Back to Earth

Posted on 2008/01/26 18:51:56 (January 2008).

[Tuesday 22nd January]
For the last couple of weeks I had started to feel like my star was in the ascendancy (or whatever that expression is) somewhat - particularly since my one year anniversary at work. Having been there one year had meant my first batch of shares had vested, I'd had a pay rise at the end of last year, and after a stressful last couple of months things in the job were really looking like they were settling down. All in all I had been feeling rather pleased with myself. On top of that I'd just had a very nice weekend away (albeit that I had picked up a cold on the way), and Chie and I have a trip back to Japan to look forward to in March.

Today though I was slapped somewhat down to earth by a bit of an unexpected occurrence. Our year's lease on the current flat was coming to an end, and today I phoned up the management company to discuss renewal. We'd received a letter informing us there would be an increase in rent for the next year, and I suppose I'd expected it would just be in line with inflation, or maybe a little bit more. So I was completely stunned when I found out they were putting up by a whopping 22% - and it wadsn't exactly a low rent before as far as I was concerned. Apparently it was just to keep it in-line with the local market or something.

Not sure if irony is the right word for it, but it turns out the extra amount we're going to be paying in rent is almost exactly the same as they extra amount I'd be earning each month as a result of my pay rise. So I guess you could look at that as a positive thing - if we did decide to stay I wouldn't be any worse off - but on the other hand it made me really angry to think of all the hard work last year that had gone into earning that rise, only for it to be handed straight to some landlord I hadn't even met, and certainly hadn't done anything to deserve it.

So I guess now the question is whether the stress and hassle of moving somewhere else is really worth the money we'd save in doing so. It seems like this is just the deal with London - rent is crazily high, but then the wages are high too - you've just got to look at it all in perspective.

Chie met me at the office after work for dinner, where I imparted the rather shocking news. I decided afterwards we should go to the whisky society to drown our sorrows a bit.

You really should buy your own place, then the increasing property value is a boom not a curse.

Posted by Dwain at 2008/02/01 11:07:53.

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