Topic: Moving to Liverpool

[Corbykop]

Well, as others have said this is a great topic and very helpful for anyone with similar plans of moving to the city and I remember there was an article in the Echo not so long ago on this very subject but the info supplied was nowhere near as good as these posts have been.

It's great to see everyone chipping in with great advice and personal experiences a real community spirit!

The feedback from the guys who have moved to Liverpool has been brilliant and I'm also looking myself to live in the city for only part of the year as we're retired and so can be flexible but I'll certainly use these pages for reference as I'm sure many people will in the future.

Thanks for all your input

[ToneLa]

Hey guys! 

If you or someone you know is looking to move to Liverpool, I found this great link for finding long-term accommodation: REMOVED LINK I AM NOT DOING ADVERTISING FOR ANYBODY
 It seems like a handy platform that could make your house hunting a bit easier. Check it out and maybe you'll find the perfect place for you and Dobby! 🏠🐾

Your first and only post?

You work for them don't you

[So… Howard Philips]

Your first and only post?

You work for them don't you

Well spotted.

The RAWK surveillance squad on the job.

[JP!]

I'm into my 6th year in Manchester (see my Klopp post for more on that) - Liverpool prob one of the only places I'd leave for.  Seems pretty expensive now to buy or rent there now though, almost on a par with round here. Fact or fiction?

[reddebs]

I'm into my 6th year in Manchester (see my Klopp post for more on that) - Liverpool prob one of the only places I'd leave for.  Seems pretty expensive now to buy or rent there now though, almost on a par with round here. Fact or fiction?

There was a financial piece I read somewhere a couple of weeks ago that went through the costs of living around the UK. 

It focused on the percentage of salary left after paying rent or a mortgage and the average salary for each place and I think Liverpool came out quite favourably.

[redbyrdz]

I'm into my 6th year in Manchester (see my Klopp post for more on that) - Liverpool prob one of the only places I'd leave for.  Seems pretty expensive now to buy or rent there now though, almost on a par with round here. Fact or fiction?

Unless it's really changed in the last two years, house prices in Liverpool were a lot cheaper than Manchester. I could depend on the areas.you are comparing?

Maybe rents are more similar though.

[CraigDS]

Yeah as with most places it will depend on the areas you're comparing. Certain areas of Manc have risen quite rapidly, but then so have some of Liverpool.

[rob1966]

Yeah as with most places it will depend on the areas you're comparing. Certain areas of Manc have risen quite rapidly, but then so have some of Liverpool.

Its absolutely mental by ours, stupid prices. My Dad bought a 2 up and 2 down in Old Swan a couple of years ago, paid about £80k for it, same by ours is £250k

[ToneLa]

Where's good for a suit?

[kavah]

Where's good for a suit?

Is slaters still going?
They were good for alterations etc. and loads of choice too

[gazzam1963]

Is slaters still going?
They were good for alterations etc. and loads of choice too

Yeah my lad got one last week , free alterations and the best customer service you’ll see today

[kavah]

Yeah my lad got one last week , free alterations and the best customer service you’ll see today

Good to know, I have to get one on Saturday.

[John C]

Where's good for a suit?

For the funeral you might find a decent on in Next in Speke mate. Buy one you can re-use, it doesn't have to be black and I never wear a black tie at a funeral.

[kavah]

Where's good for a suit?

I ended up getting one from John Lewis in the end, £150, it's nice, I'm made up with it, Dark Grey.

[ToneLa]

I went with Slaters - 87 quid for the suit, but also needed shirt, tie etc.

Grey also. Lighter grey. Think black is a bit cliche and over the top. I'll be speaking at my dad's funeral (I did me mum's eulogy as well as my brother in law's) so I do want to look good

Thanks for the help all
No funeral date yet but should hear soon

[kavah]

^ mine was for my dad’s funeral too mate. Good luck with the Eulogy Tone

[fridgepants]

We are planning to move up at some point this year, for a whole variety of reasons that have now become possible due to remote working being a thing that prevents us both having to change our jobs and our home in one go, but I'm slightly worried we might be seen as another couple that have rocked up thanks to remote working and being priced out of London. (MrF says it's fine - he's Scottish and I'm the kid of Scousers and the sibling of wools, but still thinking about getting 'my mum grew up on Deysbrook Lane you know'  tattooed on my arm just in case). We're probably going to be competing with BTL landlords given our budget so who knows.

