Best Places to Live in London for Cheap Council Tax
moove2london on 01 Jul 2012Wandsworth and Westminster are amongst not only the cheapest council tax in London but also the country. In fact the Guardian has recently reported that a house worth roughly £155k in Newark, Nottinghamshire and a house worth £7.5m in Westminster pay almost the same council tax of around £1300 per year. So with this in mind, how can you benefit from the situation? The answer is by finding out the best places to live in London for cheap council tax. Below we list 10 areas that you might consider living in the Wandsworth and Westminster boroughs. It’s worth remembering that certain areas are covered by 2 or more council boroughs, so be sure to choose to live in the part which falls within Wandsworth or Westminster. For details on the current rates of council tax for each band of property within these areas, please view our Council Tax in London page.
In Wandsworth…….
- Balham – a trendy and popular area of South London, near to Clapham and the open spaces of Clapham Common, Wandsworth Common and Tooting Bec Common. The high street is small but offers the basics such as Marks and Spencers Simply Food, Boots and Sainsburys. There are a good selection of pubs and coffee shops in the area. For more information on Balham, please read our Balham Area Guide.
- Battersea – on the South bank of the River Thames, a stones throw from Chelsea on the other side. Battersea is quite a large area, the better parts are the beautiful Battersea Park and the central hub of Clapham Junction and the buzzing Northcote Road which is a popular area for independent shops, bars and restaurants. Battersea is situated in a convenient position for easy access into Central London. For more information on Battersea, please ready our Battersea Area Guide.
- Putney – also located on the River Thames, but a little further West and on the opposite side of the river to Fulham. Putney is a pretty area which for obvious reasons is popular with the rowing community and for less obvious reasons with the Australian community and rugby fans. Putney is also home to the vast open space of Putney Heath. For more information on Putney, please read our Putney Area Guide.
- Wandsworth/Earlsfield – SW18 is a large postcode area in South-West London and contains Wandsworth Town (only a part of Wandsworth Borough), Earlsfield and Southfields. Wandsworth Town is on the Thames and has some great riverside pubs such as the Alma. Wandsworth Common in the east is vast and nearer areas such as the Northcote Road in Clapham Junction or Balham in SW12. They’re all desirable areas with great pubs and restaurants, fast rail journeys into London and a great community spirit. To find out more about Wandsworth, please view our Wandsworth Area Guide.
- Tooting – Tooting is located in South West London and is home to the open space of Tooting Bec Common which contains the famous Tooting lido. Tooting is situated on the Northern line allowing quick journeys into places such as Leicester Square or Tottenham Court Road. If you’re into your curries, then you’ll be very pleased about the enormous variety of curry houses on offer in Tooting – it’s second only to Brick Lane in terms of quantity. To find out more about Tooting, please read our Tooting Area Guide.
- Streatham – the area known as Streatham Park only
Streatham is a large area consisting or Streatham Hill in the north, Streatham Common and Streatham Vale in the south and Streatham Park which is located between Streatham Common and Tooting Bec Common. Make absolutely sure before you sign a tenancy agreement that the property you’re interested in falls into the Wandsworth postcode area rather than Lambeth. Streatham has fast rail connections into London Victoria or London Bridge. The rugged open space of Streatham Common is particularly pleasant for walks – you can also visit the attached formal gardens of the Rookery. The best pubs in the area lie at the Streatham Common end of the high road and on Greyhound Lane. To find out more about Streatham, please view our Streatham Area Guide.
In Westminster ……..
- Bayswater – Bayswater is located in West London on the north side of Hyde Park. Due to it’s particularly central location and proximity to one of the Royal Parks, prices are quite expensive but it’s a good spot if it’s within your range. For entertainment and leisure, Bayswater contains some great pubs (The Cow and Prince Bonaparte are popular), Whiteleys shopping centre and a branch of American-style bowling alley, All-Star Lanes. For more information on Bayswater, please view our Bayswater Area Guide.
- St John’s Wood – St John’s Wood is located in north-west London to the west of Regent’s Park and Primrose Hill. It’s a well-to-do area filled with posh but trendy peeps who love the access to excellent pubs, bars and restaurants on the high street. St John’s Wood is on the Jubilee line – you can be at Bond Street within about 6 or 7 minutes. To find out more about St John’s Wood, please view our St John’s Wood
- Pimlico – Pimlico is situated in Central London around the Victoria area and goes all the way down to the River Thames. What makes it an affordable living option for some is the amount of ex-council property available in the area. For entertainment it can be difficult to find pubs and restaurants that aren’t aimed at the faces and wallets of tourists (tip – steer clear of busy roads around Victoria station), but you can find some very decent options off the beaten track. For culture and sightseeing you have the Tate Britain, Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey on your doorstep. For leisurely walks you have the options of many nearby parks (Green Park, St James’s Park or even Hyde Park are all within walking distance) and of course beautiful riverside strolls. For more information on Pimlico, please view our Pimlico Area Guide.
- Maida Vale – Maida Vale and Little Venice are situated in West London in the postal district of W9. Little Venice is built on waterways down which you can take a lovely barge tour, or alternatively just relax in a canal-side pub or restaurant. It’s a very pretty part of town which is obviously a good reason to live here, but another would be it’s proximity to Central London along with the great transport links in the area. To find out more about Maida Vale in W9, please view our Maida Vale Area Guide