How do people with normal jobs manage to live in London?

[d000hg]

Serious question... huge numbers of pretty well-paid people commute 1hr+ from outside London since house prices are so high. A quick rightmove search showed 1-bed flats at £1000pcm.

But London has thousands of people who aren't on high salaries. Teachers, police, people who work in Debenhams, branch managers for McD, etc.

Do all those people really commute so far for a regular £20-30k job, why would they bother? Or is there some way for a normal earner to live actually IN London? Because to me if you are drawn TO London in the first place, what's the point of being out in zone 4 or further, where you can't nip into town, etc?

We talk every now and then that it would be fun to be in London for a bit, but that's based on experiences staying in the centre, since we have a friend who lets us stay in their apartment at St. Katharine's Dock. I can't help but feel anything remotely affordable would be totally depressing in comparison.

Like I say - serious question: how do all the normos manage to live/work in London?

[eek]

I don't know. We escaped at the first opportunity. My brother lives in the Home Counties and I haven't a clue how they manage month on month (and I haven't asked because I don't want to know).

[scooterscot]

They cannot, look at the debt map. London is just one big red blob like that ripe zit on your teenage chin ready to explode.



On a serious note I doubt the normals live in a home you imagine and choose to flat share instead. Even then I don't know why you'd bother as you say.

If I'm working in the smoke myself I stay a central as possible so commuting is not necessary. That means camping in hyde park.

[doodab]

Serious question... huge numbers of pretty well-paid people commute 1hr+ from outside London since house prices are so high. A quick rightmove search showed 1-bed flats at £1000pcm.

But London has thousands of people who aren't on high salaries. Teachers, police, people who work in Debenhams, branch managers for McD, etc.

Do all those people really commute so far for a regular £20-30k job, why would they bother? Or is there some way for a normal earner to live actually IN London? Because to me if you are drawn TO London in the first place, what's the point of being out in zone 4 or further, where you can't nip into town, etc?

We talk every now and then that it would be fun to be in London for a bit, but that's based on experiences staying in the centre, since we have a friend who lets us stay in their apartment at St. Katharine's Dock. I can't help but feel anything remotely affordable would be totally depressing in comparison.

Like I say - serious question: how do all the normos manage to live/work in London?

They don't live in the nice areas, they often live a long way out, they often flatshare, and they struggle.

[vetran]

Police live in Dorset & commute they get free tickets. Yeah I was surprised.

One of our ladies at work was married to a policeman, they moved to Dorset, sad to see her go I asked 'how do you manage that then with your husband working for the Met?' she explained they get free tickets the railway likes policemen on trains.

Fortunately for us they divorced (very sad - I think Dorset was a make or break) and she is back, god she looks fine, especially in red high heels.

Nice girl as well.

[fullyautomatix]

I would like to know the answer too. This has always puzzled me. Rents in London have reached staggering proportion. Unless you earn more than 70K is almost impossible to rent a decent house and live a comfortable life.

[scooterscot]

Don't be single then.

I suspect many couples must work round the clock together. What a life.

Speaking of which, what am I still up at this small hour looking up def stans...

[BrilloPad]

Some get social housing. And some of those sublet and live further out.

Also there are quite a few cheaper areas in the East of London.

[gingerjedi]

Don't be single then.

You do realise this forum is full of geeky nerds?

[sasguru]

What you silly, non-thinking, unimaginative techies don't get is that many people bought properties in London when they were affordable and thus have small mortgages on properties that are valued (rightly or wrongly) very highly.
I bought my first flat in London, when I was in my early 20s, for £60K - large 2 bed, garden flat close to the tube in a good area. If I had stayed there, it would be £300K now.
Although I did very well out of property, I still have the nagging feeling I could have made millions with a bit more aggression.
So, many Londoners are feeling very rich indeed.
It's only the young who struggle - and they can live in flat shares, shared ownership etc.
What is hard is for someone with a family to move to London who bought elsewhere.