The difficult thing is we're hoping to buy rather than rent first because I absolutely cannot cope with the stress of moving and then moving again, and apparently it's quite stressful? and often extremely precarious despite being the most expensive thing you'll ever buy? and it might still be the case that you'll end up with a house made of mashed potato and rat poo and not actually find this out until later? Reassuring myself with the thought that it means no landlord will ever be able to make us move again and that even the most doer-upperest of doer-uppers cannot have a crappier kitchen than anywhere we could afford to rent where we are, or indeed the one we currently have.

I also have no idea how adults actually go about making new friends.

[fridgepants]

re: Manchester, rents seem really high there these days, although that might be skewed by the sheer number of city centre flats aimed at people with a lot more money than I had when I last lived there. I keep seeing threads on the Manchester subreddit asking if they can afford to live there on X salary, where X is somewhere between 'above national average' and 'surely that's enough to live like a king?' and being told they'll need thirteen housemates or to look at places in Oldham. I last lived there in 2005 and my boyfriend at the time rented a studio in Chorlton - no washing machine or freezer, black mould growing in the actual bathtub - for £375 a month, god knows what it would cost now.

[redbyrdz]

Manchester is more expensive than Liverpool in general. And especially Manchester city centre has a LOT of new build apartments.  They likely market them to the more affluent people.

With regards to buying - check out the thread in the boozer about buying a house. It doesn't have to be scary, but it can take quite a while. I think buying is actually cheaperthan renting in the north, as long as you can manage a deposit and are financially stable enough to be granted a mortgage. While rents are a bit cheaper in North than in the South, house prices are a lot cheaper.

[ToneLa]

^ mine was for my dad’s funeral too mate. Good luck with the Eulogy Tone

ta, and commiserations to you too x

[ToneLa]

The difficult thing is we're hoping to buy rather than rent first because I absolutely cannot cope with the stress of moving and then moving again, and apparently it's quite stressful? and often extremely precarious despite being the most expensive thing you'll ever buy? and it might still be the case that you'll end up with a house made of mashed potato and rat poo and not actually find this out until later?

Different take on this, I'm renting this place I'm in now, and thought it was basically my dream flat

A year on, the flat itself is so great but the building is owned by shortcut-taking chancers. Was in the news locally, flooding and electric cut off by the fire brigade - and one fella who did buy, said to me he was being chased for the service charge while all that was going on (£3400!)

So I am not buying here, this building. It took time to really find the truth.

I don't like moving but two years is a long time.

I think whether you rent or buy, you have to
1) know the area
2) the history of the building - for real
and 3) get a bit of luck.

I cannot imagine how heartbroken I'd be if I'd bought a place here only to find out there's issues well beyond my control that ruin the experience.

Renting first to find out is a viable option.

Buying is jumping in with both feet - yes, there's security there, but my example here, phew, am I ever glad I didn't buy.

Though I regret nothing. This is the best place I ever lived. I'm home.

The place I do actually buy, now I know for sure what feeling I should get from it. This, but better.

[rob1966]

re: Manchester, rents seem really high there these days, although that might be skewed by the sheer number of city centre flats aimed at people with a lot more money than I had when I last lived there. I keep seeing threads on the Manchester subreddit asking if they can afford to live there on X salary, where X is somewhere between 'above national average' and 'surely that's enough to live like a king?' and being told they'll need thirteen housemates or to look at places in Oldham. I last lived there in 2005 and my boyfriend at the time rented a studio in Chorlton - no washing machine or freezer, black mould growing in the actual bathtub - for £375 a month, god knows what it would cost now.

