I am moving to London in September. Where would you suggest me to rent a flat?

10 Comments

1. Movers&shakers says:

   June 14, 2009 at 7:28 pm

   Where to Live in London - The Scoop

   Parks and pubs or cafes and comedy clubs? North of the river or south? The kind of lifestyle you want to have as a working traveller can influence your choice of where to live. London is made up of many suburbs or boroughs, each with their own distinct atmosphere, vibe and sense of community. Many suburbs in London are like a city within a city, each with their own High Street (the main drag) full of cafes and restaurants (also chains, everything in London seems to be!) and hidden side streets with quirky little stores and cheap take-aways.

   Where to live depends on a few factors. It’s important to base yourself close to your work if possible as this makes commuting easier, faster and cheaper. However, this is not always possible and often prohibited by the cost of living in certain areas. Fortunately the public transportation network in London and the UK is comprehensive (see Getting around London) and that (along with the smallish size of the country) enables you to commute nearly anywhere. You’ll probably also want to be close to any friends or family you already have living in London. This doesn’t mean you have to be neighbours, but living a couple of Tube or bus stops away from mates is handy for socialising or when a bout of home-sickness kicks in!

   For traditional antipodeans’ haunts, where you’ll be sure to get a big welcome (but won’t stand out one bit among all the others from ‘down-under’) Earl’s Court, Hammersmith and Shepherd’s Bush are safe bets. However more and more areas in the outer zones (see London Orientation) are becoming social and business hubs, with affordable accommodation and an array of employment opportunities.
   Just to get you started, some popular places to live are as follows:

   South: Clapham, Brixton, Battersea and Wandsworth – Clapham and Battersea have become very popular over the past couple of years, with many of the industrial buildings being replaced by new flats. This is a lively area with plenty of bars, restaurants, shops and pubs. Here you’ll find lots Aussies, Kiwis and South Africans taking advantage of the reasonably priced accommodation and good transport links.

   South West: Earl’s Court, Fulham, Putney, Wimbledon and Southfields – Many antipodeans head to these areas full of working travellers, particularly Earl’s Court which is full of hostels and affordable accommodation, with excellent transport links to central London. For more of a ‘neighbourhood’ feel head to Putney or Fulham, where lively pubs and clubs meet parks and public libraries. Wimbledon (great spot for tennis fans!) and Southfields also have lots of flat-shares and good transport links.

   West: Shepherd’s Bush, Acton, Hammersmith – Fast becoming the hot-spot for Aussies and Kiwis working in London. Shepherd’s Bush and Acton are filled with affordable accommodation and legendary pubs such as the Shepherd’s Bush Walkabout and Acton’s Redback Tavern. Head here for the pub culture and accessible transport links, or Hammersmith for a tamer (and slightly more expensive) experience.

   South East: Greenwich, Docklands, Canary Wharf – The Docklands and Canary Wharf areas are booming at the moment, with new housing and business popping up all over the place. There are fairly good transport links thanks to the Docklands Light Rail (DLR) and accommodation is reasonably priced. There isn’t much of a vibe in these areas though, so head to Greenwich if historical buildings and antique markets are more your cup of tea.

   North: Highgate, Hampstead, Archway – These pretty Zone 2 suburbs have a village atmosphere, with leafy parks, pubs and fancy restaurants. They are quite pricey though, so you won’t find too many struggling antipodeans. These are real ‘English’ suburbs, where the likes of Jamie Oliver and Pierce Brosnan own houses, so make sure you have plenty of pounds saved before flat hunting here.

