Bedsits

Hello to the readers and posters of UK-Yankee.

I am looking at places to stay in London . I have been told that the best thing is to get a cope of LOOT and search whats available for the day.

I don't have that muc to spend, so I am looking at the option of bedsits in Westminster- but many expat books caution against this, though. I would love to hear from someone with actual experince, though. I do not mind lack of space, and I only require a few principle things:

1. Safety
2.Cleanliness
3. Self-catering; acess to a basic kitchen ( I have to cook to save money)

Does anynody have any expericences and horror stories? And advice?

Your insight is much apperciated! Thank You!

Hiya... I've lived in a few bedsits in my time, and they've all been okay.

Bedsits, at least in Glasgow, where i stayed, are usually the homes of students, and people sort of one-step-away from homelessness, so they're never going to be brilliant.   The ones i stayed in were always badly decorated, and not very clean, but i cleaned it myself, and gave the walls a fresh coat of brilliant white emulsion, and it was fine.

Luckily, all the besits i stayed in had little kitchenettes in the rooms, so i didnt have to share a kitchen with anyone else.  They had little electric cookers, fridges, and a sink for washing up.   The only bad part was the sharing of the bathroom.  In one place, the landlord came daily to clean the bathroom.   In another place, the other 2 bedsits in the flat were occupied by men... and they were not very good at doing their share of cleaning , so i ended up doing it all.   I was the only one who had a job, so i was always up first in the morning, and i cleaned the bathroom before i used it every day.  UGH.

You might want to check what the situation is regarding utilities... in one bedsit, the electric was paid by the landlord, included in your rent.  In another, there was a coin operated electric meter... keep an eye out for these, and if you end up with one, make sure you save all your 50p coins!!

One flat had a pay phone by the front door, another had nothing... so with the landlord's permission, i had my own phone installed.  This was a long time ago... before mobile phones, so it probably wouldnt be an issue now that almost everyone has a mobile.

Hope that helps....

Do you specifically need to live in Westminster? It's REALLY expensive. If you travel out a bit you can get something a bit more reasonable.

Also, you may want to consider a flat-share (also in Loot). Then you can get a room in a house and share the bills. In that case you'll pay much less.

Quick example:

W2,
single room in a friendly flatshare, fully furnished, GCH, fitted kitchen, 1 min to Edgware Road tube stn, female students pref, all bills inclusive

Price:  £70.00 per week

Mind you even then you'll probably end up paying 400 a month. It a very expensive city.

I agree with interloper, if you go out of the city a little bit (say Zone 2 or 3), then you can get a studio flat for about as much as a bedsit in the centre. 

If you're a student, it's *really* hard to beat the prices for the residence halls.

i live in westminster, but don't know about bedsits here.

any reason why you need to be there?

I don't know about Westminster specifically, but have you thought of being a lodger in someone's spare bedroom? I did that for the first three months I was here. It wasn't brilliant (having been a homeowner back in the States for 14 years, it was hard to do!!) but it was cheap and not as dodgy as a bedsit. Worth a thought.

My thanks to everyone who has responded thus far!

I would like to live in Westminster, because that is where my school is, and I would very much like to be as close to campus as possible.

When I looked on Loot.com, I saw several bedsits in Westminster, Victoria, and Kensington that looked nice. Perhaps my understanding of what a bedsit is is mistaken- I thought it was like a boarding house, with a small kitchen and no meals. The bedsitter has a private room, and a shared bathroom. Is this incorrect?

I am staying in a private boarding house for summer school, and I would like something similar in London. Are there womens' boarding houses in London? I don't have to have meals, just a kitchenette or access to a clean kitchen.

I don't know about Westminster specifically, but have you thought of being a lodger in someone's spare bedroom? I did that for the first three months I was here. It wasn't brilliant (having been a homeowner back in the States for 14 years, it was hard to do!!) but it was cheap and not as dodgy as a bedsit. Worth a thought.

Carla, I thought what you describe was the basic definition of a bedsit, only with the landlord possibly living of premises. I suppose I am mistaken 

Hmm...I rather not have a roomate (too many potential issues) - and I have a bit less than a 1000 dollar a month budget ( about £131 a week)  But I have seen bedsits in Kensignton, Victoria and Westminster (W1) for about £75 a week.

So, you can't alter the decor in a bedsit? Hmm, that sounds almost like a long-term hotel. I'm not sure if that's right for me.

How long does it take to take the tube from say, zone 2 to Oxford Street?

Thank you kindly everyone. You have no idea how much you're assisting me.

Perhaps my understanding of what a bedsit is is mistaken- I thought it was like a boarding house, with a small kitchen and no meals. The bedsitter has a private room, and a shared bathroom. Is this incorrect?

Bedsit is short for bed/sitting room.
It's usually a flat, divided up into self contained units...  sometimes you get a kitchenette within your room, and sometimes you have to share a communal kitchen with the other units.  And the bathroom is always shared.
The bedsits i lived in had both a couch and a bed... hence bed/sitting room. 

I have to confess i dont really know what a boarding house is, so cant tell you if bedsits are similar.  I thought a boarding house was more like a hotel? 

So, you can't alter the decor in a bedsit? Hmm, that sounds almost like a long-term hotel. I'm not sure if that's right for me.

  You normally cant alter the decor in any rented property, without the landlord's consent... i think that is pretty universal, no matter what country you're in!

try www.gumtree.com  for bedsits across london

Depending on what tube line you take, getting to Oxford Street from zone 2 can take between 15 and 30 minutes.  I live in zone 2 and the Victoria line from Finsbury Park is about 15 mins to Oxford Circus. 

depends on where in zone 2 and what line!

you could take it from st john's wood or finchley road in about 10 min, give or take.  if the tube is on time.  

When you say boarding house, do you essentially mean a dormitory?  A bunch of students who have individual rooms in a building with catered meals? 

Here's the definition I found:  a one-roomed unit of accommodation usually consisting of combined bedroom and sitting-room with cooking facilities

I've never been in one, but I've seen them on TV and they look comparable to a US studio apartment -- sitting room and bedroom are in one room.  They don't all have their own kitchens and bathrooms.  I hate to make generalisations, but the people I've seen in them are either very old or rather vulnerable (again, this is just from what I've seen on TV).  I think most students live in a shared house or university accomodation.

hate to make generalisations, but the people I've seen in them are either very old or rather vulnerable (again, this is just from what I've seen on TV). 

Or poor, like i was, before i could legally work... 
I had to eat ketchup sandwiches to ensure i had enough 50p coins to feed the leccy meter!

Most of you guessed correctly- a boarding house is like a dorm, only it is available to anyone, not only students. They are usually leftover from the first half of the 20th century, and meant as temporary housing, or at least less than a few years. Here is an example of one I found on line:

http://www.thebrandon.org/

I expected a bedsit to be similar, only with less amenities, i.e. no maid, no meals, etc.

otterpop, when I said decor, I meant to covey simple decor- as in putting up a few pieces of art (framed), some drapes, and maybe a nice duvet fir the bed. Nothing major (like painting the walls yellow  ) Just simple personal touches. I hope this is allowed - basic things that do not permanently alter the flat.

Hmm, I may look at the dorms. At present, the plan is to stay in a hotel for a few days as I househunt. It will work out!

Thanks again, everybody  .