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[totoro]

When I moved back from doing my PhD in the US to do a post-doc, I rented a flat in York one street from the river (which often flooded) with no outside space to hang anything. So I bought a clothes drier. My landlord thought this was outrageous especially as due to the vibration (supposedly) a bunch of tiles fell off the bathroom wall... This was 15 years ago though.

[wegie]

Given that your landlord was a Tyke, he was probably appalled at the expense.

Equally obviously, your years in the US had obviously turned you into a softy ;-)

[britmom]

Given that your landlord was a Tyke, he was probably appalled at the expense.

Equally obviously, your years in the US had obviously turned you into a softy ;-)

Thank goodness for Wikipedia! So a Tyke is someone from Yorkshire, amongst other things? I'd never heard of that, nor had my husband. I grew up in Yorkshire from 9 years of age. My Mum's side of my family is from Yorkshire going back 3 generations. My husband's family on both sides have lived in Yorkshire for as far back as anyone can remember (at least 5 generations.) We both use it to describe a naughty child (as in 'you cheeky tyke'), but never to describe someone from Yorkshire. Is it thought of as a derogatory remark? For example, people in Newcastle would refer to themselves as Geordies, but perhaps people from Yorkshire would not describe themselves as Tykes?

[wegie]

Oh, I got plenty of "cheeky tyke!" as well -- and whilst mum had a load of cousins who ended up in Yorkshire, dad used it too, and his definition of "north" started somewhere around Peterborough.

It's usually a fairly friendly usage, but as you can guess from my previous post, there's the occasional connotation of being careful with the money in there as well ;-)

[oddlyodd]

Back to OP's question about pets, this article may be of interest: http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2011/jul/27/pet-owners-rented-accommodation

[anon_expat]

OP: Note that you definitely need to see the property before you sign anything. This is probably obvious, but with so much else to figure out, this step should not be skipped. The photographs online might be from 10 years ago, and what looks like a 'brand-new bed' online could today be stained and much worse off.

[indirectquote]

I'm not sure if they'll work with postdocs as well as postgrads, but the OP may want to look into renting from Goodenough College just in case: http://www.goodenough.ac.uk/. They are located very close to King's Cross, and their rents, for this location in London, are extremely reasonable.

OP, I don't know if this helps, but many people (well, me at least) get used to living in much smaller spaces than they are accustomed to quickly, and even prefer it. I grew up in a 3000 sq ft house with a huge yard, but since I turned 18 I've lived in increasingly smaller and more expensive flats in increasingly larger cities. When I first came to London (I'm based in North America), many things (steets, cars, ovens, elevators) did seem shockingly small at first... but after a couple of months I got used to it. When I moved back to North America I was, hilariously, shocked by how *big* everything was (especially when I went on a research trip to the Midwest!) --- sometimes with delight ("wow, my fridge can fit so much inside it!") but more often with a little disgust ("what a waste of space") or anxiety ("I feel so exposed on these huge streets"). You need much, much less space than you think you do for everyday living, though I admit, it does become a problem when you need storage space (hence, I don't own much stuff, and my wardrobe is, er, selective), and I don't have pets. You may be unwilling to consider this --- and it's your prerogative --- but could you leave your pet in the care of a kind friend while you're in London? It will make your housing search so much easier, and you won't have to worry so much about space.

[empyrean_aisles]

many people (well, me at least) get used to living in much smaller spaces than they are accustomed to quickly, and even prefer it. ... When I moved back to North America I was, hilariously, shocked by how *big* everything was (especially when I went on a research trip to the Midwest!) --- sometimes with delight ("wow, my fridge can fit so much inside it!") but more often with a little disgust ("what a waste of space") or anxiety ("I feel so exposed on these huge streets").

I've had the same experience. Everything felt very small at first but you get used to living differently, and then it starts to feel like the US is the outlier. When I first saw British fridges I wondered how they fitted everything in there. Now everything fits in fine, and I realize I've changed to a style of shopping I much prefer: buying things locally on my way home from the tube rather than doing a whopping great shop with a car (which is a fairly pointless thing to have in London anyway). And then I go home and see my brother's enormous elevator-sized fridge and think, what a waste of carbon. And if having less floor space is the price to pay for living in an amazing city, with £10 tickets to the National Theatre, some of the greatest museums & galleries in the world, increasingly bike-friendly roads and an hour or two to get to the continent, I'm very happy to pay it.

[indirectquote]

I realize I've changed to a style of shopping I much prefer: buying things locally on my way home from the tube rather than doing a whopping great shop with a car

I continue to do this now, especially since I've realized that I tend to eat much fresher food in less quantities this way (no endless food awaits me for snacking!). And, not to sound too Pollyanna, but, well, I hate to clean house. My partner usually does this anyway, but if I really have to, I appreciate the fact that sweeping the floor takes only a few minutes, there's only one toilet to scrub, etc.

I do wish I had more space to entertain --- right now we can have three people maximum over for dinner. I need a place that transforms, like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lg9qnWg9kak

[llanfair]

many people (well, me at least) get used to living in much smaller spaces than they are accustomed to quickly, and even prefer it. ... When I moved back to North America I was, hilariously, shocked by how *big* everything was (especially when I went on a research trip to the Midwest!) --- sometimes with delight ("wow, my fridge can fit so much inside it!") but more often with a little disgust ("what a waste of space") or anxiety ("I feel so exposed on these huge streets").

I've had the same experience. Everything felt very small at first but you get used to living differently, and then it starts to feel like the US is the outlier. When I first saw British fridges I wondered how they fitted everything in there. Now everything fits in fine, and I realize I've changed to a style of shopping I much prefer: buying things locally on my way home from the tube rather than doing a whopping great shop with a car (which is a fairly pointless thing to have in London anyway). And then I go home and see my brother's enormous elevator-sized fridge and think, what a waste of carbon. And if having less floor space is the price to pay for living in an amazing city, with £10 tickets to the National Theatre, some of the greatest museums & galleries in the world, increasingly bike-friendly roads and an hour or two to get to the continent, I'm very happy to pay it.

Groan ... now I'm home-from-homesick.  Thanks a bunch, E_A.

Actually, though, even here in Canada, the SO and I do a lot of that shopping-just-for-tonight's supper - we're out anyway, and it saves all the bother of defrosting, &c.  London did us so much good, in a lot of ways.

[expatinuk]

You can probably now get something cheap in Hackney or Tottenham.

[the_walrus]

Possibly even free!  Just wear a balaclava.

[frogfactory]

You can probably now get something cheap in Hackney or Tottenham.

Ouch. 

I just saw this thread and was about to say that Finsbury Park is just fine, but you'll likely get more bang/space for your buck up Green Lanes at Wood Green, and the commute isn't that much increased.  I like Wood Green and that part of Green Lanes generally more than Finsbury Park, myself.