums.

If you know London, I'd be grateful for a little advice on where might be affordable, and reasonable pleasant (i.e. places where we won't be stabbed).

Metropolitanly yours, Ali


Renal Shutdown

For a start, it'd help if you mentioned where you were actually studying, as London's pretty big and you don't want to end up forking out most of your budget on travel expenses across the town.

In short, though, avoid Catford, Deptford, Hackney and everything East of Whitechapel on the District Line.

Sadly, those are also likely to be the cheaper options.
"Don't get defensive, since you have nothing with which to defend yourself." - DaveGilbert

Stupot

Hmm.. places where you won't get stabbed... in London?
I'd be more worried about the guns.

magintz

As has been mentioned it really depends where you are studying. Greenwich is really nice and is quite student-y. Avoid the west end like the plague. Stay away from places like Brixton. I have some friends living up by Liverpool Street. Algate East. It didn't seem particularly bad and the prices they pay for how lush their apartment is was pretty good. I think about £700 a month.

My top choice would still be Greenwich or near. Clean, not overpriced, studenty, plenty of good places to eat, Greenwich Hill is really nice, close to Canary Wharf for nights out and shopping (but very expensive) and good connections to Central London (maybe ~30 minutes to the West End).

But let us know where you're at Uni.
When I was a little kid we had a sand box. It was a quicksand box. I was an only child... eventually.

mätzyboy

It is funny how people differ in views when it comes to where to live in London. I would easily prefer both Brixton and Dalston (in Hackney) to Greenwich. Greenwich is really nice and pretty, but it sucks for late night transport (Anywhere further east than Bethnal Green does in my opinion), and if you want to enjoy living in London, it is likely you'll get home late frequently enough to justify it I think. While places like Brixton and Hackney may seem rough I always feel comfortable there because there are always people around. I find it much worse when a place is deserted.

Having said that though, if I was to recommend somewhere I think I'd say go north! Camden, if you can afford it and like the hustle and bustle, or look at Chalk Farm or Kentish Town. If I wasn't so happy with my current flat and living at a walkable distance from work, that's where I'd look to move.

Happy to give more advice if you want it. Feel free to post here PM if you have questions about specific areas or prices or whatever...

magintz

Yea I forgot about Kentish Town, I really like it. Good night life, close by, better public transport; but for me too hustley and bustley.
When I was a little kid we had a sand box. It was a quicksand box. I was an only child... eventually.

Ali

Thanks for the advice. I should have thought to mention where I need to go! I need to get to Covent Garden five days a week, which seems pretty central. Also, I've started the course already, and it's an MA so I'm not exactly a studenty-student. I'm temporarily staying in zone 4 in the South West, but the flat is nicer than I can afford and the commute is not nice, and more than I can afford.

Thanks for letting me know which places to avoid, they're the same ones I've heard from other people. Except for Hackney, I was told Hackney was okay... maybe someone wants to see me mugged.

Quote from: Stupot on Mon 04/05/2009 15:12:39
Hmm.. places where you won't get stabbed... in London?
I'd be more worried about the guns.

I'm only concerned about slightly antiquated forms of violence. I'm also worried about being garotted with piano wire (very big in 19th century London, apparently).

zabnat

Quote from: Ali on Wed 06/05/2009 20:55:51
Thanks for letting me know which places to avoid, they're the same ones I've heard from other people. Except for Hackney, I was told Hackney was okay... maybe someone wants to see me mugged.
Maybe that someone lives in Hackney and wants to mug you, hmm? ;)

Renal Shutdown

Hackney might've improved since I was there, due to the Olympic stuff in the area.  Used to be rough, though.  Gangs, estates, drugs, people getting beat up and the like.  But, still.  Even if it's paved with gold, I've no plans to go there.
"Don't get defensive, since you have nothing with which to defend yourself." - DaveGilbert

Sam.

Not much is happening with the Olympic money in the East end. A few tube stations are getting painted. But so far, its pretty much the same.
Bye bye thankyou I love you.

Amiga1

It makes me laugh when people say stuff like "£700 a month is cheap"?? ???

In short If you are going to be earning less than 25,000 pounds a year after tax I strongly advise you turn straight back around and head home.
I do a 40 hour week and am earning £8100 a year after tax.
which, I admit is my own under achieving fault ;)
but on the basis of that infomation you can see I am skrewed

many people have a much better standard of life than me  by simply living on the dole and getting housing benifits. >:(
The goverment say that you need at least this much money to survive??

having your rent payed for you in london is the same as being given £8400 a year for free also you get job seekers benifit which is £5376 a year for free.
This alone is £13776 thats : £5676 more than my entire yearly earnings >:(!!!!
what is funny is that when a person like me asks for any help with the cost of my rent or bills or food I am told to get lost,
" you are working so hit the road"
so until I decide to sit at home all day smoking weed and playing games it seems I must endure this hidden wage slavery.

In a Normal city (Norwich) I had a one bedroom one living room one kitchen, one bathroom city Flat for £365 per month it was clean and modern and to my self.
with all shops in walking distance and no stress or violence getting around

The London version (very similar Flat but seperate no kitchen) in Hammersmith
Costs £1200 per month! and its shared! so one person sleeps on a sofa bed.
so £700 each!
This is a crushing immoral rip off and unless you are earning more than you deserve you can see that!
My advice would be live in a (4-6 bedroom shared house)  have a room and pay about 120 a week, make a killing and get the hell out of London with a few hand fulls of cash before you realise that all your money has been unfairly charged off your oyster card on the tube, the council tax is an additional quater of the total rent and you still have to pay all your bills.
besides all the shops are marked up and you are no where near an affordable supermarket like Morrisions or Asda so you will be having to buy your food at ridiculous prices as well.
But best of luck be alert , very very alert or you will end up poorer than before you came here :-\

Ali

I'm sorry to hear all that... I guess you're under 22, because if you're not it sounds like you aren't being paid minimum wage.

As tempting as it may be to just turn and run, I've already started paying the tuition fees so it'd be a waste of money NOT to live on the breadline in London!

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