Working in London

[DaveB]

When I work in London I've generally used Spareroom.com or mondaytofriday.com to find somewhere to stay. Filter out the commercial landlords and you can get a decent sized room in a nice house with use of the facilities for £100 a week where it's just you and the landlord/landlady. Just because you are sharing doesn't mean you have to be sociable.

For transport I highly recommend getting a bike if client co has the facilities for changing / showering and storing it. Quicker and cheaper than public transport and saves on gym bills as well.

[LondonManc]

You're all painting a picture of something that absolutely doesn't sound worth it if you're not already reasonably local. I'd assumed there'd be some kind of setup for people in trades/contracts to room up for the week. Apart from the daily cost, you can get into Euston from Preston in just over a couple of hours. Anyone regularly done something like that instead?

I read about a guy who lives in Ramsbottom and commutes to London daily. Getting to Manchester is probably 45 minutes even at the time he travels. Just over two hour train journey then whatever at the other end. Four hours each way potentially. His wife must be talented or very much in charge/in demand!

[eek]

You're all painting a picture of something that absolutely doesn't sound worth it if you're not already reasonably local. I'd assumed there'd be some kind of setup for people in trades/contracts to room up for the week. Apart from the daily cost, you can get into Euston from Preston in just over a couple of hours. Anyone regularly done something like that instead?

I know someone who moved North and then discovered that the commute from his London house to client was little different to the train to York.

Now he was fairly mad (I worked with him when he commuted from York to the far side of Newcastle every day) but its doable depending on the rest of the journey.

And that's the important bit the hassle of travelling is the number of steps in the journey. Reducing the steps (car to station, train to town, tube to station, walk to office) and the pain disappears.

[LondonManc]

When I work in London I've generally used Spareroom.com or mondaytofriday.com to find somewhere to stay. Filter out the commercial landlords and you can get a decent sized room in a nice house with use of the facilities for £100 a week where it's just you and the landlord/landlady. Just because you are sharing doesn't mean you have to be sociable.

For transport I highly recommend getting a bike if client co has the facilities for changing / showering and storing it. Quicker and cheaper than public transport and saves on gym bills as well.

I wouldn't recommend cycling in London if you're not a regular cyclist though. As I said, and as eek suggested, a room somewhere on a route into Euston Square would be Gareth's best bet imo

[garethevans1986]

Indeed. I'm still looking for something at a decent rate for the week.

Thanks

[radish2008]

So the OP not only has to add on the cost of a room but travel from zone 6 to zone 1.

He may as well stay in zone 1 or 2.

I had a one bedroom flat in Canada Water - one stop on Jubilee from CW. £1500 a month plus bills. They are slightly more expensive now I believe.

[SueEllen]

I had a one bedroom flat in Canada Water - one stop on Jubilee from CW. £1500 a month plus bills. They are slightly more expensive now I believe.

I knew people who lodged in Canada Water and Greenwich for around £500 per month. They did what DaveB said to get rooms.

[SueEllen]

Indeed. I'm still looking for something at a decent rate for the week.

Thanks

What's decent?

London is expensive and you are competing with all the other people who want some where to rent or lodge.

[radish2008]

I knew people who lodged in Canada Water and Greenwich for around £500 per month. They did what DaveB said to get rooms.

Yep _ I did that for the first 12 months I was there, me and 4 girls - it was really tough - then you realise having your own space is important. My wife used to come down and stay weekends sometimes so it suited me better to have my own place.

[SueEllen]

I wouldn't recommend cycling in London if you're not a regular cyclist though.

You soon learn.

Drivers in London expect cyclists. You have a bigger issue with dumb walkers.

If you are worried nearly all London boroughs do skills courses for cyclists who live or work in their borough free or for a few pounds. One of the courses I've seen listed is one that covers cycling on main roads, roundabouts etc for adults.