   North West: Notting Hill, Willesden Green, Kilburn, Wembley, Camden – Camden and Notting Hill are the trendier suburbs in this area with bustling markets (Camden and Portobello Road), swanky restaurants and buzzing bars. You will of course pay more for living with the ‘in crowd’ in these elegant streets. For more affordable but still buzzing suburbs home to many working travellers, try Willesden Green, Kilburn and Wembley.
2. sane_person1 says:

   June 15, 2009 at 12:13 am

   Generally West London and North West London are nicer areas.
   Trry this website:
3. arfurchance says:

   June 15, 2009 at 1:29 am

   Hi
   What you’re willing to pay won’t be the problem, it’s finding somewhere to pay for.
   Ray. West York’s. U.K.
   West York’s yeah but my dad was born in Bow Road not far from where the police vehicle pound is/was, so I think him being a cockney qualifies me to answer. Good Luck.
4. sonu n says:

   June 17, 2009 at 5:04 pm

   No dont come please
5. barbie says:

   June 19, 2009 at 11:14 am

   Crystal Palace/ Sydenham/ East Dulwich areas would meet your criteria I think . . .
   Have a look at upmystreet.com for loads more info - SE19 is the postal code for crystal palace.
6. Uncle Sid says:

   June 21, 2009 at 3:52 am

   I think that possibly in your situation, I’d go for Primrose Hill. 5 minutes Chalk Farm station, around 10 to St Johns Wood Station and of course, you’ve got the little local shops, Primrose Hill itself and a stone’s throw from Regents Park with the added benefit of being right on the doorstep of the more cosmopolitan Camden Town. Pity they closed down the Primrose Hill railway station. Still you can’t have everything.
7. joelyboy says:

   June 24, 2009 at 1:21 pm

   Welcome to London! Your money goes further if you move further out in London. £300 per week should get you something decent and there are man areas for you to choose. I prefer North of the River and you should maybe take alook at upmystreet.com for some advice. I’ve lived all over the city and find different areas are better for different things. You should take into consideration travel costs as it is ery expensive to travel around the city especially via the tube network. Best of luck.
8. sparkleythings_4you says:

   June 27, 2009 at 7:03 pm

   If you are travelling in to London for work every day then I’d stick to zone 2 (get yourself an underground map and you will clearly see the zones), it’s cheaper and quicker, you’d be amazed at how much longer it takes to travel in in zones 3 or 4. If you want somewhere a little further out then there are excellent links from Surrey, Epsom is a lovely place, and about 20 minutes in to Waterloo if you get a fast train. I don’t know about schools though sorry!!
9. Luke E says:

   June 28, 2009 at 8:42 pm

   Look at to see the housing in the different areas.

   You get more for your money in South London and it will be an easier commute into the city for you. Its best to work out what your commute will be as that will have a major impact on your life.

   I would advise anyone not to have a commute longer than about 30-40 minutes which means generally living in zone 2. Consider areas that dont have tubes as they are generally cheaper and if they are close enough in it doesnt matter that they dont have a tube as you will be able to get a bus. Alternatively choose areas with good rail links into to London Bridge/ Blackfriars stations etc.

   After that look at what is important to you - closeness to the city, proximity to cultural attractions/ parks/ restaurants/ bars/ shops. Also being on the right side for family visits etc is good - it can take over an hour just to get from one side of London to the other.

   Nurseries and schools do vary according to area - although usually there is a good range in each borough. I guess its best to check out the different borough websites for information on schools.

   My recommendations
   If you go for a place with the tube try somewhere like Vauxhall, Oval, Stockwell, Tooting or (slightly more expensibe) Clapham, Balham.

   But I would also recommend that you consider somewhere without a tube as you will get more and trains at peak times are every 10 minutes or so.

   Somewhere say like Camberwell - its got good train links to the city at Denmark Hill and Loughborough Junction stations and has good buses and the tube at Oval is not too far away. Also Herne Hill which again has good train links and a lovely park.

   Otherwise somewhere like Crystal Palace, Greenwich, Blackheath, Streatham.

   The only way to work out whats best is to come up to London buy a travelcard and travel around for the day visiting the different areas. Come with an open mind as even apparently ‘dodgy’ areas have nice bits.

   Good luck - you’ll love London.
10. paulm says:

    July 1, 2009 at 1:45 am

    check out City Woop - cool new website introducing 2 minute films of London’s different areas, it’s got links to property stuff and other info about the area.