Finding a place to live

According to an article on the Guardian, London was the 3rd most expensive city in the world in the year 2008. This year it is on  place 16.

Although living is cheaper now, London is still an expensive place to live. Especially the inner zones 1 and 2 are very expensive.

Therefore many Londoners live in the outskirts of London and commute every day. Many others who can afford it buy houses or flats because it is cheaper than renting.

A lot of other people, including me, share an accommodation. When you rent a room, make sure that the house is in a good condition, because if it is not, the landlord will most likely not care about getting it fixed. I saw rooms with holes in the windows or leaking roofs. I was very lucky to find a very tidy house with nice flatmates.

The good thing about renting a room is that you get to know new people, so you are never really alone. Another advantage is that rent often includes all the bills and internet; so you won’t have any further worries. Besides the deposit is usually only one week, which makes a start in London easier.

Of course I want an apartment of my own, who doesn’t? But to rent an apartment, landlords usually want six weeks of deposit and a month of the rent in advance. So while you share, you can start saving up for a deposit.