# Can you live alone in London for up to £450 a month?



## ChrisFilter (Sep 25, 2005)

Probably a stupid question, but is the above possible to do, but with a decent standard of living?

As in not a complete shit hole, not in a properly rough bit, not completely minging with dry rot, rising damp, and fred and rose west for neighbours?

Be nice for it to be in zone 2, anywhere, north or south..

I just need to live alone but really can't afford much more than £450 a month.. 

Any advice? Any links? Any examples you've found because you like rising to a challenge?

Thanks champs


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## tastebud (Sep 25, 2005)

i was kind of hoping for the same when i decided to go it alone. however, i couldn't find anything for less than 600 per month.
however, i too, have a reasonably high standard of living.
i now pay 600 for a good sized, very pleasant studio flat in st. reatham. but a very nice part of st. reatham.
if you do find anything nearer to the price that you give, though.. please let me know..
good luck!

(sorry to be of no help whatsoever, btw).


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## ChrisFilter (Sep 25, 2005)

Not at all, it helps knowing that other people are willing to pay silly money just to escape the hell that is living with other people!


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## tastebud (Sep 25, 2005)

ChrisFilter said:
			
		

> Not at all, it helps knowing that other people are willing to pay silly money just to escape the hell that is living with other people!


yep! i hear that.
people suck and you will realise this more than ever if you live alone!
it really is the best thing ever!
a price worth paying, imo!


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## London_Calling (Sep 25, 2005)

I seem to have a very good deal indeed, but I live on the second floor above a restaurant.

From what I can tell, it matters quite a lot to them that there's someone they can trust reasonably well upstairs, who doesn't make a lot of noise and who pays the rent in cash - that last part seems to mean rent increases don't happen, not in over four years anyway.

So it's really about being there for a while so they get to know you - but I suppose I'm just talking about 'above the shop' living where cash speaks.


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## tastebud (Sep 25, 2005)

yes. i have heard that it is cheaper to live above a shop. i quite liked the idea of it but needed to move quickly away from the hell that was other people, so there was a sense of urgency and this flat is really nice.
how much do you pay if you don't mind saying? where etc...


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## FridgeMagnet (Sep 25, 2005)

Sorry, do you mean 450 a month *total*, including bills, food etc? I'd hope not.

Even if it's just rent I think you'll be pushed to find somewhere on your own in Zone 2 for 450. I saw some bedsits in Loot in the north-east which were 80-odd a week, but I'd imagine that they were pretty shit.


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## spanglechick (Sep 25, 2005)

I pay £400 but i'm in zone four... 

still, it's a nice flat, big for a studio - and the landlord's said he's going to put in central heating this winter too!


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## London_Calling (Sep 25, 2005)

Vixen - one bed, no utility bills, Beckenham, £440.


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## tastebud (Sep 25, 2005)

London_Calling said:
			
		

> Vixen - one bed, no utility bills, Beckenham, £440.


that is really good, apart from the beckenham part..
mine is excluding bills, but i find bills to be minimal now that i live alone.. compared to the utility exhausting weirdos that i have shared with in the past!


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## London_Calling (Sep 25, 2005)

Yep, Beckenham is starting to be a problem. But for a while more, living alone and cheaply is handy. Separate bedroom is nice, to be honest.

Funnily enough, it's really popular for the commuting professionals and rents are proper London prices.


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## ChrisFilter (Sep 25, 2005)

FridgeMagnet said:
			
		

> Sorry, do you mean 450 a month *total*, including bills, food etc? I'd hope not.



No, £450 just rent.. possibly £500 if I buy a rowing machine and cancel gym membership.. I only ever use the rowing machine anyway..

I need to find somewhere.. let the hunt begin!


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## tastebud (Sep 25, 2005)

ChrisFilter said:
			
		

> possibly £500 if I buy a rowing machine and cancel gym membership..


tee hee.. that's exactly what i said prior to moving.
didn't cancel it though.. probably should. damn waste of money for the most part!


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## flimsier (Sep 25, 2005)

Haven't we had several threads from CF looking for somewhere to live over the years?!?


