A good neighborhood for young/singles..reasonably priced.

I'm moving to the UK in August...I already have a job set up..work visa will be taken care of by them, etc. They are also providing me with a housing specialist, to help me find a place. I would love to get some feedback and info on neighborhoods. I will be working in the Hillingdon area so would like to be close to that tube line if possible. I am willing to commute a bit, and would like to live someplace fun for a single, young person. I will most likely get a flat share. I am willing to spend about 400p per month, or within that range to share a flat/apartment/etc. Any advice or opinions about neighborhoods would be greatly appreciated! Thanks =)

As Hillingdon is on the Metropolitan and Piccadilly lines, you may want to consider living anywhere nearby which has easy access to these tube lines.  Or you can consider doing a reverse commute, living in northwest London (zone 2) near the Metropolitan line, which has easy access to central London, but still have access to get to work in the mornings.

I used to work with a guy in Harrow (on the Met line) and he lived in Hampstead near the Finchley Road stop, it was really convenient and Hampstead can be a good area for 20-30 somethings.
Not sure what's good on the Piccadilly line, I'm afraid.

I'd suggest Kilburn as a possibility - it's a decent place, cheaper than W. Hampstead (which I love but will prob be more than your budget)...you can jump on the Jubilee line to Wembley Park and then onto the Metropolitan line...lots of good food, good pubs and easy access to the city as well.  Not sure of options in other directions.

Don't live in Uxbridge is all I have to say!




Victoria

Don't live in Uxbridge is all I have to say!




Victoria

I haven't been able to find out any info really about Uxbridge, which I took to be a bad thing. I figured if a neighborhood was a good one there would be info available, etc. Why do you say not to live there? I appreciate the warning!

I have a girlfriend who lives in Uxbridge and loves it....

I have a niece who was mugged there....

I went to University there for 3 years.  The best thing about it was that the transport links are good and it is easy to get out!  In my experience, most of the people there are either students or...well....how do i put this....it's a bit 'chavvy'. Anne - I am glad your friend loves it, this is just my perception.

M - I think if i were in your position i'd live somewhere like Harrow.  It's a nice place, quite genteel in parts, bit of it are actually green, it is a more professional kind of place, and there are some really good pubs there.


Victoria

Thanks for the info....I think I know what "chavvy" means?..lol...I've been pricing flatshares in Kilburn and Harrow to get an idea and they seem to be in my range. What was anyone's biggest surprise -budget wise- moving there?

I used to work in Harrow and while there are extremely nice parts such as up on the Hill where the School is the town centre is a bit grimy.  It has a reasonable amount of amenities, however.  There's a reasonably good pub we tend to go to in the centre called the Fat Controller as it was just around the corner from work.

If you want to be close to transport links Harrow & Wealdstone is a bit of an option and is more suburban as it's heading out towards Bushey, Watford way but is still on the Bakerloo & mainline train service.

Harrow-on-the-Hill station is in the town centre and is on the Met Line and the Chiltern Railways line between Marylebone and Aylesbury.  I don't know as much about South Harrow but having driven through there a number of times it's a bit urban grimy and doesn't seem to have the nice green areas.

If you head out Pinner/Northwood ways it gets very nice and more pricy and more green as well.  But it's quite suburban in feel.

I have to say, budget-wise I wasn't greatly surprised by anything, ie things costing lots more.  There are a few things here and there, of course.  My biggest surprise was the price of a can of 4 tennis balls - minimum £4 in bulk - I can't believe they charge that much as you can get the same in the US for $3-3.50.  Otherwise, I came from the DC area before moving over here where rent/housing was quite expensive anyway.  Grocery shopping doesn't seem that much different in price and some of the food here is much better, more organic, free range.  Train journeys are fairly on par.  I suppose petrol is a lot more but I drive less (except when I expense it to my company/clients!)

One thing to keep in mind is that you really don't need to be on the same tube line that you work on - that's going to limit you considerably and IMHO isn't that necessary.... You might even save money if you look in places that are slightly off the beaten path but served well by buses. I've found that taking the bus within London serves several purposes - I've got a MUCH better idea of where things are, it's cheaper, and you can get a seat a lot more often! I even find it sort of relaxing whereas the tube is too frenetic!

What about areas like Isleworth or Brentford? Those are nice areas that seem like they'd be inaccesible 'cause they don't have a tube station but they're well served by bus and rail and accesible for Hillingdon....

Isleworth, especially Old Isleworth, is lovely.  I seem to remember the bus from there to Hillingdon is a bit of a trek though...unless it has changed since I last lived there.

If you want to look at bus routes in London check out www.tfl.gov.uk  I get buses everywhere in London, I think they are great, and much cheaper than the tube.


Victoria

I live in Kilburn (well...when I'm not at my bf's place) and I really, really like it.  It can be rough in parts but overall it's one of those 'up & coming' places.  Good food, good pubs, youngish and easy to get to places with lots of buses, the tube & Silverlink train.  One thing to think about as well as rent is also the fact that you have to pay for council tax, which does up the costs.