Rant - London rent prices...

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There is a housing problem in and around London and thats all - simple solution is to move somewhere less expensive. Manchester & Leeds are very popular, have thriving business districts and are extremely affordable.

Lots of people refuse to accept that they can move or live somewhere else and instead live in horrible conditions paying extortionate prices in London.
 
Soldato
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There is a housing problem in and around London and thats all - simple solution is to move somewhere less expensive. Manchester & Leeds are very popular, have thriving business districts and are extremely affordable.

Lots of people refuse to accept that they can move or live somewhere else and instead live in horrible conditions paying extortionate prices in London.

The only issue with that is that Londoners all think that they can make it big in that city :D alongside the inability to leave the M25 ring without thinking they're embarking on a quest to Mordor.
 
Soldato
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There is a housing problem in and around London and thats all - simple solution is to move somewhere less expensive. Manchester & Leeds are very popular, have thriving business districts and are extremely affordable.

Lots of people refuse to accept that they can move or live somewhere else and instead live in horrible conditions paying extortionate prices in London.

It's not 'simple' though is it?

I probably couldn't earn what I'm earning at 26 even comparatively in insurance anywhere else in the country. Definitely not have the same earning potential either.
 
Associate
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I'm a bit puzzled as to why it would cost £400 p/m to commute from somewhere outside London.

With a 16-25 Railcard you can easily travel on National Rail for £12 return per day, so around £240 p/m, and that's assuming that you're travelling peak 5 days a week.
 
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I'm a bit puzzled as to why it would cost £400 p/m to commute from somewhere outside London.

With a 16-25 Railcard you can easily travel for £12 return per day, so around £240 p/m, and that's assuming that you're travelling peak 5 days a week.

Woking:

Days/Months Price Average journey price*
7 Days £152.90 £15.29
1 Month £587.20 -
3 Months £1,761.50 -
6 Months £3,522.90 -
12 Months £6,116.00 £12.74

Reading:

Days/Months Price Average journey price*
7 Days £255.50 £25.55
1 Month £945.50 -
3 Months £2,836.30 -
6 Months £5,672.50 -
12 Months £9,848.00 £20.51

Basingstoke:

Days/Months Price Average journey price*
7 Days £200.40 £20.04
1 Month £769.60 -
3 Months £2,308.70 -
6 Months £4,617.30 -
12 Months £8,016.00 £16.70
 
Man of Honour
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I'm a bit puzzled as to why it would cost £400 p/m to commute from somewhere outside London.

With a 16-25 Railcard you can easily travel on National Rail for £12 return per day, so around £240 p/m, and that's assuming that you're travelling peak 5 days a week.

Not everyone is under 25 :confused: and rail cards have restrictions on their use depending on when you need to travel.
 
Associate
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Woking:

Days/Months Price Average journey price*
7 Days £152.90 £15.29
1 Month £587.20 -
3 Months £1,761.50 -
6 Months £3,522.90 -
12 Months £6,116.00 £12.74

Woking on a railcard is £13.55 per day for a return, so £67.75 per week assuming 5-day week.

Not everyone is under 25 :confused: and rail cards have restrictions on their use depending on when you need to travel.

OP said they're a student, which means they're most likely eligible for the 16-25. And that one doesn't, just a min. £12 charge.
 
Soldato
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Have a big fat :rolleyes: Don't be so utterly patronising. I know full well the 'principles behind ownership' thank you very much :rolleyes: I also know that when you rent a property it is your home. You're completely failing to grasp the fundamental emotional attachment that people would have to a 'property' (or area) that they have lived in for 5+ years. Whilst I pay rent and am under contract it is my home and the law says so. That's what I am paying for, that's why the landlord/agent has to give notice before they want to enter the property, that's why I can choose my utility providers, my ISP, my contents insurance etc.

Almost a quarter of all households in the UK will be renting privately by 2025. I guess you're one of those that thinks we're second-class citizens :rolleyes:

Conversely I've been in the exact situation you've been in twice before - got kicked out of places in Parsons Green and Old Street due to landlords wanting to refurbish and sell respectively. Not being patronising in the slightest. simply indicating that you've only got yourself to blame for getting so emotionally attached to something you know doesn't belong to you long term and has the potential to dump you out on your arse at any given time.
 
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Sorry my mistake, i had the first class tick box enabled on the national rail site.

woking

Days/Months Price Average journey price*
7 Days £94.80 £9.48
1 Month £364.10 -
3 Months £1,092.10 -
6 Months £2,184.20 -
12 Months £3,792.00 £7.90

Basingstoke

Days/Months Price Average journey price*
7 Days £123.60 £12.36
1 Month £474.70 -
3 Months £1,423.90 -
6 Months £2,847.80 -
12 Months £4,944.00 £10.30

reading

Days/Months Price Average journey price*
7 Days £127.30 £12.73
1 Month £477.70 -
3 Months £1,433.10 -
6 Months £2,866.20 -
12 Months £4,976.00 £10.36
 
Associate
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It's not 'simple' though is it?