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## oisleep (Sep 25, 2005)

perhaps he likes to move around a bit, i know i do


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## ChrisFilter (Sep 25, 2005)

flimsier said:
			
		

> Haven't we had several threads from CF looking for somewhere to live over the years?!?



this is only the second 

I'm becoming increasingly private in my old age, never felt the need for space until about a year ago, and living with people I don't know still isn't enough space..

I think I'm slowly turning into a bit of a nutter.


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## marty21 (Sep 25, 2005)

I'm lucky enough to pay £200 a month for my share of our mortgage and i don't want to live alone  

but i remember reading about these people a while ago


http://www.camelotproperty.com/

it's short life housing, but basically you live in empty properties, looking after them and pay rent of around £200 a month

article about house sitting (although some companies insist you are over 40)

http://money.guardian.co.uk/property/story/0,14422,1515627,00.html


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## tastebud (Sep 25, 2005)

ChrisFilter said:
			
		

> I think I'm slowly turning into a bit of a nutter.


lol... that made me laugh out loud.

me too. but i really don't think wanting your own space, or living alone makes you a nutter.

i think you are more of a nutter if you cannot be alone.

i have quite a few girlfriends that also live alone...

oh... maybe you have a point!
(joke)


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## DrRingDing (Sep 25, 2005)

Have a good look around www.gumtree.com as there are a few adverts that don't involve blood sucking parasite agents.


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## upsidedownwalrus (Sep 26, 2005)

ChrisFilter said:
			
		

> Probably a stupid question, but is the above possible to do, but with a decent standard of living?
> 
> As in not a complete shit hole, not in a properly rough bit, not completely minging with dry rot, rising damp, and fred and rose west for neighbours?
> 
> ...



Um... even shit holes in reasonable areas can cost more than 450 a month!


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## ChrisFilter (Sep 26, 2005)

I know.. that's kinda the point of the thread, it isn't easy to find 1 bed places.


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## wiskey (Sep 26, 2005)

a mate who lives alone is kinda my bench mark for how much i could live with

he pays £40 a week for a dump, ok its a large flat - two bedrooms but . . .

- no central heating, only two small heaters
- no oven - he lives off a hob, a babygeorge and a toaster
- no decoration - inc. no curtains, no flooring to speak of 
- hideous landlady who takes his money and does nothing - which lead to . .
- no water in the bathroom (cos the baliffs arrived accidentally (due to the landlady) and ruined the water pipes)
- damp - everywhere, and cold
- not enough doors (in fact i cant think of any except the bathroom one)
and whenever i think i ought to downsize and pay less rent i have to think that i'd rather pay a little more and live somewhere that i'm not afraid to think about what might be living in the corners. 


hope you find somewhere

wiskers


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## poster342002 (Sep 26, 2005)

Just wait until 2012 when we get those sodding olympic games that our glorious leaders took it upon theslves to foist upon us without asking us if we wanted them. (A barrage of one-sided "back the bid" propaganda does _not_ count).

Try getting the smallest hovel in london for anything below £1000 per month, then. Don't imagine wges will have risen to match these expenses, either. We're all expected to be "realsitic", "prudent", homeless and bankrupt for the good of the economic miracle.


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## Callie (Sep 26, 2005)

It might be worth picking an area and checking out local ads in newsagents and the like, obviously without an agent to go through you are at risk of being shafted but you may well hit upon a bargain. Also check local papers if you can get hold of them, little ads at the back in the classified sections often offer more places at the lower budget end of the market that the big colour property sections  Good luck!


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## Ms T (Sep 26, 2005)

Someone I know was looking to live alone recently and couldn't find anywhere for less than £600 a month -- and they were broom cupboards in Crystal Palace.


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## marty21 (Sep 26, 2005)

marty21 said:
			
		

> I'm lucky enough to pay £200 a month for my share of our mortgage and i don't want to live alone
> 
> but i remember reading about these people a while ago
> 
> ...



has anyone ever done one of these house sitting things?


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## Jangla (Sep 26, 2005)

Wow    can't beleive you can live that cheaply in London!  Try Oxford - best I've found is 700 a month, no bills included and that's over 5 miles from the city centre (quite a way in relative terms).


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## upsidedownwalrus (Sep 26, 2005)

wiskey said:
			
		

> a mate who lives alone is kinda my bench mark for how much i could live with
> 
> he pays £40 a week for a dump, ok its a large flat - two bedrooms but . . .
> 
> ...



