Moving House - why so darned expensive!

by Crumpet 26 Replies latest social current

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  Fe2O3Girl

  Crumpet -

  It is worth double checking if there are any benefits or allowances you can claim. Check this out:

  http://www.entitledto.co.uk/default.asp

  Rachel xx
• 

  sspo

  Maybe instead of renting that small apartment ,can you try to find someone who owns a house or apartment and might be willing to just rent a room.

  In the states it's done frequently, it helps the owner and the renters.

  Of course you might lose some privacy but you will have more money to enjoy life a little more.
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  nelly136

  down here its normal for them to charge a fee which may or may not cover a credit check fee, a deposit and rent in advance up front and sometimes a guarantor .
• 

  bubble

  Hi Crumpet, I was wondering if you could approach this from a different angle. What is your current job? It doesn't sound like it's very well paid, so perhaps you could have a chat with your employer and explain your financial situation. I know someone who did just this and got a 3k pay rise. Or maybe look around for a new job that is better paid.
  
  Just a thought. I know it's easier said than done. XXX
• 

  greendawn

  Accomodation in London and nearby places within easy commuting distance are horribly expensive. Why? Because the demand is very high, London is the in thing (entertainment, nightlife, culture, history, jobs, prestige) people go to live and work there from other parts of the UK, Europe and the rest of the world, so purchasing and renting accomodation is sinfully expensive.
  
  However £450 per month for such a small room (that's £104 per week) sounds too expensive, shouldn't it be around £80 per week even in London (outside the centre)?
  
  You may be better off sharing a nice house or flat but then you need to be compatible with the rest of the occupant(s). Also as someone said above avoid agencies try to go direct to the landlord otherwise you will pay the fees and extra rent as the landlord tries to recoup from the tennant the fees he paid. In the end the tennent pays for everything.
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  LittleToe

  There's been some good advice thusfar, which seem to surround either finding a place to share, or live further out and enjoy the commute to read.

  Does your proposed rent include rates, electricity, washing machine, etc., etc? I work on the assumption that if my housing is going to cost more than half my wages then I'm sunk. On average it's about 1/3 of a households income. While £450/month might not be entirely excessive for somewhere to live (though for a small room it certainly is), it sounds like it's going to take all your pay just to have somewhere to sleep at night. There's something fundamentally wrong about that!

  However the first thing I'd examine is whether or not you really want to live in London at all. If you're not really there for the entertainment and amenities, especially due to restricted spending potential, might you not be better looking for a job/accommodation in a more affordable part of the country?
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  greendawn

  I asked someone who lives in a studio flat in London 6 miles from the centre (Finchley) how much they pay. The studio flat was very nicely done up a few years ago and well furnished with even a washing machine, it's about 16X20 feet, and he pays £600 per month. So a small room shouldn't be £450 per month. Are they trying to rip people off?