Renting a flat (first time)

[AndrewP]

If I move back it looks like I could get somewhere much better than I thought for a lot cheaper than I thought, I'll say that for sure.

Where do you live now?

The other figures you gave the lad were way off though, £140-£160 per month for gas/electricity, in a two bed flat, are utility bills cheaper up here too?

To OP, your wages are quite low to be looking to move out, but you could probably just about afford it if you stick to somewhere cheaper and give up a lot of going out (presuming you do), look at circa £400 per month rent places, think about £40 for gas/electricity each, think about £40-£45 council tax. Then think if you can afford everything else you want to do with what's left.

 

[Deleted User 17809]

I don't drive and I would prefer to stay within reasonable travelling distance to the Barnes area due to work half 5 starts would be interesting from durham or chester le st

Dont know if this has been mentioned already or you're aware, but most tenancy agreements ask for a deposit which is usually the same amount of a months rent and you usually are required to pay a month in advance, so basically to move in you need 2months rent to be paid upfront.

With you also being 18yrs old some landlords may ask for a guarantor to be added to the tenancy agreement (usually parents).

 

[MrLarson]

Dont know if this has been mentioned already or you're aware, but most tenancy agreements ask for a deposit which is usually the same amount of a months rent and you usually are required to pay a month in advance, so basically to move in you need 2months rent to be paid upfront.

With you also being 18yrs old some landlords may ask for a guarantor to be added to the tenancy agreement (usually parents).

aye I've emailed a few of the better options explaining the circumstances and asked about stuff like that. Hopefully get a few replies.

 

[Frijj]

Where do you live now?

The other figures you gave the lad were way off though, £140-£160 per month for gas/electricity, in a two bed flat, are utility bills cheaper up here too?

To OP, your wages are quite low to be looking to move out, but you could probably just about afford it if you stick to somewhere cheaper and give up a lot of going out (presuming you do), look at circa £400 per month rent places, think about £40 for gas/electricity each, think about £40-£45 council tax. Then think if you can afford everything else you want to do with what's left.

I was giving him the upper limit of what he would expect to pay, under the assumption that the flat may not be highly energy efficient and I think the the one he was looking at was either a D or an E

I would rather over-estimate than under-estimate what he'd be paying.

I live in North Yorkshire

 

[AndrewP]

I was giving him the upper limit of what he would expect to pay, under the assumption that the flat may not be highly energy efficient and I think the the one he was looking at was either a D or an E

I would rather over-estimate than under-estimate what he'd be paying.

I live in North Yorkshire

You pretty much doubled it though, when he's on a limited budget, that could change his decision, if he listed to you. There's no way two 18 year olds are going to spend £140-£160pcm on gas/electric. As I said, my family of 5 in a house without cavity wall insulation and the heating on all night to keep temperature right for baby spend a lot less than that.

 

[Laeotaekhun]

That's not true. I suggested that one for you if you move back, it's no good for most people with friends as it's a tiny studio flat.

 

[Discopants91]

Nearly £2k between you is more than enough to get out. Can get decent places for £400-£500 rent a month for both of you and the rest will easy cover bills and that.

 

[AndrewP]

Nearly £2k between you is more than enough to get out. Can get decent places for £400-£500 rent a month for both of you and the rest will easy cover bills and that.

Yep, the main problem is they're just mates and not a couple, thus it'll never work if one is paying more than the other. The only way that might work is if one room is larger than the other, or has ensuite etc.

 

[Frijj]

You pretty much doubled it though, when he's on a limited budget, that could change his decision, if he listed to you. There's no way two 18 year olds are going to spend £140-£160pcm on gas/electric. As I said, my family of 5 in a house without cavity wall insulation and the heating on all night to keep temperature right for baby spend a lot less than that.

What's your point here? That I may have given him incorrect information?

I may have overestimated what he spends on gas/electricity/water. I'm sure the lad won't take one person's advice/comment as 100% true.

It's £152 a month for me. Bigger house like. That's not including water.

 

[AndrewP]

What's your point here? That I may have given him incorrect information?

Basically.

It's £152 a month for me. Bigger house like. That's not including water.

You pay £152 per month for gas/electricity alone?

 

[Lambchops]

On 800quid a month take home pay at 18 year old the OP wants to stop at home, give his mam 100quid a month board and spend the rest on drink and bucking lasses

 

[Frijj]

Basically.



You pay £152 per month for gas/electricity alone?

Aye.

 

[Discopants91]

Yep, the main problem is they're just mates and not a couple, thus it'll never work if one is paying more than the other. The only way that might work is if one room is larger than the other, or has ensuite etc.

Part and parcel of the risk you take living with someone else. Best way is to split it 50/50 no matter what and make sure, in the tenancy agreement, that the other person won't be liable for the other 50% regardless of what happens.

 

[MrLarson]

On 800quid a month take home pay at 18 year old the OP wants to stop at home, give his mam 100quid a month board and spend the rest on drink and bucking lasses

I give her 200 a month board and do precisely that with the rest.

 

[AndrewP]

Part and parcel of the risk you take living with someone else. Best way is to split it 50/50 no matter what and make sure, in the tenancy agreement, that the other person won't be liable for the other 50% regardless of what happens.

There's no way of doing that if you rent a house, if you sign a joint tenancy, you are equally liable. If not, it'll be a shared house arrangement with weekly rent per person, much like a student.

I give her 200 a month board and do precisely that with the rest.

Then you'll notice the difference a lot moving out, get a flat for about £400 so

£200 rent
£50 gas electric
£40 council tax
£10 water

That'll leave you £500 per month for other bills and food and pissing up against the wall.

Aye.

Do you have cannabis farm in the loft? Are you on a key card payment meter?

 

[Frijj]

Do you have cannabis farm in the loft? Are you on a key card payment meter?

Big house, semi-detached. Not prepaid.

 

[Discopants91]

There's no way of doing that if you rent a house, if you sign a joint tenancy, you are equally liable. If not, it'll be a shared house arrangement with weekly rent per person, much like a student.

That's what I mean yeah, why commit? The shared house thing, which you'll almost definitely need a guarantor for, is best for both of them.

 

[AndrewP]

Big house, semi-detached. Not prepaid.

Electric storage heaters? Why do you live in a large semi by yourself? Just curious, I did too when I was single funnily enough.

 

[Frijj]

Electric storage heaters? Why do you live in a large semi by yourself? Just curious, I did too when I was single funnily enough.

Nah that's the whole house for a month, between 4.

 

[pride of the north]

Yep, the main problem is they're just mates and not a couple, thus it'll never work if one is paying more than the other. The only way that might work is if one room is larger than the other, or has ensuite etc.

I remember a deal like that working for me and a mate when we moved to London. The flat was walking distance from his office and a train ride from mind, so he paid extra to the rent because his commute cost him nothing (and my office was in Hounslow, where neither of us wanted to live unless we had to).