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Considering the housing shortage that is plaguing Epsom and indeed the whole of the South-East, it is perhaps no wonder that an increasing number of people are beginning to search for more affordable housing options.
In the midst of the housing bubble in which house prices continue to rise at an alarming rate, the fact is that the majority of people are financial muscle to buy, or even renting their own place, with the average house price in the area being £285,000, and the average rent being £1682 PCM.
Consequently, the only viable way for many who choose to live in Epsom to do so without being saddled with crippling rent or a mortgage is to house share; to rent a single room, rather than a whole flat or house. There are certainly advantages and disadvantages to house-sharing in Epsom. Let’s take a look at our living in Epsom review.
One of the biggest disadvantages of house-sharing in Epsom, or indeed anywhere, is the fact that you won’t have much space, or even peace and quiet. Yes, areas like the kitchen and the lounge are communal spaces, but they belong to your co-tenants just as much as they belong to you, so you cannot expect much privacy. For this reason, house-sharing is best for either single who spend most of their time at work or university/college, or for couples who don’t have children.
This is perhaps the most obvious advantage of house-sharing instead of an entire house or flat. Indeed, if you rent a single room you are only required to pay rent for that room, with the rest of the property being a communal space, shared with housemates. For reasons of cost alone, House-sharing is almost always the best choice for single professionals or students who are living on a tight budget.
Of course, house-sharing also gives you the chance to live in Epsom; a great location for those working in London, with great transport links due to its position in the commuter belt of the capital, as well as being named Best Place to Live in the United Kingdom by Channel 4’s Location, Location, Location in 2005. Without house-sharing, those on the £23,379 average salary would not be able to afford to live in this lovely area.
When you house-share, you are most likely to be renting a room. This means that you have a landlord or landlady who is responsible for the maintenance of the house. So if something breaks (as long as it’s not your fault), you won’t have to pay for repairs. All you have to do is contact your landlord with your concerns – easy!
Living in an Epsom houseshare can be great for your social life. You get the chance to build friendships with housemates, which is great if you’re new to the area.