But if he's paying so little rent, surely he could afford to pay to sort some of these problems out?


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## ChrisFilter (Sep 26, 2005)

hmm, not looking good.

could I deal with a tiny studio in archway or the like?

this fucking sucks


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## innit (Sep 26, 2005)

...things not good at the Mansions?

I am living in a very cheap house share at the moment, with minimum contact with the house share-ees - it's all good, but has made me realise that I actually would like to live on my own.  Maybe it would be worth paying a bit more for - just think how much more you would enjoy those evenings in


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## Ms T (Sep 26, 2005)

Can you really not afford more than £450 a month.   IME it may be worth being a bit skint to save your sanity!  How about cutting down on those Prada jackets?


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## Divisive Cotton (Sep 26, 2005)

ChrisFilter said:
			
		

> Probably a stupid question, but is the above possible to do, but with a decent standard of living?
> 
> As in not a complete shit hole, not in a properly rough bit, not completely minging with dry rot, rising damp, and fred and rose west for neighbours?
> 
> ...



Yeah become a council tenant like me - £200 and a bit a month.

Oh, but Labour wants to get rid of all council tenancy by 2010!

Well, I didn't vote for them.


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## wiskey (Sep 26, 2005)

RenegadeDog said:
			
		

> But if he's paying so little rent, surely he could afford to pay to sort some of these problems out?



its the landladys responsibility


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## EastEnder (Sep 26, 2005)

Well I found a nice little 1-bed flat on stockwell road, 10 mins walk from the Albert. Nothing better than having your own kitchen, lounge, bathroom.... Everything in the fridge is MINE, ALL MINE!!! And I only ever have to clean up my own crap, and no one elses.

But I'm paying £780 + bills, which I guess is a little out of your price range.

You can get (ok-ish) studio flats in zone 2 for around the 550/600 mark (usually inclusive). For 450 you're probably looking at a bedsit with shared bathroom, that sort of thing.


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## Hollis (Sep 26, 2005)

EastEnder said:
			
		

> Well I found a nice little 1-bed flat on stockwell road, 10 mins walk from the Albert. Nothing better than having your own kitchen, lounge, bathroom.... Everything in the fridge is MINE, ALL MINE!!! And I only ever have to clean up my own crap, and no one elses.
> 
> But I'm paying £780 + bills, which I guess is a little out of your price range.
> 
> You can get (ok-ish) studio flats in zone 2 for around the 550/600 mark (usually inclusive). For 450 you're probably looking at a bedsit with shared bathroom, that sort of thing.



Christ -you're paying more than my mortgage.


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## wiskey (Sep 26, 2005)

dont be put off chris - i looked at two places in brixton both for £140p/w (i know its above your budget)

the first was a dingy brown one room thingy with the bedroom in a garage tacked onto the end of the house. the shower was a cubicle, the 'kitchen' was two electric rings, there were no work surfaces and the fridge was right in the middle of the room.

the second is the one i now live in which although small is perfectly formed with ok size bathroom, small kitchen, laminate flooring throughout. i'm about the sign the contract for the third year (with no rent increase).

so keep looking 

i got mine from http://www.findaproperty.co.uk/


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## marty21 (Sep 26, 2005)

Divisive Cotton said:
			
		

> Yeah become a council tenant like me - £200 and a bit a month.
> 
> Oh, but Labour wants to get rid of all council tenancy by 2010!
> 
> Well, I didn't vote for them.



pretty sure thay can't get rid of council tenancies by 2010, i think what they want to do is outsource the management of council tenancies, to either almos, or to housing associations, the council would retain ownership but not manage them

having said that the councils shoud retain management responsibilities as well imho


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## EastEnder (Sep 26, 2005)

Hollis said:
			
		

> Christ -you're paying more than my mortgage.


Yeah, but you live in _Wood Green_.......


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## marty21 (Sep 26, 2005)

Hollis said:
			
		

> Christ -you're paying more than my mortgage.



and mine


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## SubZeroCat (Sep 26, 2005)

From what you've told me Chris, I think it would be a good idea to organise your finances and be a bit stricter with yourself - you could afford more than £450 that way surely?

I dunno, easier said than done of course but I thought I'd point it out.

