Working in London - accommodation options

[DP1]

I'm currently working as test manager and based in the north west and am looking at possible redundancy, work drying up etc. So trawling the jobsites there are some jobs based in London that pay quite decently but I don't really want to move.

I have no objections to working away - travel Monday, stay Tuesday to Thursday, travel back Friday - but obviously this isn't that great if it just eats up all my salary.

Has anybody got any tips for a simple northern boy that does not really know the capital that well.

[bigandclever]

Been there, done that

House shares, monday to friday lets, negotiate deals in cheap hotels, room in a pub; they all work, depends on how fancy you are, really.

Starters for 10...

http://www.mondaytofriday.com/
http://www.gumtree.com/flatshare/london/house+shar...
http://www.spareroom.co.uk/flatshare/?search_id=12...

[DP1]

Not that fancy at all really

Thanks for the links

[Kudos]

I do this. Travelodge etc is the place to look if doing 3 nights or less. Any more you're best renting

[New POD]

I've been living away from home freelancing as a manufacturing engineer, for 4 years.

But NEVER in London. I do have a nephew who lives in London, and get the impression that I could rent his unconverted loft, for a small sum.

My experience elsewhere is that a cheap b&b for 3 days would be slightly cheaper than renting a room in someone's house, but if you need 4 days, and want somewhere to leave a push bike, and want to eat normal food, you are better off finding someone with a single room.

The larger the company, the more likely it is that you can find an employee intranet advert page, where employees try to flog bikes, cars, microwaves and rent out spare rooms.

If you go in hard on negotiation, with the "and you'll have pivacy at weekends" a good deal can be had. (Usually)

[Andy OH]

I work with a guy who lives in the Wirral and and works in the City of London. He rents a room in East London but only stays there from Monday to Thursday night. He travels down on a Monday morning and leaves at 3pm on a Friday to get back home. It works well for him and if he wants to he can use the room at the weekend but hasn't in the 18 months he's been working in the City, and it obviously works well for the landlord as they have the house to themselves at the weekend.

[CRB14]

Lots of people do this week in week out. Spare room is a good website to use. Personally I'd look for a room instead of b&b or a hotel. At least then you can leave your work clothes and other bits there and travel light back north at weekends.

I'm currently in London full time but will be don't exactly this come September / October.