r/MovingToLondon

Hello everyone,

We're a family of 5 (kids are 5, 3, and 1) moving from Paris to London. My wife will be working in Uxbridge; I'm not settled yet on my side, but I work in tech so it'll probably be somewhere in Central London.

We're trying to figure out the best place to live, and we're torn between three areas: Ealing (Northfield or Pitshanger), Chiswick (Glebe or Acton Green), Hammersmith (Brook Green), Fulham (Parsons Green).

Our main criteria:

• High density of state schools (at least good)
• Community / making friends: we're hoping to find a neighbourhood where it's relatively easy to integrate — somewhere with a mix of international families, some French if possible, and people who moved in relatively recently, rather than an area where everyone's British and has been settled there for 10+ years with their social circle already set.
• Commute: needs to work reasonably well for both Uxbridge and Central London — doesn't have to be effortless, just not a nightmare.
• Housing: 3 bedrooms minimum, £3,500/month max.
• Lifestyle: a good balance of easy access to nice shops/cafés and green space (parks, or the Thames).

Which one would you pick, and why?

Thanks in advance!

My gf and I (26&25) have recently moved to London and she’s working near Tower Bridge and I will work out at Gatwick (hopefully only once or twice a week and the rest wfh) we’re currently subletting in north London and the commute is … not great for me 20 mins on a tube line to get to the Thameslink. I’d love to live somewhere that’s relatively close to a station with trains going to Gatwick but it also has be around 30 mins to Tower Bridge. I think we’d prefer somewhere zone 2/3 (cheaper pints and overall living.) We will have a budget of 2300 pm for a 1 or 2 bed flat.

Considering Clapham but wondering anyone else has better suggestions?

My partner and I (mid 30s) are moving to London in September. I'll be splitting my time between UCL East in Stratford and UCL Main in Bloomsbury, so we need somewhere that works reasonably well for both campuses (especially on strike days). We don't plan to cycle just yet so we'd like to live nearer to the train stations.

For context we're looking for a 1 bed furnished flat ideally under £2,000 pcm, above ground floor, within about 10 minutes walk of a station. We also love being able to walk, so nearby green spaces and feeling safe on the streets are important to us.

We've narrowed it down to a few areas and would love to hear from anyone who has actually lived there or studied with a similar commute pattern:

London Fields / Hackney is our top pick for the neighbourhood feel and cafe culture, and the Overground to Stratford seems alright. Our main concern is strike resilience since the bus alternatives add significant time.

Mile End / Bow makes practical sense for UCL East but we're not sure it's the most liveable as a couple arriving somewhere completely new.

Stratford we're considering purely for the convenience of having one campus on the doorstep, but worried it feels more like a transit hub and shopping destination than a proper neighbourhood.

Aldgate / Liverpool Street seems promising as a middle ground between Stratford and central London with the Elizabeth line right there, but we have very little sense of what day to day life actually looks like in that area.

King's Cross / Bloomsbury feels like the strongest option purely for transport resilience given how many lines converge there, but we're not sure it actually feels like somewhere to live rather than just pass through.

Borough / London Bridge we love the vibe and the area, but the Stratford commute from south of the river feels like the weakest link for our specific situation.

EDIT: is signing after virtual tour/viewing good or safe? Would love any additional advices!

Would love to hear from anyone who has lived in these areas, thank you so much!

I’m moving to London soon on my own, I’m a single dude in my early 30s, just wanted to know from your experience what’s it like making new friends and finding groups to fit in with? And as a single dude I have to ask what’s the dating scene like? 😂 Coming from a small town in Ireland where everyone knows everyone so coming to a new metropolitan city with such diversity is all new for me!

Hi guys I’m a female, 29, and I’m looking to move to London from Manchester for a new job. My office is located near Aldgate East and I’m trying to know what area I can rent being a single female? I’ll be sharing a space as the budget is £1100-£1200 including bills for an en suite, but my priority is safety and a good neighbourhood, don’t mind traveling a bit.

I was thinking about moving to London for a better social life. Would I be fairly happy on a 30k salary in a houseshare in zone 2?

I have a couple thousand in savings so I don't mind using some of it in the first year until I get a raise.

Groceries aren't cheap but eating out is mental. What do people actually do when they're trying to save money and not cook every single night?

As it says on the title.

I finally landed a grad job but to my dismay its in London. I've always dreaded living in london cuz of all the crimes and thefts and shady stuff I've heard of it.

Long story short, my job is in southwark. My salary doesn't have the london premium and so I can't afford much. Spareroom and Openrent has a few flat shares for £900pcm.

