What are you guys paying for rent?

[DABMAN]

Hey guys just wanted to get a feel on what people are paying for rent in London. Padmapper says studios are about $1050, 1bd is $1250 and 2bds are $1535 (without utilities usually). Its my first time renting so I don't wanna overpay by accident. If you can also please include distance from UWO, with or without utilities and internet, lease term and if its furnished or not.

Also do you guys think I should lease for the summer? I guess my real underlying question is do most students at UWO spend their summers in London (whether that be working on leisure) or do they go back home?

Sorry for all the questions, thank you!

 

 

[ThreeWhiteLights]

Those rent prices seem accurate for the market right now (which is pricey relative to previous years) and that usually includes utilities. Living with 2-3 roommates in a house is cheaper but that's not typical after undergrad and probably not worth the risk. There's a handful of places in that price range within 2km of the school, though some students elect to live downtown (~3.5 km).

Most of my friends did not spend their summer in the city. The pandemic might have something to do with that, however. 

[luckycharm]

https://www.kijiji.ca/b-apartments-condos/london/western-university/k0c37l1700214?ad=offering&sort=priceAsc

[Chief Keef]

On 6/24/2021 at 10:31 PM, ThreeWhiteLights said:

Most of my friends did not spend their summer in the city. The pandemic might have something to do with that, however. 

From pre-pandemic experience I can tell you that’s not pandemic related.

[DABMAN]

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Edited June 27, 2021 by DABMAN

[DABMAN]

1 hour ago, Chief Keef said:

From pre-pandemic experience I can tell you that’s not pandemic related.

Do you have any idea why?

 

Thanks

 

[Lawllapalooza]

3 minutes ago, DABMAN said:

Do you have any idea why?

 

Thanks

 

I don't think that this is unique to Western, but many students move to London for school and school alone. Their family, majority of their friends, and summer jobs are often in a different city (usually Toronto/GTA). There are certainly some students who remain in London year round, but they're the minority. It also depends on your situation - whereas a 23 year old who was living with their parents up before law school may wish to return home for the summer, someone who is older and/or had been living on their own before school may find that option less appealing. Most leases are 12 months though. 

[BHC1]

Congratulations on getting into law school! 

I pulled up some old emails, this is approximately what I paid when I lived in London 5+ years ago:

• 2 Bedroom Apartment off campus downtown, $1200 per month (sublet over summer, received $800 per month from subletter x1 year) 
• Unfurnished
• Utilities - $0 - included 
• Techsavy internet -$60 per month

Note of caution, my subtler left a tremendous mess when I returned. While he didn't damage any property, I had to spend hours cleaning up the apartment and threw out about $200 worth of furniture/goods that couldn't be saved. As a result, I only sublet one year and ate the cost of the empty apartment the other. 

To answer your other question, asides from most people not being from the UWO area, there are only so many 1L and 2L job opportunities in London-Ont. When I attended, the majority of students worked in other cities during the summers. Obviously those who found jobs working at the school's clinics, as research assistants, government organizations, and law firms stayed in London, but the majority of people spent their summers elsewhere. 

[ce2299]

I spent my undergrad at Western and most people pay around 600-700 a month, anything below that is usually too good to be true (personal experience lol). Not sure about law students but I do believe that most students in general do go home for the summers unless they're working in the city as there isn't much to do

[goosie]

I rent a one bedroom apartment in Cherryhill (unfurnished, 12mo term, approx 2.5km from Western Law). Currently I pay $1261/month (it was $1225/month when I first moved in, went up in summer 2020). Water and heat is included. For hydro I pay about $25-35/month, for internet I pay around $55/month (this was a student deal with Bell). I don't stay in London during the summers and I don't sublet over the summer either. I did sublet my apartment this past school year to a 1L student for $1k/month since my classes were all remote, had a generally good experience with that. It's true that living with roommates in a house would probably only cost you about $600-800/month, some law students go for that but you've got a higher chance of living with undergrads that way.

[SoIWantToBeALawyer]

Just be careful to check the reviews online, so many of the building that I originally thought were good had bad enough reviews that I took them off my list (cockroaches, bed bugs, maintenance issues that never get resolved, etc). 

[anc1991]

2 hours ago, goosie said:

I rent a one bedroom apartment in Cherryhill (unfurnished, 12mo term, approx 2.5km from Western Law).

