MoshiMoshi

Hi everyone,

Well, we've been back in England for a month, after 2.5 years in the US and 2 years in Europe. I've been keeping track of our expenses and thought I'd list them here, in case anyone is trying to working out their own budget for moving home.

This is for two people, living in London (zone 3) in a 1.5-bedroom flat (that's a double and a teeny single).

Rent: £1250/m
Council Tax: £64/m (very cheap, I think)
Water (fixed cost): £27/m
Gas and electricity (metered): um, not totally sure, but we managed to use £70-worth in our first ten days here. We had the heating on 24/7. It was snowing and we'd just moved from California!
Contents (renters) insurance: £20/m (for very basic cover)
TV licence: £12/m
Landline and fast internet: under £20/m
Husband's mobile phone: £38/m (including rip-off £10/m insurance, which we're cancelling, but he did at least get a swanky new phone)
My mobile: £20/m
Husband's Zone 1-3 travelcard: £140/m
My non-commuter travel: about £60/m

Not sure about food costs, since I've been sloppy and buying one day at a time from Sainsbury's Local. Some food is more expensive, some is cheaper; can't say I've noticed a huge net difference from supermarket food costs in California. Eating out at mid-priced restaurants/pubs/cafes is more expensive here, though.

Clothes and homewares: again, no huge net difference, especially if you know where to shop. Primark, TK Maxx and Argos have been good for very cheap basics; John Lewis and M&S also pretty good value. But I do miss Target.

Misc expenses: we're renting furnished, so haven't gone crazy at IKEA, but we only arrived with suitcases and had to buy:

- new bedding, bathmats, towels
- new cat stuff (litter tray, scratching posts etc)
- pots and pans (flat came with decent crockery, cutlery)
- vacuum cleaner
- some new curtains, throws, lamps
- some extra storage units (bookshelves, chest of drawers)
- new work clothes for my husband. London is smarter than LA!
- a TV

- we also had to pay 6-weeks' rent deposit and about £250 admin fees for our flat

So it's been an expensive month, but we're getting settled!

Perth

Thank you so much! This is very helpful Did you use an agent for your rental?

ElizabethK

Yes, very helpful info there

I think until you're really settled and have found all the cheaper shops and bargains such as buy one get one free, you'll find it a tad more expensive buying each day at Sainsbury's local.

Not sure if there's a Home Bargains shop where you live or if it's a northern company, but they're really cheap when it comes to buying things like shampoo or washing powder, plus they have sweets and choccy at very reduced prices too

Mobile phones look like they're a lot cheaper there too.

I'm getting restless here waiting for my house to sell Hubby's been in UK since 1st April and is loving it. He's like a child in a toyshop buying all kinds of things and I'm getting jealous hearing about it all.
I can't wait to get there now

SUPERCAD

NiHao

Very helpful info, thank you!

MoshiMoshi

Yes, we did. We actually organized the whole thing from LA (we wanted to be able to go straight from Heathrow to a flat, and luckily we had friends here who did viewings for us), so using a legit agent was important, despite the fees.

But I looove Sainsbury's local! I think the demographic around here is 'professional couples with no time' because everything is sold in dinky little two-serving pre-chopped/washed/seasoned packets. It's absolutely terrible value but very tempting, especially when we neither have the car nor fridge-space for a big proper shop!

mikelincs

Your council tax is very cheap, round here we are paying more for a band A property, but then again we are paying over £500 a month LESS in rent.

MoshiMoshi

That's the joy of living in Wandsworth! London rent prices, but some of the cheapest council tax in the country.

jkgoulds

This is great, defiantly gives us returnee's an idea what to expect.

Thank you!

BDABrit

hi Moshi,

We are in the process of moving back to UK/north yorks. We have had hassle from rental agencies saying they won't even let us secure a place to move into even if we have a friend look at it on our behalf.
We really need a place to go to straight away. Could you please let me know what "agent" you used to help sort things out?
Thanks

MoshiMoshi

Hi BDABrit,

I've just responded to your other thread. We used a standard high street lettings agent here in London; at one point I was dealing with 15 of them! I just contacted agents based on properties I saw on Rightmove, and on personal recommendation (and of course Googled them first to check they were legit).

I think the crucial thing is having a job or job offer, though. I think most letting agents won't deal with you if you haven't, or will ask for 6 months' rent up front. That's what I've seen on this forum, at any rate.

Hope it works out for you