I've heard central is quite expensive but I was looking at further out like Finchley, Edgeware in the North and Bruxton in the south. It those places, I've only found places that cost around £800. I've calculated by costs and it'll add an extra £200 if I live further out to get the underground to work every day. That brings my total to £1100 on just living and travel to work.

From that math, it seems more sensible to just live in a place like Elephant and Castle right?

Londoners, what am I missing?

Also any tips and tricks and general advice on groceries would be helpful - both further out and central.

Thanks all. I'm very lost so please be kind and help a brother out

Hi guys,

I am moving from Amsterdam to London in less than a month and found a flat I like on Harrow road (close to where it intersects with the grand union canal).

Can someone advise if this area has a nice local community feel, cafes, good walkability? I will have to walk to the Royal Oak underground station for my daily commute (working on Liverpool str).

I will live by myself until my partner is able to join so I worry for safety and being able to walk everywhere.

Hi!

I’m in my mid to late twenties, just finished medical school & am moving back home (to London).

I will be contributing by paying rent (slightly lower than market value), but still significant enough to help my mum who’s now a single parent , I have 2 siblings who are 17 & 18. I’ll be working full time & am moving home to save up for about 2 years.

I’m nervous to move back because I’ve done 8 years of uni in total, and have gotten used to living out.

Does anyone have any advice on how to go about ensuring I maintain as much of my independence as possible??

Even things such as food shopping, cooking dinner, chores etc - what’s the best way to go about it?

I was thinking I’d be happy to cook dinner 2x a week ( & we plan ahead and do the food shopping together for those meals) but then to do my food shopping separate otherwise? Will do my own laundry, and I wanted to make a cleaning rota…

Also, I’m the first born daughter who grew up carrying too much responsibility in the home & im conscious of not slipping back into that whilst still being fair and useful at home.

Any thoughts or advice would be much appreciated!

Hi!

I am new to living in London and am looking to rent in the Finsbury Park area, just off Seven Sisters road. I have mixed feelings about the area, and there is a lot of negative commentary around safety on reddit (some posts quite old however).

Just after some reassurance that im not making a bad decision signing an agreement if im going to hate the area. Walking down Seven Sisters road, it didn't feel like the safest place in London but I have prioritised the rental over a nice/pretty neighbourhood in this case. what is the general sense re safety etc currently?

Will I be safe coming and going via the station when it's dark? for reference I am female, not doing anything too silly such as walking around on my phone headphones in etc

Thanks!

Hi i don’t know where to reach out for support with my situation so i’m trying to find some help or advice regarding what’s been going on here.
I (17f) am moving to the uk after failing school and having to retake the whole year again in Poland. Since im 17 i have decided to go to collage in the uk because half of my family lives here anyway. I’m struggling extremely and I haven’t even moved yet.
My english is very good so there wont be any issues regarding the language barrier but im still terrified of leaving all my friends plus my mom back home. I’m very worried about not finding friends and even if i do I am still scared that my new friendships won’t be meaningful in any way. I have no idea how to approach this new chapter in my life, I’ve pretty much spent my days crying so far.
Please if anyone could give me some advice on how to deal with this and things that could make me ease into my new life it will be greatly appreciated.

Hi, moving to London for work. Got a partner who wfh full time and young son. Commute is x3 a week. Office is near Cannon street station. Saw a place near east Croydon station and commute looks fab. In terms of safety , childcare and family life anyone who lives in Croydon please let me know if this is a good move. Plan to stay there short term and move next year again after settling fully in London. Budget is £3k pcm for a 3 bed. Also other ideas are appreciated.

I'm moving over from Ireland for a while and I'm starting to look at accommodation. I'd love to get some opinions from people who know London better.

My initial thought was to live in Central London, but I have a feeling the novelty might wear off pretty quickly. Is it actually worth paying the premium to live there, or would I be better off looking at areas a bit further out with good transport links?

My own background is motion graphics and animations, pretty social - not too big of a drinker but would prefer a pub over nightclub - enjoy going to art galleries, gym and street photography

Hi all,

Moving from Dublin to London in a few weeks, just wondering what is the best way to get around with a card? Do you need an oyster card, is their a monthly pass?

I am living in Islington, 25 min commute via a bus - playing sport and stuff so obviously will need to travel via underground etc.

Any tips?

Planning a move to Carlisle Street in Soho and wanted to get a sense of what daily life is like before committing.
(I walked around the street and the area at midday recently and really liked the vibe)
A few questions for anyone who lives there or nearby:

\*\*-\*\*Noise levels at night: Soho’s obviously lively, but how bad is it right on Carlisle Street specifically (bars, foot traffic)?

