Where do Postdocs (20,000 pound salary) live in London? (for sale, apartments)

[redpetticoat]

Is there any affordable housing available for married couples that have pets? We have to live near Kings Cross/Camden/Russell Square area. We want a place that isn't extremely tiny because we don't want our pets on top of us at all hours.
I've been searching the listings on gumtree for weeks and the responses I get are all from spammers. I'm so tired of it.
Please help me. My husband and I just want to live together in a flat that is reasonably sized and will accomodate our 2 pets. It seems it will be impossible for us to live in London. A place with a dishwasher, washer/dryer, and queen sized bed would be ideal.
Is this too much to ask for on two postdoc salaries (together I hope we are bringing in 40,000 pounds per year)?

[Brontosaurus]

You are not going to find a cheap flat in Russell Square. If it were me I would live a couple of miles north of there, Finsbury Park perhaps, and cycle in but then I'm a tightwad.

[Hengist]

Renting with pets is always going to restrict your options.

Renting a large place in Zone 1 with pets, on a salary of £20,000? Good luck with that.

Pick a tube or bus route, and look north or east; a very long distance.

[chilaili]

When do you want to move? How much do you want to pay per week or month? Does it have to be that central in London or could you consider the suburbs, south of the river or even outside London altogether (eg; Kent)? Have you factored in cost of living (utilities, groceries, transportation) in London vs where you live now?

Pets Allowed - Museum street lovely 2 bed apartment in Museum Street, London Wc2, London | 2 Bedroom Flats & Houses for Rent | Gumtree.com

Museum Street, lovely split level apartment close to tube & shopping in Museum Street Wc1, London, London | 2 Bedroom Flats & Houses for Rent | Gumtree.com

[Crystal is a mess]

Sorry to hear you are having a hard time. London is the worst place to rent and have pets especially dogs. Before I bought I rented for a few years, but never mentioned my pets to the landlords. By the time they found out, it was obvious my dogs and I were good tenants.

Try FindaProperty.com Houses for sale, rent, estate agents & house prices

Gumtree is good, but be careful of scammer and don't part with money until you are here.

[Crystal is a mess]

I suggest you also look in Islington which is just a few minutes away from Kings Cross. Area such as Farringdon, Clerkenwell, Hackney, Stoke Newington, Victoria Park Village, Dalston and Hackney Central is also worth a look, but definately Islington.

[Benjamin Hubard]

All the postdocs I've met have lived in West Norwood, SE27. Its not a fancy area, but rents are reasonable and it's a good area for buying fresh fruit.

[Tenshi28]

You'll need to expand your search to zones 2-3 and beyond, and you can find nice apartments of a decent size on the 1,000-1,500 pounds a month range, which I would think it's a reasonable rent for a 40,000 pound a year salary.

There are so many possible areas though, we could spend all day listing them. You should probably do a bit of your own research and come up with a list of places that sound good and maybe people can comment more specifically on them (that's what I did before moving here).