My son has just landed a job in Liverpool and as he is currently in Tokyo so not able to do it himself, I have to help him find a flat there. As far as I know he will be working quite centrally.

Does anyone know which would be the best area for me to look at for renting a flat, and which areas I should avoid? He is looking for a decent area, not more than 30 mins or so away from the centre, preferably nearer.

Is there a Liverpool forum? When I google I only get Liverpool FC.

Just from my own personal experience I'd suggest having a look at Waterloo or Crosby or anywhere further North and close to the Northern Line (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Line_%28Merseyrail%29).

I can tell you where NOT to live, if that would help?

From the city centre heading west, avoid the following areas:
Kensington, Fairfield, Old Swan, Huyton

From the south, heading north:
Toxteth, Shiel Road, Everton, Anfield, Walton

There will be 'nice' streets (by Liverpool standards) amongst the above areas, but unless you know what streets to avoid, your son WILL be mugged or killed.

Where to live?
Mossley Hill is nice but on the outskirts of the city, so might be commutable to the city centre in 30 minutes. Also, there are plenty of flats apartments in the city centre.

x

I'm from liverpool and lived in Kensington for about 3 years. As Jason says, it's a bad area (as are the others he has mentioned). Don't worry though, your son wouldn't necessarily be killed..... I survived (although one of my cars didn't).

Aigburth/Sefton Park area is great and well served by buses and rail into the city centre. A bit further south there is Cressington which is quite posh and expensive.

Along the docks area near there there are many nice new flat developments. The last place I lived in Liverpool was in a lovely gated place with a lake and fountains in the middle which had views out across the Mersey and was a short walk to Brunswick train station, and only a few mins ride into town centre. Absolutely fab, really miss living there a lot :(

Anyway there are loads of good areas, those are just the ones I have personal experience of :)

Urgh thinking about it makes me want to go back so much :(:(:(

Edit - for commuting, you can't beat the railways so looking for somewhere near a station is a good starting point.

Thanks for the comments so far, it gives me somewhere to start looking.

I forgot to add his budget which is around £400-500 per month - is that feasible for a one bed flat or will he have to share?

A studenty area would probably be the best, as he will be working at the University.

He will more than likely jog or cycle to work, so a route through decent areas would be good as well.

Thanks for your input everyone.

I won`t be jogging to work! I`d have a healthy aroma after that. I would like to cycle if I have the option of putting my bike somewhere safe. Perhaps Liverpool is a more dangerous place for bikes than Tokyo.

The last place I lived in the UK was a fairly quiet, leafy and relatively safe area called Didsbury in Manchester. I liked it there. The closest place in Sheffield is perhaps Eccleshall Rd. Does anyone know of a similar area in Liverpool? Would Cressington or Aigburth fit that bill?

Thanks.

It might be worth posting the following Forum members, Pussycat, Andy78 and Liencam who are all from Liverpool originally. I'll give the former and the last one the heads up to check the forum for you. Not in touch with Andy, sorry x
A good mate of mine lived in Croxteth and that seemed lovely. She'd also lived in Toxteth, not so great but handy for uni.
Congrats on the job Crayfish as well!

Thanks for your input everyone.

I won`t be jogging to work! I`d have a healthy aroma after that. I would like to cycle if I have the option of putting my bike somewhere safe. Perhaps Liverpool is a more dangerous place for bikes than Tokyo.

The last place I lived in the UK was a fairly quiet, leafy and relatively safe area called Didsbury in Manchester. I liked it there. The closest place in Sheffield is perhaps Eccleshall Rd. Does anyone know of a similar area in Liverpool? Would Cressington or Aigburth fit that bill?

Thanks.

Aigburth and Sefton Park are close to each other and certainly within commuting distance of the city centre. Note that you would have to travel through Toxteth to get there, but you should be okay commuting if you stick to the main roads and avoid the side streets at night.

If it's quiet, leafy and relatively safe you want, then I'd say Sefton Park > Aigburth, but it might be more expensive to live there.

