Struggling to find somewhere to live in London

AMD643000+H

AMD643000+H

AMD643000+H

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Joined
18 Jul 2004
Posts
588
Good afternoon all,

Just started a new job in South West London and have been looking for a flat share for over 6 weeks now...

All seems to go well however they never get back to me then I find out the room has gone.

My budget is 650 a month (Including Bills).

Any ideas on where I might be going wrong here?

Thanks
 
Well, what are you doing when you meet these people? Are you keen, are you house trained, do you look like the kind of person other renters will want to flatshare with? I haven't lived in London for a while but it was hard work getting a place 10 years ago so I don't imagine it's any easier now.

What do you think you're doing wrong?
 
Where are you looking for the flatshares? Is it a problem finding many options within budget or a problem that they're always snapped up too quickly? It might be that you need to widen your search slightly to different avenues - have you checked if anyone at work knows of someone looking for a flatshare?

I've not used it myself but a friend has used www.spareroom.co.uk with some success before. Gumtree may have some options, you could also try Craigslist although it's less commonly used here than in the States.
 
I do not smell...

I have been looking on Gumtree/Spareroom etc. In Streatham/Tulse/Herne/Brixton etc

I have not had any trouble finding them in budget, most of the flatshares are comfortably within.

I really have no idea what I am doing wrong.

I have tried asking around at work with no joy, I guess I will carry on searching!
 
I think that's a very unrealistic budget to be honest. As a student about to start at a London uni, I've been looking at flats aimed at students and the cheapest ones are about £150 per week excluding bills. With that budget I'd say your options are very limited.
 
You're probably not doing anything wrong, it's difficult to get a flatshare in London unless you are either a fit woman or make a really good first impression on people. The reason they don't phone back is because they probably have about 20 people viewing it before a fit woman turns up, plus it's an unpleasant conversation to have.

Keep trying but be prepared to up your budget and rent yourself a one bed flat in somewhere like Sutton.
 
scorza said:
You're probably not doing anything wrong, it's difficult to get a flatshare in London unless you are either a fit woman or make a really good first impression on people. The reason they don't phone back is because they probably have about 20 people viewing it before a fit woman turns up, plus it's an unpleasant conversation to have.
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This is such a scathing indictment of men :D

Fortunately when I first came here from SA I was in a houseshare in Hanwell and met a cool couple who I then moved into another 2 bed flat with. I lived with them until I bought our flat in Sutton 3 years ago, so I never went through a load of flatshare interviews.
 
I spent a total of 10days looking at places on many different websites but I finally found a place using the early bird service on spareroom.co.uk. Quite happy with it since it was recently renovated, one minute walk to the tube station and I'd be first to move in.

You need to look at a couple of places before deciding though because rushing, I was close to accepting two other places because I had already begun work and staying in a Hostel long term wouldn't be beneficial. One place I looked at was in a unfurnished damp basement without a door or window which stated they wouldnt furnish until deposits were down. :confused:
Another was with a crazy live in landlady who kept changing her mind every 2 minutes and ringing me at the office til I firmly told her no.
 
scorza said:
Keep trying but be prepared to up your budget and rent yourself a one bed flat in somewhere like Sutton.
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Don't do this! :p

I rented a massive room in a flatshare in Tooting for £600 all inc, but most of it boils down to if your competitors gel with the existing housemates. When I interviewed, I always went with like-minded people who had secure jobs.
 
TheCenturion said:
I think that's a very unrealistic budget to be honest. As a student about to start at a London uni, I've been looking at flats aimed at students and the cheapest ones are about £150 per week excluding bills. With that budget I'd say your options are very limited.
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i live in camden and i pay £550 a month inc bills, so I think it's realistic/doable.
 
You lot give such poo advice,

Ive done flat shares i moved about 6x in 2 years when I was living in london just to experiance different places when I was working.

If you do flat shares you can easily get very NICE rooms in decent houses with decent people forless then £650.

Aslong as you carry yourself decently anyone will take you most of the time the landlords just see the £££s.


All this tripe about oh there all looking for a fit woman lol seriously? xD you guys are terrible lmao.
 
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