Monthly Rents

[China Doll]

Afternoon,

Do you think �700 per month all inclusive in a flat share with one other person in South East London is a standard/good price or a bit pricey? I've been half offered a place and I'm umming and erring over the financial aspects of it. But wherever I look it seems much of muchness so not sure if I'm lookiing in the wrong places or being stingey!

Cheers
China

[ChuckFickens]

I know London commands a premium in rent, but seems a bit expensive to me for a share.

Check letting agents local to the place and see what they would charge in monthly rent for a similar sort of place, if it's about 900 - 1000 quid a year just for the rent then 700 all in is probably not far off.

[China Doll]

I've seen one bedroom flats in Sydenham, non-sharing for about �650 - �800 but when you start to factor in bills and council tax, then I think it gets to about �900- �1000 mark. And that's not including food shopping or getting stuff you'd need for an unfurnished flat.

I take home approx �1500 a month so �700 is do-able I think. I've seen a couple of places in Clapham with more people in that are all inclusive and they're still comiing up to about �660 all inclusive. At least with one other person you feel like you're home rather than just in a room.

There's use of a pool though too for this one although it is quite a small pool!

[tiggerblue10]

If its all inclusive then I think its a good deal. I can't remember the last time I rented but my mortgage, insurance, council tax etc etc, my monthly outgoings (not including food)is approx �700 so it sounds ok.

[China Doll]

I guess prices have gone up recently too Tiggs. I was a bit spoilt when I was in Guildford as I lived with three other people but we all got on so well it felt like coming home and the rent was �350 all inclusive but then with so many of us living there it was probably ok to be that low. I was very lucky with the people I lived with. Wonder if Whiffey's about, he's south east too so perhaps he'd have a clue too.

[chicho,bird2]

my god

china
go council

i couldnt live like you

esp wen you work
so hard for the money

time to get out there and enjoy oneself

but i know rents are extravigant in london

but a big chunk out of ones hard earnings

xxx

lots of luck in wat you do xxxx

[China Doll]

Thanks Chico... Not sure I'd qualify for council though. And even if I did, I need to move out by the end of the month really and I doubt they'd get it done that quickly.

[ChuckFickens]

OK it's a lot more expensive to rent in that area than round my way then :)

one bed round here would be about 425-550 and 2bed about 500-600 which is why 700 for a share looked expensive.

All inclusive does also give you the peace of mind that you won't get caught out by surprise bills.

But I will warn you sharing can be tricky sometimes, if you share with the wrong person/people it can be a nightmare, thats why I now pay that little more for my own place.

[China Doll]

You're up north aren't you Chuck? Definitely cheaper there in my limited experience! :c)

See if i could find somewhere about �500 - �600 here on my own then I would be delighted but the cheapest thing I ever saw was a two bedroom flat for �775 which once you start factoring in council tax and bills, you're definitelty up to the �900 mark I'd say.

Still... �700 is a lot...

[ChuckFickens]

LOL.... I wouldn't call Essex up north really :)

[China Doll]

Doh! I thought you were in Birmmingham for some reason... Gawd knows who I've confused you with! ;0)

Essex is probably a bit far from where I work I think!

[tiggerblue10]

Would you consider Streatham or Croydon even? I've had a quick look at Rightmove but they don't say whether its all inclusive or not! One in Croydon came up as �575.

[Drisgirl]

I would bite their hands off CD

My son pays that -sharing with another in Edinburgh and they are now looking at potentially �800 per month for a decent flat -cos her and her man have split and put the flat on the market.

Now even in Perth -we are talking at leat �450 for a scabby bedsit -so in both capitals what you are speaking about is very good indeed.

[WhiteBear]

Hi China

That sounds reasonable if thats in London! alll inclusive do u mean council tax, and bills??

u can get around �400 all inclusive sharing in Leeds. cheapest would be �320- 350.

im paying �350 bang in the Leeds City Centre but doesnt include anything, its the cheapest (i even got discount on it!! was meant to be �380!) and its a brand new one bedroom apartment (no sharing woohoo!). ive seen nicer apartments here upto �1000 a month!!!

if u haggle your landlord say.. u'ld take it for �650 n move in straight away, if the say no, say go half way etc... dont just go for what they ask for! :) x

[China Doll]

That expensive in Scotland too? Wow. Credit crunch must really be biting.

I'm not so sure about croydon. I work in central London and while I've been to the shopping centre I don't really know the area. This place isn't too far from where I live now and I like the area here and the local pubs etc... Plus, I'd still be relatively close to all my friends and I'd still be able to get the bus I get now to work and stuff...

Arrgh! I hate being so indescive about this sort of thing.

[bednobs]

"all inclusive" sounds a bit dodgy to me
how do they know how much electricity/gas/telephone you will use? - you might have a sunbed in use 24/7, which will be very different from just using electricity sporadically. What exactly is included in all inclusive?

[WhiteBear]

bed, well the landlords pays ALL the bills, the bills goes to his Home address and they pay it all. its not our fault if we go over it said in the contract everything is includedin the rent.

only way he can do is to up the rent at the end of the contract.

[China Doll]

I've been to see the place and met the girl I'd be living with and I don't think she's ripping me off bedknobs. All inclusive includes council tax, water, electricity, TV licence, virgin package (TV, phone and broadband). The actual rent is �595 and then an extra �105 for the all the above listed. Do you think that still sounds dodgy?

[ChuckFickens]

all inclusive is fairly common with shares and should cover all bills and eventualities, the landlord will have cause priced it slightly on the high side.

However with all inclusive you are living with a landlord so the chances are it will be furnished with all their stuff and they will expect to be able to watch what they want on their TV in their front room etc.

So if you don't get on with them or don't share the same tastes you can end up more or less living in your room and if that's the case you may as well just rent a room which should be cheaper!

[justmetoo]

my daughter flat shares in Brixton she pays �600 per month with bills on top of that.....

[China Doll]

About the as what I'm being offered then really justme... how much does she pay including her bills?