Good luck


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## jodal (Sep 26, 2005)

Advice:
1. Get a girlfriend. It halves all of your outgoings and you get sex regularly.
2. Live somewhere shit. 
3. Get another promotion.

Oh and who is going to clean, and buy milk and toiletpaper for you in your new flat? (genuine question)


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## ChrisFilter (Sep 26, 2005)

jodal said:
			
		

> Advice:
> 1. Get a girlfriend. It halves all of your outgoings and you get sex regularly.
> 2. Live somewhere shit.
> 3. Get another promotion.
> ...



1. Not a bad idea, but would be a while before I could feasibly move in, she might get freaked out if just moved in after a couple of weeks. Although the girl I fancy did just tell me I might have to marry her best friend for Visa purposes in about 6 months, so that solves that problem.

2. I might have to resign myself to this option.

3. There's only so much head you can give.


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## ChrisFilter (Sep 26, 2005)

SubZeroCat said:
			
		

> From what you've told me Chris, I think it would be a good idea to organise your finances and be a bit stricter with yourself - you could afford more than £450 that way surely?
> 
> I dunno, easier said than done of course but I thought I'd point it out.
> 
> Good luck



If I give up crack I could probably afford £800.


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## SubZeroCat (Sep 26, 2005)

ChrisFilter said:
			
		

> If I give up crack I could probably afford £800.



Exactly




			
				ChrisFilter said:
			
		

> Although the girl I fancy..



Which one?


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## ChrisFilter (Sep 26, 2005)

SubZeroCat said:
			
		

> Which one?


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## Jazzz (Sep 26, 2005)

What are your rowing best times CF? I've just started at the gym down the road. 1:46 for 500m but hoping to improve (that was after a twenty-minute run) 21:03 for 10000m (after twenty minute cycle)


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## flimsier (Sep 26, 2005)

Jazzz said:
			
		

> What are your rowing best times CF? I've just started at the gym down the road. 1:46 for 500m but hoping to improve (that was after a twenty-minute run) 21:03 for 10000m (after twenty minute cycle)



What resistance?


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## flimsier (Sep 26, 2005)

Chris, my advice is: 

(1) hold out for the perfect, and stretch your finances upwards as you can (though obviously not too much). This may take time. Have you got it?

(2) Forget living alone, but be very choosy. Can you find somewhere (they exist, though probably not in zone 1/2) where the flatmate(s) are commuters....? I once lived in a place where 2 flat-mates were married, just rented the room as a place to sleep on weekdays when they were working, but their family home was miles away (Rhyl was one). Incidentally, they became two of my best mates.

(3) Share with people a bit older. I mean in attitude rather than (necessarily) age. This discounts some on here but you know what I mean. You need to share with people with the same attitude as you. When I was letting two rooms in my house, this was my pov. (I found two commuters [see above] but mainly because I'm near the North circular!)


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## ChrisFilter (Sep 26, 2005)

Got 5 weeks.. and I could probably stretch to £550 dependent on how big this payrise is gonna be. The thought of spending all that much on fucking rent is horrible though.. it's sickening.

I really don't want to share, hate the thought.

Current flatmates are 27 and 33, and pretty mature, I'm just a bit weird when I'm home.. I don't want to see anyone. I'll even fucking listen by my door to here when they've left the kitchen so I can go in there


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## ChrisFilter (Sep 26, 2005)

Jazzz said:
			
		

> What are your rowing best times CF? I've just started at the gym down the road. 1:46 for 500m but hoping to improve (that was after a twenty-minute run) 21:03 for 10000m (after twenty minute cycle)



On full resistance I'd aim for 5000 in less than 20 mins.. you must be fucking superman, because I've been doing it 4 nights a week for 6 months and still can't go much more than that. I get completely dead legs after 5k as well and need to spend about 10 mins on something else to get rid of pins and needles.


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## ChrisFilter (Sep 26, 2005)

PS. Jazzz, don't do too much too quickly.. when I first started the triathlon traning I'd exhaust myself and it makes you less capable rather than more capable. for the first month I wouldn't go more than every other day.


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## Jazzz (Sep 26, 2005)

I meant 5000m not 10000 of course   
Not sure what the resistance was. I'll check.

Certainly don't feel like superman yet!


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## ChrisFilter (Sep 26, 2005)

I did wonder


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