I probably couldn't earn what I'm earning at 26 even comparatively in insurance anywhere else in the country. Definitely not have the same earning potential either.

Agreed you won't earn as much living outside London but that is the point - you earn less but everything is far more affordable. Believe me, worked in London for 10 years and moved to Manchester last year because I didn't have £850k - £1.2million pounds for the house I wanted in London. Took a pay cut but now own a beautful house in Manchester that I can easily afford (would be worth £1m - £1.5m in London), rail is significantly cheaper, food and fuel are similar but going out costs are lower (£6 for a cinema ticket!!).

I never for a moment thought that I could earn what I earned in London but that really isn't the point and I have now a far better quality of life.
 
Soldato
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Agreed you won't earn as much living outside London but that is the point - you earn less but everything is far more affordable. Believe me, worked in London for 10 years and moved to Manchester last year because I didn't have £850k - £1.2million pounds for the house I wanted in London. Took a pay cut but now own a beautful house in Manchester that I can easily afford (would be worth £1m - £1.5m in London), rail is significantly cheaper, food and fuel are similar but going out costs are lower (£6 for a cinema ticket!!).

I never for a moment thought that I could earn what I earned in London but that really isn't the point and I have now a far better quality of life.

No I understand, but minus the mortgage is everything else really that much cheaper? Cinema ticket here is about £7. Beer around £4 mark. Weekly shop around £100 (for two of us) and we eat well.

Mortgage I'm looking at £1200 a month for a nice 3 bed semi detached worth ~£300k - £325k. Granted it's not central London obviously.
 
Associate
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No I understand, but minus the mortgage is everything else really that much cheaper? Cinema ticket here is about £7. Beer around £4 mark. Weekly shop around £100 (for two of us) and we eat well.

Mortgage I'm looking at £1200 a month for a nice 3 bed semi detached worth ~£300k - £325k. Granted it's not central London obviously.

Where are you buying a detached house in London for £300 - £325k? I lived in East London zone 4 and couldn't get anything for less than £500k in not so nice areas.

Yes my disposable income has gone up and I have a beautiful 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom, 4 reception room house in an area akin to Chiswick in Manchester with a commute of 25 mins in the morning.

I also have a lot more around me that I find important. Manchester has a lot of what London has to offer in terms of culture (agreed not as much but still isn't bad) but I also have the Peak District, Yorkshire Dales, Lake District etc all within a easy commute.

People need to realise London isn't the magical amazing place we all must live in.
 
Soldato
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Where are you buying a detached house in London for £300 - £325k? I lived in East London zone 4 and couldn't get anything for less than £500k in not so nice areas.

Yes my disposable income has gone up and I have a beautiful 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom, 4 reception room house in an area akin to Chiswick in Manchester with a commute of 25 mins in the morning.

I also have a lot more around me that I find important. Manchester has a lot of what London has to offer in terms of culture (agreed not as much but still isn't bad) but I also have the Peak District, Yorkshire Dales, Lake District etc all within a easy commute.

People need to realise London isn't the magical amazing place we all must live in.

I agree with this. Left London in 2012 and don't miss it one bit. We just bought a house with a deposit that would have been just 6 months rent in London. Our mortgage is almost a third of our old rent and if I ever want to go to London, I just get the train.

The government needs to rebalance the country away from the south east but it will never happen.

Just had a look, and the flat we used to rent for £1200pcm is now £1700pcm in less than 3 years. Nice. I appreciate London has a lot going for it career wise, but you have to decide what your end game is. How much cash are you happy with?

It's a very difficult place to live as a student, speaking from experience.
 
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Soldato
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I don't know why I said Central London. But out towards elm park/ hornchurch. Zone 6 (London borough of havering I believe). 20 minutes from central London by train.

Close enough for the London lifestyle without the London house prices. Although you go to be careful as there are some dives around there.
 
Soldato
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London & Dubai
Agreed that rents are crazy in London but the OP really has to start looking @ other viable options.

A nice sized one bed room flat in zone 3 is within his budget, 10-20 min train ride into central.

Rents being high has nothing to de with "greedy" landlords. Any person or business that invest large sums of money expect a degree of return on their investment, otherwise its just not worth it
 
Caporegime
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landlords in London are among the least 'greedy' in the country tbh... very poor yields for BTL properties in most areas
 
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