You say that as if living in a shared house was some sort of social stigma.
Most single young (under say 35) professionals in London share flats, and I'm including lawyers, investment bankers, doctors, etc.
One reason is that price drops disproportionately with the number of rooms, for example for a 1-bed flat you might pay £200/week but for a similar 2-bed you'd pay only £240/week. You could pay 1000/month for a "half-decent" 1-bed flat, or alternatively you could share a great 2-bed flat for the same price. And many people chose to make the second decision. Also it makes much more sense in terms of buying household products and makes "luxuries" such as hiring a cleaner much more affordable.
If you really want to live on your own it makes more sense to live in one of london commuter belt suburbs where you can get a flat for 600/month.
Living in a shared house (assuming no relationship with co-sharers) is a massive PITA, especially if you're as misanthropic as me. Sharing bathrooms, kitchen cleaning protocols, awkwardness / potential conflicts having guests stay over, ugh; it sucks. It's like living at home with your parents; better in some ways, worse in others, but a huge step below having one's own place.
But if you have a significant other, then I agree, sharing is a whole heap better.
We live in a 3-bedroom, two-story house with a back garden that runs down to the canal, and a view directly onto Victoria Park past the canal. It's about 25 minutes from almost anywhere in central London by scooter (to my mind, the best way to get around London). The house runs to only slightly more than 1000/month.
It massively depends on who you're living with. There is a big difference between living with a bunch of people you just met on gumtree and living with your closest friends you've known for years.
Most single young (under say 35) professionals in London share flats, and I'm including lawyers, investment bankers, doctors, etc.
One reason is that price drops disproportionately with the number of rooms, for example for a 1-bed flat you might pay £200/week but for a similar 2-bed you'd pay only £240/week. You could pay 1000/month for a "half-decent" 1-bed flat, or alternatively you could share a great 2-bed flat for the same price. And many people chose to make the second decision. Also it makes much more sense in terms of buying household products and makes "luxuries" such as hiring a cleaner much more affordable.
If you really want to live on your own it makes more sense to live in one of london commuter belt suburbs where you can get a flat for 600/month.