Liverpool is a great city for cycling in, it's all flat :)

Don't leave your bike unlocked or unattended though, it WILL get nicked. Scousers are surprisingly resourceful, when it comes to crime :|

x

Check out the google map here, showing South Liverpool from Mossly Hill as far as the Universities at the edge of the city centre (next to Cathedral) for an idea of what's where and commuting distances:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&xhr=t&q=liverpool+sefton+park&cp=7&wrapid=tljp129850179801506&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl

Hi Cray :wave:

You jogged home in Manchester though!

I have been looking on Rightmove, and all the one bed flats seem to be a bit pricey in the nice areas.

The dock areas seem to have lots of properties, are they a good place to live?

What is the housing market like in Liverpool, anyone know? He would only be paying the same on a mortgage as he would in rent, it might be easier to buy a house there and sell it in a few years when he moves on, if they sell easily.

Depending on which uni you'll be working out, you might want to find out where you'll be based. Liverpool uni is very much centralised in one area but LJMU is very spread out with some buildings being a good 30 min walk across town apart and one campus being way out of town.

I've personally experienced more crime and theft in Sheffield in the last 3 years than I did in Liverpool in 20 years, despite living in rough area mentioned above.

Liverpool city is much better than Sheffield centre too, public transport much better also, only think it lacks is a national park on the doorstep. If it wasn't for that I'd be looking to move back tomorrow tbh.

My OH's mum lives in Brighton Le Sands which is in Crosby, and is a nice area. It's got a fairly lively main street of pubs bars and restaurants.

The area around Calderstones Park isn't too bad either.

I live across the water near Birkenhead. Oxton is a really nice little suburb with a village atmosphere. There are plenty of large old Victorian mansions which have been converted into apartments so you could get something for large for around £400 with no bother.

If you stay close to the rail system, which is excellent and frequent, you'll have loads of choices. Or get a bike as they can use the tunnels for free.

As for the docks, remember that they're still very active and can be noisy sometimes.

If I were to move across the water though Crosby would be the furthest south I'd go, probably choosing Formby but it is a bit further out and more expensive.

As for forums, I don't know about Liverpool but everyone round here on both sides of the water uses Wiki Wirral: http://www.wikiwirral.co.uk/

The last place I lived in the UK was a fairly quiet, leafy and relatively safe area called Didsbury in Manchester. I liked it there. The closest place in Sheffield is perhaps Eccleshall Rd. Does anyone know of a similar area in Liverpool? Would Cressington or Aigburth fit that bill?

Thanks.

If you like those kind of areas, you maybe want to look around Sefton Park, Calderstones Park (more expensive), Mossley Hill, Allerton, all in the south of the city, about 2-3 miles or so out of the centre. If you prefer somewhere very close to the centre, there are some amazing streets branching off Hope Street - all Georgian terraces, many of which are converted into flats. This area is very close to the University, so lots of students and lecturers already live round here, plus it's round the corner from the Everyman Theatre, the Philharmonic Hall, the Unity Theatre, both cathedrals...etc.

I would also just point out that 'Toxteth' is a huge area, most of which is absolutely fine. In fact, not just fine, but boasting some amazing flats and houses, plus it's close to town. There are lots of places classed as Toxteth where I would be very happy living.

There's also a great suburban rail network in Liverpool which often makes it easier to catch the train into town rather than the bus.

Crosby and Waterloo in the north of the city are lovely, and have a huge beach, but probably aren't so handy for the lifestyle you describe. They're on the Merseyrail network though so it's still easy to get around.

From the city centre heading west...

....you'd fall in the river, wouldn't you? :huh:

Or is the modern "city centre" some distance removed from the docks ... in times past, given the tradition in this country of living west of any industrial area to avoid being downwind of it, there really wasn't a nice area of Liverpool; those who could afford it went across the water to the Wirral, and be upwind of the docks.