Its the bloody southerners

Manchester rents and houseprices are mental, I admittedly live in a nice area, but our house, 2 bed 1930's semi would sell for £300k + now, 3 beds start at £400k, its £1400 a month to rent one. A one bed flat is £800. Covid, WFH, drove prices mad by ours, I also think media city hasn't helped as people have relocated from London and had cash to throw about and we've also had a big influx of people from Hong Kong with money to burn paying over the asking price, when the asking price is nuts anyway, Irlam and Eccles are two places by bank tried me to get into BTL but I refuse to get involved in that.

Just looked at the prices for the penthouses in town, £2.5 mill to live in that fucking horrible Beetham Tower in that grim, grimy horrible city centre

[CraigDS]

Just looked at the prices for the penthouses in town, £2.5 mill to live in that fucking horrible Beetham Tower in that grim, grimy horrible city centre

Oi, I rent one of those penthouses (not in Beetham like, in Elizabeth Tower)

[rob1966]

Oi, I rent one of those penthouses (not in Beetham like, in Elizabeth Tower)

Rich bastard



Manc city centre is still horrible.

[Crosby Nick]

Never liked Manc city centre from my time working there. Didn’t mind Deansgate and Castlefield area but the walk from Piccadillythrough the gardens and into the shopping bit was always a bit bleak.

[CraigDS]

Rich bastard



Manc city centre is still horrible.

TBF we've just let it go as was a second place for us and wasn't worth keeping that and the house when we go to Spain.

It's owned by Bajcetic, so he's obv earning a nice wage at the club

[rob1966]

TBF we've just let it go as was a second place for us and wasn't worth keeping that and the house when we go to Spain.

It's owned by Bajcetic, so he's obv earning a nice wage at the club

Mental the money footballers get paid.

Do we have to give him shit now for buying a place from Abu Dhabi ?

[fridgepants]

Different take on this, I'm renting this place I'm in now, and thought it was basically my dream flat

A year on, the flat itself is so great but the building is owned by shortcut-taking chancers. Was in the news locally, flooding and electric cut off by the fire brigade - and one fella who did buy, said to me he was being chased for the service charge while all that was going on (£3400!)

So I am not buying here, this building. It took time to really find the truth.

I don't like moving but two years is a long time.

I think whether you rent or buy, you have to
1) know the area
2) the history of the building - for real
and 3) get a bit of luck.

I cannot imagine how heartbroken I'd be if I'd bought a place here only to find out there's issues well beyond my control that ruin the experience.

Renting first to find out is a viable option.

Buying is jumping in with both feet - yes, there's security there, but my example here, phew, am I ever glad I didn't buy.

Though I regret nothing. This is the best place I ever lived. I'm home.

The place I do actually buy, now I know for sure what feeling I should get from it. This, but better.

We've been in our current place for 10 years, I'm not very good at change! And renting has got so much more of a pain in the arse since we last did it - bidding wars and being expected to offer X months' rent upfront seems common, and I can't be arsed with any of it. I want to find somewhere to live and hopefully never have to go through the process again. It might sound daft but the insecurity of renting has really affected my mental health over the past few years, maybe it's just a lot worse down here and doing it as a temporary thing instead of it being your home for hopefully the forseeable isn't the same, but I want to free up that energy and space in my brain for other things. Probably worrying about the boiler exploding.

Your example's made me also remember why we thought we would be looking at getting a flat initially and then realised that leaseholds will come with some of that anxiety, most likely. Flat round the corner from me, in a small block/converted house, has a service charge of £339 a month. Go away. Don't like it.  Also don't like how when I looked on Rightmove at flats in Liverpool to get an idea, most of what came up were 'investment properties' and not, you know, homes for actual people.

As I said, it's been ages since I lived in Manchester, but I never really thought of the city centre as being a place where people lived bar the big glass tower on Deansgate that various Man Utd players were always rumoured to live in. When I last lived there they were converting any warehouse left standing into 'luxury apartments'. Stayed in one for a while temporarily with a friend and it was alright, but involved walking back home next to the canal which I would not want to do on a December evening.

