Living in East London

So I've gotten here and found a job (yay!) but I'm struggling to find a flat that's dog/cat friendly. I've found 1 that's definitely OK with them near Oval Station, and will be seeing another that sounds like it could be OK with them in East Ham (near Upton Park).

My relatives (who live in NW London) are fairly dismissive of East London, so I'm curious...what's it like? I've heard it's "multi-cultural" and "poor" (which also equates to high crime, I guess, which makes me nervous).

Is it possible to live in E/SE London and still be safe at night (as a young female wandering around alone), are you likely to get mugged, etc. Any experiences/opinions would be helpful. On paper, I'm fine with either place, so if one area (SE vs. E) is better than the other, that'd be good to know too.

Thanks!

I haven't been to either places but I have been through Elephant and Castle (fairly close to Oval) many times and it seems alright. I don't know much about East Ham itself, but it is nearly some pretty dodgy areas... http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=60110.0

I will say I do like SE better, probably because I live there. I live near Deptford Bridge, and it's quite alright. Multicultural, definitely, don't know too much about poor... but as a young woman, I don't ever feel unsafe at night as it stays fairly busy. There's a substantial student population here and I think that cleaned it up a bit. I would also say that Greenwich, if you want to live in SE, is a nice place with a fantastic view of Canary Wharf

I will say I do like SE better, probably because I live there. I live near Deptford Bridge, and it's quite alright. Multicultural, definitely, don't know too much about poor... but as a young woman, I don't ever feel unsafe at night as it stays fairly busy. There's a substantial student population here and I think that cleaned it up a bit. I would also say that Greenwich, if you want to live in SE, is nice place with a fantastic view of Canary Wharf

Yeah, Greenwich is gorgeous, but a bit far out. I'm trying to limit my commute to under an hour.

I don't think I'd live near East Ham, especially not as a single female.  As the previous poster said, that thread spoke about the general area and the consensus was not great.  

Oval is okay; I used to take dance classes near there and would travel out there by myself.  I guess I felt okay after dark on my own, but I didn't particularly think the Elephant and Castle area was that great.  I liked East better than SE, again probably because I lived in the East.  But I lived in Zone 1, so more around Tower Bridge/Wapping/Shadwell areas rather than Plaistow/East Ham areas.  I used to go to East Ham to eat and shop quite a bit, though.  There are parts of both SE and E London that are fine and some that are not so good.  I also liked Greenwich and the surrounding areas very much.

Is there a reason why you are targeting East and SE London in particular?  Is it close to your job?

Is there a reason why you are targeting East and SE London in particular?  Is it close to your job?

Yeah, I work right near Tower Hill. I'd love to live more in zone 1 (and almost found a place in Wapping) but of course, no one wants the pets (esp the dog).

I used to work right next to the Tower of London, and I lived right across from St. Katherine's Dock (across the Highway).  It was a nice area.  Have you looked north at all, like around Islington?

Also, I would think the commute to/from Greenwich would easily be the same as to East Ham.  And it's a much nicer area, and I think there'd be lots more to do for both you and your dog.

I second the islington suggestion (maybe around Angel?) -- would not be a long commute at all and much nicer than either Oval or East Ham. Seems like a dog-friendly area too.

I don't know East Ham but parts of Oval area are quite nice and it's all very close to the centre.

I've looked at pretty much every area that's within a 45 minute tube ride (since it's a 10min walk from the station to work).

Out of at least 50 (if not 100) places that I've called, these 2 are the only ones that have said OK to the dog.

Greenwich would be awesome, though. So would northern London, for that matter...I'm in Camden now and it's quite nice up here. (Sadly, family I'm staying with has no room for me, and no desire to deal with pets.)

Have you looked into working with an agent?  They might be able to do some of the legwork for you.

I live in Leytonstone (East London) and really don't have any problems. Just like any city, you just have to be aware of your surroundings, etc... It's a multi-cultural area, and I'm sure there are "bad" areas too, but I've never really had a problem walking around by myself. You can usually tell about a neighbourhood- get the 'vibe' and go with your instincts.

I have to vote for Wanstead. Love it

Have you looked into working with an agent?  They might be able to do some of the legwork for you.

Also, don't know if it's a possibility for you, but we found that an extra 2 weeks of deposit smoothed over a lot of pet anxiety. 

I've offered that, and so far it's made no difference.

Doesn't help that I'm looking at flatshares, which (I think) rules out agencies for help. I don't mind the idea of living alone, just the expense (plus I figure living with others is a good get-to-know-London-life method).

Then I guess it's either East Ham or Oval, of which I'd definitely pick Oval. Unless you are willing to compromise on some of your requirements.

I live right by Tower Bridge but loads of our friends have flats in SE London because it's the only place anyone can afford! If I were you, I'd trace a few train lines out from London Bridge so your commute to work would be train then walk/cycle to work (there's a big new secure cycle park with showers and stuff under the London Bridge arches). Or you could cycle in to London Bridge then walk the rest of the way if you're so inclined.

I've got friends in Honor Oak Park/Brockley/Forest Hill and also in Ladywell and both are really nice. Honor Oak Park also has the plus that it'll also get the East London line in a few years so the service should improve a bit being officially on the Tube network (so it'd be really quick to get the tube into the big shopping centre at Surrey Quays, for example).

Or barring that, there's actually some really nice, leafy parts of Bermondsey that everyone seems to overlook...