Post: #1

So I secured my first job and I'll be moving to London next month. I am very excited to live in a new country and a new city I only visited once before.

Anyway, I'll be working close to Heathrow so I would like to live not too far from the airport but neither too far from the city itself. I am looking for a district that is decent, with nice bars/restaurants and like mentioned, in between the city center and the airport. I'd really like to get some recommendations as for what areas to consider.

Also, I don't mind to share a flat with others, but I slightly prefer to have my own place, having shared apartments for the past few years. I don't need to live in the best area of London (wherever that may be) but I'd appreciate some clues on the rental fee I should count on in the somewhat nice districts.

Thanks

Post: #2

Heathrow airport is miles from central London. Its pretty far from the suburbs which are already a good hour from central London by public transport.

To live alone anywhere decent in London will cost over £1,000 a month plus all bills so add another £200 easy.

You will have to share (unless earning mad scrilla...) There is nothing good near Heathrow, I used to work near there once!

You can find somewhere to live near the Piccadilly Line (London Underground/the tube) - look on a map. It's the only tube line that serves Heathrow and connects to central London quite quickly.

You could for example, find a place in Kings Cross. A walk to central London so no need for night buses. Good access to East London where the best bars are. It's Zone 1 so very central. A bit grubby and used to be where all the whores and crack heads hung out but is much better now after a clean up and regen.

Then you can just take the tube to work every day on the Piccadilly Line. But we are talking an hour+ on the train to get to work. (anywhere in London takes about 45 mins even if just a bus down the road)

Or live somewhere West London like Acton/Ealing which is shit but will have a few local bars that will be shit but will be cheaper to live. Then you could just got out at weekends and get taxi/night buses home.

Depends what your priority is - ease of getting to work or having access to good nightspots - in your situation, you can't have both! Sorry.

This is a good website for finding places to live/share in London. You'll get an idea of prices/areas. It is quite expensive but so is London:

http://www.moveflat.com

For cheaper, check out http://www.gumtree.com. You can find bargains but a lot of shitholes too and the site is crap to use compared with the layout of moveflat.com

Hope that was not too depressing!