[ToneLa]

We've been in our current place for 10 years, I'm not very good at change! And renting has got so much more of a pain in the arse since we last did it - bidding wars and being expected to offer X months' rent upfront seems common,

With my place, I just saw it and said - I'll take it. Underrated tactic
The rent you pay in advance is mandated by law - five weeks and no more

 

and I can't be arsed with any of it. I want to find somewhere to live and hopefully never have to go through the process again. It might sound daft but the insecurity of renting has really affected my mental health over the past few years, maybe it's just a lot worse down here and doing it as a temporary thing instead of it being your home for hopefully the forseeable isn't the same, but I want to free up that energy and space in my brain for other things. Probably worrying about the boiler exploding.

I can get not wanting to do it... I'm hardly thrilled at the idea
But relocating to where I am in the 'Pool took, like, two weeks of my life all told. But maybe I am lucky. Honestly apart from the flooding nonsense it's a dream

But even if so it's possible. Do what you want like, don't take chances just cause some other punter got lucky! Moving of any kind is really stressful.

For me though the positity of the fresh start and the area just massively outweighed the hassle. Maybe that itself is a luxury but I really hope not

Also don't like how when I looked on Rightmove at flats in Liverpool to get an idea, most of what came up were 'investment properties' and not, you know, homes for actual people.

When I was looking I basically got the same feeling as online dating - wrong wrong wrong, this is a nightmare, I'll never get anything. That's just the numbers game though, it takes only one.

It is horrible out there. And the bloody Tories water down the bill for renters at every chance they get. Nah, you're not wrong at all, and it can feel like finding a needle in a haystack. But I think they are there to be found. Not every landlord is a scam artist.

As I said, it's been ages since I lived in Manchester, but I never really thought of the city centre as being a place where people lived bar the big glass tower on Deansgate that various Man Utd players were always rumoured to live in. When I last lived there they were converting any warehouse left standing into 'luxury apartments'. Stayed in one for a while temporarily with a friend and it was alright, but involved walking back home next to the canal which I would not want to do on a December evening.

I did look at Manchester - far less seriously. My sister lived in Castlefield for years and I found Deansgate nice to visit
But I went out in Manchester enough. I dunno, I wouldn't be happy there. Seeing fights in Piccadilly Gardens. The centre at night is an unpoliced mess. Most of the new build apartments just give me a London vibe - IE. cram as many people in as possible, here's yer Costa here's yer Maccies fuck society you've got shops.  London has some amazing positives and I still wouldn't live there. I think living in central Manchester would be a bad move. I'm actually a fan of the little quieter places all over Cheshire, Northwich looks alright? Depends what you're looking for. But Manchester for me felt like abandoning my identity and my best chance at personal happiness - if I really had to start over in a new city (I do have family and other ties in Liverpool anyway), I think moving to Manchester wouldbe such a waste.

With my job, technically, I could live in Barcelona and they'd be fine with it. I'm sure there's people who think me remaining in Liverpool is crazy But Manchester? Hahaha

[redbyrdz]

We've been in our current place for 10 years, I'm not very good at change! And renting has got so much more of a pain in the arse since we last did it - bidding wars and being expected to offer X months' rent upfront seems common, and I can't be arsed with any of it. I want to find somewhere to live and hopefully never have to go through the process again. It might sound daft but the insecurity of renting has really affected my mental health over the past few years, maybe it's just a lot worse down here and doing it as a temporary thing instead of it being your home for hopefully the forseeable isn't the same, but I want to free up that energy and space in my brain for other things. Probably worrying about the boiler exploding.

Your example's made me also remember why we thought we would be looking at getting a flat initially and then realised that leaseholds will come with some of that anxiety, most likely. Flat round the corner from me, in a small block/converted house, has a service charge of £339 a month. Go away. Don't like it.  Also don't like how when I looked on Rightmove at flats in Liverpool to get an idea, most of what came up were 'investment properties' and not, you know, homes for actual people.

As I said, it's been ages since I lived in Manchester, but I never really thought of the city centre as being a place where people lived bar the big glass tower on Deansgate that various Man Utd players were always rumoured to live in. When I last lived there they were converting any warehouse left standing into 'luxury apartments'. Stayed in one for a while temporarily with a friend and it was alright, but involved walking back home next to the canal which I would not want to do on a December evening.