I have no idea how expensive it is nowadays to live in the Wirral and commute. There are at least two tunnels under the Mersey, though. Gerry would have to change his lyrics if he wrote the song now...

in times past, given the tradition in this country of living west of any industrial area to avoid being downwind of it, there really wasn't a nice area of Liverpool; those who could afford it went across the water to the Wirral, and be upwind of the docks.

:D

It's funny. And fortunately, complete cobblers.

....you'd fall in the river, wouldn't you? :huh:
...

I meant head east! :blush:

Do I win the Forum Idiot of the Day award?

x

There are plenty of places on the Wirral to rent a flat. Birkenhead, New Ferry, Bebington, Bromborough - all near the railway. Commuting expense is reasonable as you can get a seasonal zone ticket - for a year if you want, covers you for bus and train. In Liverpool my son rented a flat at the end of Dale Street for a couple of years and had no trouble.

I meant head east! :blush:

Do I win the Forum Idiot of the Day award?

x

I shall probably make a sillier mistake than that before the day is out.

Cheshire!!

Nah, the motorways are terrible for commuting.

....you'd fall in the river, wouldn't you? :huh:

Or is the modern "city centre" some distance removed from the docks ... in times past, given the tradition in this country of living west of any industrial area to avoid being downwind of it, there really wasn't a nice area of Liverpool; those who could afford it went across the water to the Wirral, and be upwind of the docks.

I have no idea how expensive it is nowadays to live in the Wirral and commute. There are at least two tunnels under the Mersey, though. Gerry would have to change his lyrics if he wrote the song now...

That is the biggest load of bullploppy I've heard in a long time, thanks for the laugh though!

I can tell you where NOT to live, if that would help?

From the city centre heading west, avoid the following areas:
Kensington, Fairfield, Old Swan, Huyton

From the south, heading north:
Toxteth, Shiel Road, Everton, Anfield, Walton

There will be 'nice' streets (by Liverpool standards) amongst the above areas, but unless you know what streets to avoid, your son WILL be mugged or killed.

Where to live?
Mossley Hill is nice but on the outskirts of the city, so might be commutable to the city centre in 30 minutes. Also, there are plenty of flats apartments in the city centre.

x

Most people speak like this but in my experience of LIverpool propety crime is quite high but personal attacks are quite rare.As other say Sefton Park is fine and there are some good parts around Toxteth.Rent with a freind for a short time and weigh up areas for yourself.

OP - There's a forum on the Echo site. Looks quite active.

Just looked again and it seems to be football dominated and a bit on local news. There's specific forums for different areas though.

Aigburth is a good residential area but could be pricey.
Otherwise there are plenty of new developments in the town centre with apartments to let. Look at Liverpool 1 area.

Students tend to live around the Smithdown Rd area,

Chester
.

Chester is nice but can be rather expensive (it would be the same as Formby). Plus you leave yourself open to the mercy of the train for commuting. If anything goes wrong I wouldn't like to make the journey on the bus. At least being further up The Wirral you've got the option of both tunnels, two train lines and the ferry (which is a great eyeopener on a stormy cold winter's morning!)

I'm from Liverpool but now I live off Eccy Road in Sheffield.

If I were to move back to Liverpool I would be looking to live in a similarish area in Liverpool . I would probably look at Aigburth, fairly close to Lark Lane. If my budget was the same as yours, I would be looking to house share.

Aigburth is generally a nice area although some bits can be a bit rough. There is a website called up-my-street which might help you get a rough idea of what different parts of Liverpool are like, put in the full post-code of the streets you're interested in, you often get different results that way than you do by just putting in say L17.

I hope that you enjoy your time in Liverpool x

Thanks again! I am getting a feel for the areas now from the replies here. Aigburth and Calderstone Park sound promising.

A friend lived in Chester, it seemed nice but I would rather avoid cars or trains. Ideally I will cycle if I can find a ground floor flat. Sharing is out, a few too many bad (and expensive) experiences there!