Hi! I have a virtual viewing booked for a one bedroom unit at Cherryhill tomorrow. Do you like your place? How convenient is it to get to school?

Unfortunately, I cannot physically get to London, so any feedback would be appreciated. Thank you!

[Chief Keef]

1 hour ago, anc1991 said:

Hi! I have a virtual viewing booked for a one bedroom unit at Cherryhill tomorrow. Do you like your place? How convenient is it to get to school?

Unfortunately, I cannot physically get to London, so any feedback would be appreciated. Thank you!

I lived in Cherryhill pre-Covid. Place is clean and quiet. Lots of elderly neighbours will do that. There is a bus (33) that drives right through cherryhill and stops right in front of the law building. I could walk to/from the grocery store and generally went straight after class because if you take the bus a couple stops further coming home it drops you off right infant of a Metro at the mall. I highly recommend it. 

 

The maintenance in my building was also on-point. Stuff was fixed very quickly in my unit when I needed it. Although I hear that varies building to building as each one has its own manager. 

Edited June 29, 2021 by Chief Keef
Additional Details

[anc1991]

1 hour ago, Chief Keef said:

I lived in Cherryhill pre-Covid. Place is clean and quiet. Lots of elderly neighbours will do that. There is a bus (33) that drives right through cherryhill and stops right in front of the law building. I could walk to/from the grocery store and generally went straight after class because if you take the bus a couple stops further coming home it drops you off right infant of a Metro at the mall. I highly recommend it. 

 

The maintenance in my building was also on-point. Stuff was fixed very quickly in my unit when I needed it. Although I hear that varies building to building as each one has its own manager. 

Oh thank you so much!! I feel much more confident signing a lease this week 🙂

[goosie]

10 hours ago, anc1991 said:

Hi! I have a virtual viewing booked for a one bedroom unit at Cherryhill tomorrow. Do you like your place? How convenient is it to get to school?

Unfortunately, I cannot physically get to London, so any feedback would be appreciated. Thank you!

I'd echo everything @Chief Keefsaid. I mainly chose it because I don't have my own car in London so I wanted to be somewhere convenient for school and groceries. Buses to downtown are also nearby, and the mall has a Shoppers as well so it's a perfect location for me.

[DABMAN]

9 hours ago, Chief Keef said:

I lived in Cherryhill pre-Covid. Place is clean and quiet. Lots of elderly neighbours will do that. There is a bus (33) that drives right through cherryhill and stops right in front of the law building. I could walk to/from the grocery store and generally went straight after class because if you take the bus a couple stops further coming home it drops you off right infant of a Metro at the mall. I highly recommend it. 

 

The maintenance in my building was also on-point. Stuff was fixed very quickly in my unit when I needed it. Although I hear that varies building to building as each one has its own manager. 

 

5 minutes ago, goosie said:

I'd echo everything @Chief Keefsaid. I mainly chose it because I don't have my own car in London so I wanted to be somewhere convenient for school and groceries. Buses to downtown are also nearby, and the mall has a Shoppers as well so it's a perfect location for me.

What has been your experience with setting up internet there? Is it something that can be done in a few days and is it painless (i.e person just comes in and out and you're left with perfect wifi) 

 

Thanks

Edited June 30, 2021 by DABMAN

[Chief Keef]

On 6/30/2021 at 12:30 AM, DABMAN said:

 

What has been your experience with setting up internet there? Is it something that can be done in a few days and is it painless (i.e person just comes in and out and you're left with perfect wifi) 

 

Thanks

Yeah pretty much. You'll just have to make sure your provider works in that building. I used TekSavvy (which I believe used the Rogers network). They pretty much came in, brought me a router, hooked it up, and left. It didn't take long at all, they even brought enough cord that I could run it along the wall to the other side of my living room.

Keep in mind that you book an appointment so I would be mindful of the fact that they will likely be very busy right before school - it might be ideal to try and book your appointment in advance so you can be sure they have time to get to you.

[goosie]

On 6/30/2021 at 12:30 AM, DABMAN said:

 

What has been your experience with setting up internet there? Is it something that can be done in a few days and is it painless (i.e person just comes in and out and you're left with perfect wifi) 

 

Thanks

Yep it was pretty painless. They came in, plugged in the router, showed me the network name and everything and that was pretty much it. I signed up with Bell (they had a good student deal at the time, but I think it was a limited offer).