I've bought mine for the same reasons as you, I just wanted somewhere nice to live, without worrying over what a landlord might do. Also being able to change things in the house without needing permission, nobody can come and say what colours the walls should be. I'm lucky as mine was freehold, but I wouldn't buy anything that isn't freehold or maybe one of those centuries-lomg leaseholds, if there's no way to buy it freehold. It seems crazy to me to buy a house and not actually own it. I think with a flat I'd want the management of the shared areas under tenant control, not some external company looking to make money. But to be honest I wouldn't buy a flat anyway, you get more with a house, at least some sort of outside space, and even little things like it's your own front door.  Need to look after more too, of course, make sure the roof is ok, etc. Most of the new flats are more expensive than the old houses around here anyway.

[fridgepants]

I live in a flat now so am used to the space/lack of outside space, but it's the possibility of leases forbidding us from things like pets that put me off as well. Not being able to have one whilst renting is one thing, but I'm not taking responsibility for my own bathroom and boiler only to be told I can't finally adopt myself a wee cat.

ToneLa, I'm not talking about the deposit - I mean landlords asking for rent to be paid upfront to 'secure the property' when multiple people are competing. It might not be a thing that's made its way to Liverpool yet, and hopefully never will, because it's yet another way to make things harder for those who don't have money already. When we moved in here years ago it wasn't a thing at all.

[ToneLa]

I live in a flat now so am used to the space/lack of outside space, but it's the possibility of leases forbidding us from things like pets that put me off as well.

Our building is No Dogs - nobody seems to pay any mind though

I'm being a good tenant, I don't have a pet here. They do inspections every 6 months - I found this a bit surprising at first but not really arsed (those are the days I will wear pants)

ToneLa, I'm not talking about the deposit - I mean landlords asking for rent to be paid upfront to 'secure the property' when multiple people are competing. It might not be a thing that's made its way to Liverpool yet, and hopefully never will, because it's yet another way to make things harder for those who don't have money already. When we moved in here years ago it wasn't a thing at all.

WTF

Yeah, wow, that's.. corrupt. So I was lucky there - they had other viewings but I was ready to sort it day of the viewing, they could have pulled that trick I suppose but ... let's not get it up here if it isn't.

If I had the ability to, I'd walk away if they pulled that on me - but, like, moving isn't easy and you might be desperate if you even have that ever-increasing amount of money.  Scumbag move - the deposit secures the property.

I sort of see this as the Tories' fault - free market = no control. No rules. No real laws protecting tenants from that sort of shite.

It should be stamped out. I can see it as it is: putting people desperate to live somewhere over a barrell. As if we're all fuckin drippin with money

My next place will be a buy, I think, I'll defend renting as right for me right now, but it was never the longterm plan. I've had a ton of upheaval in the last few years. That will be its OWN set of headaches...

But just spent the morning in Otterspool, it's very hard to be pissed off when you leave the park to get to the coast via a forest 

[afc tukrish]

I found this a bit surprising at first but not really arsed (those are the days I will wear pants)

they could have pulled that trick I suppose but ... let's not get it up here if it isn't.

Especially not if it's one of your pantsless days, Tone...

[redbyrdz]

Re the rent up front thing...my mate had the same, here in Liverpool, only looking for a room in a shared (non-student) house. They wanted a deposit and six month rent up front. It was a shit room, in a shit house too, for people pretty much on their arse. Luckily he found somewhere else that only needed a deposit.

[fridgepants]

What if I move to the city and it doesn't love me back?

[CraigDS]

What if I move to the city and it doesn't love me back?

We throw you in the mersey.

[fridgepants]

Just have to hope I can make it to Birkenhead and start a new life under a new name.

[ToneLa]

I'm getting an inheritance after all (me pops passed away earlier than we thought he would, he was in a care home - funeral is on fri, wish me luck I am doin the eulogy)

So next year I might look at houses

98% sure it'll be Liverpool

So this summer I'll go out with me mates around various parts...  and nose at houses thinking I COULD AFFORD THIS MAYBE

[kavah]

All the best Tone, it will be a cracker because he was your Da.
Good luck