A week ago today, I found myself moving out of London and heading to the medieval town of Lewes in East Sussex. 

Move number 6, county number 3, in the space of 9 years…

This was the most difficult move yet. 

I love moving, but I’m very much used to moving on my terms. 

I never really felt at home in my last place. The flat itself was lovely, but I just couldn’t bring myself to call it ‘home’. 

When my landlady decided to sell the house, despite the fact it didn’t feel like home, it threw me. I didn’t feel ready to get back on the flat hunting rollercoaster. I wanted to move when I was ready, not when someone else was forcing me to leave.

Searching for a New Place to Live

Looking for somewhere new was tough. There were very few options within my price range in London unless I wanted to move into another house share or rent a bedsit. 

So I started to look further afield. I went to see a handful of flats in Horsham, which sits just south of Gatwick. I loved the area, but it seems it didn’t love me back. Every time I applied to rent somewhere, it was rejection after rejection. According to the Lettings Agent it was because ‘it’s a tough market out there at the moment’. I suspected being self-employed may have been closer to the truth. And probably because I only have a single-person income. 

Covid Strikes

Mid-way through flat-hunting, I somehow caught my first bought of covid. 4 years into the pandemic and the bastard knocked me off my feet. I felt awful and it made the whole flat-hunting situation feel even worse. I was 40 years old, with nowhere to live and I felt well and truly sorry for myself.

Alternative Moving Options

I knew I would never be homeless. Moving back to the shire for a while to stay with Mum and Dad had to be an option, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to do that long-term. My parents are great company, but I also need my space.

I seriously started to consider becoming a digital nomad and moving abroad for a few months. I even made some enquiries in the Being Freelance community to see if others had done anything similar. But looking for somewhere to rent abroad during the peak holiday season was near impossible! It was going to cost a fortune. 

I then started looking into renting a long-term Air BnB in the UK but was facing similar issues.

Everything was so bloody expensive. Moving isn’t cheap at the best of times. I just didn’t have the finances to throw caution to the wind. I had to carefully consider what I could afford.

Hope

I’m so proud of how much I have grown my business over the last 3 years, but it seemed it wasn’t enough to find me somewhere to live.

The straw that almost broke the camel’s back, was when I found a flat in Worthing. I booked a viewing, followed by a train ticket as I was still getting over the fatigue of COVID and couldn’t face the drive. The day of the viewing arrived and just as I was about to leave for the train station I received a phone call from the lettings agent. The flat I had been going to see had been let over the weekend. It was no longer available. It was back to square one.

I had been manifesting hard that everything would turn out ok. Sometimes it was the only thing that kept my hope alive. 

And then one day, as I was scrolling through Right Move yet again, a flat popped up in Lewes. I had heard of Lewes, but I had only been once and that was to change trains at the station on my way to a 3 Peaks training walk with my friend Rachael the previous summer. 

So on a bit of a whim, I booked a viewing.

Adjusting My Approach

At this stage, I wasn’t looking for the perfect flat. I knew I was unlikely to find something ‘perfect’ with my kind of budget. I just wanted somewhere that was liveable, clean and affordable. 

Since my previous viewings, I had also been doing some work on my mindset. So this time I made some subtle changes in how I presented myself, mostly by way of not mentioning that I was self-employed at the viewing for a start! And it seemed to make a HUGE difference. 

Thankfully, the flat in Lewes was really nice. It had a good vibe and as sad as it sounds, I loved how much storage space it had! That’s definitely one thing you don’t get in London! Oh, and it came with its own parking space! Lewes also seemed like a great location. An hour from London by road or train and 20-minute drive to the nearest coastline! Oh, and the added bonus that Lewes is right on the doorstep of the South Downs National Park.

As soon as I got back from the viewing, I put an application in. And within 24 hours it had been accepted! I was beyond relieved. 

The next hurdle to clamber over was the referencing side of things…this would be the moment I really knew whether my being self-employed would work against me. I quickly completed my 2023/24 tax return and was delighted that my turnover had increased again. Only to then be told that the referencing company don’t take your turnover into consideration. It’s your net profit that counts. It turned out I was 4K short and would need a guarantor. 

Frustration and Relief at Moving

I could’ve screamed. But instead, I burst into tears. I now needed to find someone who was earning X amount per year and a UK homeowner! There aren’t many people in my life who are earning that amount or a homeowner let alone both!

Thankfully, I managed to find one. But the whole situation was so frustrating. The rent on the flat in Lewes is less than I have paid in recent years, yet for the first time in my life, I needed a guarantor. The whole housing situation in the UK is a mess. Ironically, I’m also drafting this post on the day of the General Election in the UK. So let’s hope that whoever becomes our next Prime Minister will have a serious look at the housing crisis in this country.

Settling into Lewes

After months of trying to stop my anxiety from spiralling out of control, I may still be without WiFi and will likely be posting this from a local cafe or co-working space, but I’m in my new flat, I’m unpacked, and I’m really pleased that it already feels like home. 

Sussex is a very different vibe compared to London, but it’s one I’m here for. I can honestly say that although London will always have a huge part of my heart, the peace and tranquillity in Lewes has already made such a huge difference to my wellbeing. 

Looking Forward to Lewes Life

So it may not have been the new chapter I was expecting, but now that I’m in, I’m looking forward to making this chapter a good one. And who knows, maybe I’ll even stay for a while…