\*\*-\*\*Any bin/waste collection or general street cleanliness issues?

\*\*-\*\*How’s it for basics like supermarkets, pharmacy, dry cleaning within walking distance?

\*\*-\*\*If I have a car, how bad are resident parking permits around here?

\*\*-\*\*Anything you wish you’d known before moving to this specific street vs. other parts of Soho?

\*\*-\*\*And the most important; Safety at night, particularly weekends (since I’ll be moving in with my girlfriend)?

Appreciate any first-hand experience. Trying to figure out if it’s livable long-term or more of a “great for a year then you’ll want out” kind of street.

Southeast Asian Male in early 20s. Just moved to London for a new job. I was working in Glasgow before and would visit London regularly, often staying at Hotels in Kensington/ Notting Hill. But I have never been to the “residential areas” of London. I rented a room in Stratford near West Ham Park through a family friend just by viewing the room via a video call because it was a hassle-free option. I only consulted Chatgpt, and it signals no red flag for this area. Now that I have actually moved in, I hated it the area so much it’s making me move back to the North.

Please help me suggest areas for a young professional who really loves the city life.

My criteria :
- house share
- under £1000 pcm (bill inclusive)
- preferably an area with lots of young people and culturally diverse (not people of one racial profile concentrating in the same neighborhood)

Hello,

Sorry to contribute to the influx of 'where is best to move?' posts, but starting a job 15 minute walk from Hammersmith station and wondering which areas are best to live?

I am a 30F looking to live in a flat share with a colleague, and our max is £2.2k for a 2 bed + bills. My plan thus far has been to look within commutable distance on the Picadilly and District lines (Acton/Ealing/Putney/Osterley) or areas accessibly by bus (White City/Harlesden) but finding limited options.

Any recommendations as to areas to look? Thanks so much.

Hi all! I’m moving back to London next year for work (I love where I am now but there’s little growth in my career and I need the big city).

I have a couple non negotiables and I’m honestly not sure if the place for me exists in London so I’m reaching out to a wider audience.

Most important for me, I have a reactive dog so I want to be away from crazy busy parks. Ideally I’d live somewhere where I could have a small private garden and be within a 15 minute drive from a lot of woodland or fields etc.. I just don’t want to have to journey an hour to take my dog for a proper walk.

Id hope to pay under £2500 for a one or two bed apartment.
I also don’t want to live somewhere with nothing going on. I don’t mind living on a quiet street but I’d like a place with community, coffee shops nearby, a good tube station within a 20 minute walk etc… I love the vibe around Clissold Park for example but the dogs there are just too much for me to ever comfortably walk my dog.

Before I left London, I lived in Plumstead and then Finsbury Park. FP was too busy for my dog. We managed but I hated the park and there weren’t enough open spaces nearby where I could take her off leash without running into lots of other dogs. Plumstead was nice for what it offered nature wise but honestly I found it a bit rundown and didn’t love the lack of community. Plus I HATE woolwhich… no offense to people that love woolwhich 🙃

I don’t mind a bit of a commute. I run my own business so don’t have a work place I need to commute to everyday. I do have friends in West and East London so I’m already at peace with a trek. Ideally though I’d like to not need to rely on a bus from the station. I’m chill with the overground as well. I love the Victoria line but obviously she serves busier areas so I understand if that’s not doable.

After my dog’s needs, community is quite important to me. Idc if socializing means a pottery class for 80+ retirees or a post partum yoga gang but I want to be able to leave my house and see familiar faces (for context I’m a woman in her late 20s).

This very well could be a fantasy and this kind of place doesn’t exist in London. But if anything comes to mind, I’d love to hear your thoughts 🙏🏻🙏🏻

Hello,
I’ve been accepted to UAL, Chelsea college of Arts to study the MA Fine art degree and am planning to move to London a couple of weeks before my studies (which start in September) so as to properly open a bank account and take out my postgraduate student finance loan so as to help pay my tuition.

The issue is, although I will have saved up enough (in addition to the loan) to be able to cover tuition, I have absolutely no funds for living expenses. I have applied for scholarships and am waiting for the outcome. If I were to receive one, that would help immensely.

However, I have to think about what I am to do if I will not receive a scholarship. Of course, I’ll need to find part-time work, but I’ll only be able to do that once I set up my national security number.
For context, I am a British citizen, but have been residing in Europe for the past ~15 years.

Anyway, I was just wondering if anyone may suggest any (realistically) cheap accommodation options in London.
Thank you for your input in advance :D