Any folks living in London here?

[lost_boy]

Just a general question! May be moving there in the next while... wondered what everyone's opinions are on a good place to look for a flat that isn't going to cost crazy money to rent?

Will be working in the city center near Westminster and all. I was thinking Clapham or roundabout there might be good - I have friends there, good atmosphere, can bus/cycle up to Victoria etc.

Thoughts?

Also I'm just being nosy and wondered who lives there with a view to meeting people from here one day!

[leese43]

Hi there,

I'm in South London/Surrey. Clapham's great but expensive I think. Balham & Tooting bec are nice too (not as nice as Clapham though).  Wandsworth Borough has the lowest Council Tax in Britain I believe, so try and stay within it. When I lived there years ago they even gave a rebate! lol. 

[carousel]

I like Clapham, it's a popular area with the homos.  And a couple of well known bars, if that's your inclination. 

I suppose it depends on your budget.

If you want to be as close as possible, Waterloo, London Bridge, Kennington and Vauxhall attract a lot of people because of their location.  Though Vauxhall can get a bit overrun with people out partying at all hours.

If you're not earning a large amount of money, would also advise you to get on the Council waiting list.  I know they are changing the rules, but you may find that you could a flat somewhere you couldn't normally afford.  It took me four years to get a flat, although this was partly that they messed up my application.  HIV doesn't guarantee you a flat, it does give you some kind of priority.

[Ann]

HIV doesn't guarantee you a flat, it does give you some kind of priority.

It didn't where I live, even though I had several doctor letters on my file including two saying that rehousing me in a property that wasn't riddled with damp was a priority as I kept getting aspergillosis. I haven't had it once since I moved. 

The only reason I finally got rehoused was because the local housing officer accidentally let it slip to the fire chief that my flat wasn't anywhere near up to fire regs. And he didn't do it "accidentally" for my benefit either - he was trying to cover his own ass after a landlord got jailed when one of his tenants burned to death in a fire in one of his not-up-to-fire-regs properties.

Where I live there are financial requirements that have to be met before you can go on the housing waiting list. If you qualify, it would certainly be worth going on the list, even if you have to wait for a few years. (I waited eight years before I got a council house, but it was worth the wait)