I`ve found bargains before on Gumtree, but I could pay more if necessary. I am showing my Yorkshire breeding with that budget. Generally rents seem cheaper than Manchester though so I am hopeful. It looks like I`ll have less than a week from re-entering the country to needing a place so my fingers are crossed for something to be available!

I also quite like the idea of buying... no deposit though :)

I will be working at Liverpool Royal University Hospital in Kensington by the way, not the University area per se. I have been once, the area seemed a bit grim but the lab is good.

Good advice from Maverick.
Aigburth is good, I was brought up there so am fairly biased. The area between Aigburth Vale and Riversdale Road is nice and pretty quiet, and the Lark Lane area/Sefton Park is good too, with plenty of bars, restaurants etc nearby. My daughter was at Liverpool Uni and shared a terraced house in Mossley Hill. It's a good area, mainly families, ideal route for the RLH. The Smithdown Road area is that bit nearer, but has a lot of students and can be 'lively'.
There are plenty of good areas - I'm sure you'll enjoy Liverpool. It's not really any worse(or better) than any other big city. In the 50 years we had a house in Aigburth, the only damage we had to our property was at the hands of the police! They went to the wrong address and broke the leaded glass in the front door!
Good luck!

edited for brevity

edited again

New Brighton has a direct rail link into the city centre, is up and coming, has plenty of flats coming onto the market, and if you get a flat as nice as Mr Strix's sis has just moved into, a sea view to boot!!

She has a 2 double bed newly refurbished flat for £550!

Hi,
I am relatively new to the forum as I would also be new to live in Liverpool. I want to know what are the safe areas to live near Liverpool lime street station or Royal liverpool university hospital. I have budget of max 500 pcm and I need a single room apartment.
Regards.

Hi,
I am relatively new to the forum as I would also be new to live in Liverpool. I want to know what are the safe areas to live near Liverpool lime street station or Royal liverpool university hospital. I have budget of max 500 pcm and I need a single room apartment.
Regards.

Anywhere within a half mile of Lime Street is safe, preference for south and west of there. From the Royal, anywhere towards the city centre is fine, going too far into Kensington isn't great.

You might be able to find a city centre one bed apartment for less than 500 pcm, although if you're including bills and council tax in that budget, then maybe not.

I was lucky to find a good private 1-bed rental bang in the centre on Gumtree, but with council tax and bills it still tops 500 pcm, and most people I know pay more than I do for rent in the city centre.

Might be worth considering student areas such as Smithdown Rd., Lark Lane, and possibly Aigburth although that's a bit far from the Royal. If you can handle a short local train commute, most of the suburbs to the North that are accessible by the Merseyrail metro aren't too bad (e.g. Bootle, Crosby).

I'd advise staying away from Princes Park, Toxteth, Croxteth, Anfields, and all but the nearest parts of Kensington to the Royal.

Anywhere within a half mile of Lime Street is safe, preference for south and west of there. From the Royal, anywhere towards the city centre is fine, going too far into Kensington isn't great.

You might be able to find a city centre one bed apartment for less than 500 pcm, although if you're including bills and council tax in that budget, then maybe not.

I was lucky to find a good private 1-bed rental bang in the centre on Gumtree, but with council tax and bills it still tops 500 pcm, and most people I know pay more than I do for rent in the city centre.

Might be worth considering student areas such as Smithdown Rd., Lark Lane, and possibly Aigburth although that's a bit far from the Royal. If you can handle a short local train commute, most of the suburbs to the North that are accessible by the Merseyrail metro aren't too bad (e.g. Bootle, Crosby).

I'd advise staying away from Princes Park, Toxteth, Croxteth, Anfields, and all but the nearest parts of Kensington to the Royal.

Thanks Crayfish for your kind reply. I have few questions. I hope you dont mind to reply them.
1st what about areas like Edge Hill, Wavetree and areas around Women hospital?
Can u brief me about Council Tax? I mean what kind of tax is it?
Lastly, what would be pcm expenditures including utility bills like electricity etc of 2 room apartment in those areas which u have mentioned?
Thanking again for your kind help.
Regards.