London Living costs

[TheAnimus]

I'm looking at a graduate placement scheme with a Central London based firm (near liverpool street station), but the money their offering seams to be a bit low considering the requirement of living in london. Whilst I can live with some friends most are students, and would have to pay counciel tax. How long do you have to live somewhere before your a resident if you don't pay rent? (but say happen to buy everyone in the house's food, becuase you like cooking so much?)

So basically whats the minimum you can get a nice-ish place for in london, anyone got any experiance of "starting out on their own" in london.

[5lab]

having spoken to a few mates there, you're looking at rent of around £5-600 for a niceish place (per month). get somewhere large with lots of people and you'll find it takes the sting out of other costs- my total bills living in a 2 bed place (with 1 other bloke) in brighton (not inc rent) is around £200 per month..

[schmunk]

How long's the placement for? If you'll be staying in a house that's just students, they won't be paying council tax, and the council don't have to know you're there, if it's only a shortish time (nudge nudge, wink wink).

Otherwise, I think 5lab's aiming a bit low if you're planning to live centrally - my friends had a tiny tiny 1-bed flat in 'Islington' (Kings Cross really) and that was about £800 pcm exclusive of bills. Of course if you live further out you get more for your money but then travel costs increase. I live in zone 6 and a monthly travelcard is >£150

A nice room in a shared house in zone 1-2 will be about £300-400 pcm.

[herulach]

How long's the placement for? If you'll be staying in a house that's just students, they won't be paying council tax, and the council don't have to know you're there, if it's only a shortish time (nudge nudge, wink wink).

Otherwise, I think 5lab's aiming a bit low if you're planning to live centrally - my friends had a tiny tiny 1-bed flat in 'Islington' (Kings Cross really) and that was about £800 pcm exclusive of bills. Of course if you live further out you get more for your money but then travel costs increase. I live in zone 6 and a monthly travelcard is >£150

A nice room in a shared house in zone 1-2 will be about £300-400 pcm.

My sister is in college in london and paying about 100/week i think, that includes water + gas but not electric. I have no idea where it is though, not far from camden iirc.

And also, 150/month on tube? Jesus, i could have got an awesome bike for that (got 300 off parents for a bus pass, ended up spent on a bike

[pp05]

Rent is as low as £100 a week.

[schmunk]

And also, 150/month on tube? Jesus, i could have got an awesome bike for that (got 300 off parents for a bus pass, ended up spent on a bike

To be fair, it is a 20 mile journey into central London. Anyway, I don't work in London, so I drive...

[Basher]

You will of course be living in a shed for that price

[schmunk]

Have a look here. £90pw will get you the scummiest bedsit in central London, or a bad flatshare.

Studio flats in the City look to start at around £200pw..!

[menthel]

Live further out and commute. Somewhere in zones 2-3. I recommend SW london, but then again I would. Born and raised in SW London, me!

[Aaron]

If you're on a graduate placement scheme as part of your degree then you are still classed as a student and therefore do not have to pay council tax.

Liverpool Street is well served by trains if you want to live further out. You could live in such glamourous neighbours as Tottenham, Harlow or even Chingford!

[5lab]

If you're on a graduate placement scheme as part of your degree then you are still classed as a student and therefore do not have to pay council tax.

not convinced by that - afaik, if you're not paying tuition fees (which most dont on their gap year thingy) then you dont get c-tax excemption. i could well be wrong..

[Aaron]

not convinced by that - afaik, if you're not paying tuition fees (which most dont on their gap year thingy) then you dont get c-tax excemption. i could well be wrong..

If it's a gap year between school and university then you would need to pay.

If it's a sandwich course and you're taking the placement as part of your course then you're exempt from paying council tax. However, you still have to pay half of the usual tutition fees.

[herbert_goon]

For a house share, you are looking at about £400 per month. If it's your first time in town then get a house share - you will need mates outside of work!

For Liverpool Street you either travel mainline (fancy romford?) or tube (central line). I did West Acton to Liverpool St for a year - it's about 35 minutes but hot in the summer. West Acton is V Nice though as it's right next to Ealing so good social life.

You could try Shepherds Bush but it is a bit of a hole and expensive at that thanks to 100's of BBC people!

I wouldn't live in the City if I were you - nothing to do but booze and you don't want to be spending 50squids on larger *every* night.

Going up Norf Lahndahn can be expensive, although I know people rate the likes of Crouch End, Finchley and Hampstead.

If you go south, you can travel into london bridge and it's about a 15min walk to Bishopsgate. There you can find Dulwich which is nice but quite close to areas like Peckham, Camberwell and Streatham.

If you can bear it, Croydon is cheap and only a 15min train ride from London Bridge.

Good luck!

[TheAnimus]

thanks for the advice guys, basicaly i'm kinda scared because its so far away from family, but there are quite a few people i know.

I was thinking a house share, but at the end of the day the idea of a studio flat is tempting. Work would be proper work, by graduate scheme's i mean big companies that take new fresh outa uni people, so i will definatly have to pay concil tax.

Most of the jobs will pay £20k-26k, but with tax and living, i'd rather spend no more than 10k on rent.

I know a few people in london, all but one will still be students, and she has the hump with me at the moment (big time).

As for living with people i don't really mind doing that, i'm easy going as long as you don't use my only plate and not was it up. But any theaft of money no matter how trival would piss me off.

The property site was quite enlightening, fully furnished studio flat for £700pcm in NW1 dosen't sound too bad (i'm a big guy, and tend to have no cash in my wallet for muggers anyway). I also like the idea of been within walking distance of most things, heck even walking distance to faringdon clubs. Whilst i'll be having a heavy workload for most jobs, i'll have weekends, so i like the idea of been in central london, someone was saying council tax rates aren't too bad in NW1 area, and insurance seams high but reasonable (i have no car, and no intention too have one in the period i'm looking to rent for).

I really want to get into full time employment by october, the job market dosen't appear to be that saturated, and i think i'd prefer working in london (i want to live in a BIG city for a couple of years).

Anyone have any experaince of finding good houses in need of housemates, I'd prefer people in similar situatations (fresh outa uni) I'm assuming £500pcm in that situation would give quite a nice sized room (oh and mabye a dish washer, how i have dreams of having a dish washer).