Flats to Rent in London

How to Rent a Flat in London

If you decide to live or work in London, you will probably need to buy or rent a property for a living. Most people prefer to rent their first capital’s accommodation so they are able to explore a true spirit and nature of the new city. If you are able to define your interior and neighbourhood preferences in advance, your property search process will go smooth and quick. It is also a good idea to bear in mind that London has a very strong and unique character. Millions of tourists visit the capital year after year; every borough includes a number of areas, each with its distinct features; finally, London has one of the world’s biggest transport systems that allows both tourists and town dwellers to get around the capital quickly. If you, therefore, wish to save yourself some time, define your living preferences beforehand. Please, therefore, read our short guide below to find more tips about living in London.

Choose the best area for a living

It is a fact that Central London is a popular hub with numerous sightseeing attractions, museums, theatres, galleries, restaurants and shops located within touching distance. Central London has a plentiful variety of housing options for people with a meagre budget as well as for people used to living in grand style. The most popular attractions in Central London are the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, St Paul’s Cathedral and the Museum of London. According to the latest data from rightmove.co.uk, the average price of renting a one bedroom flat in Central London is £3,300 per calendar month. North London offers great options for families both with and without children. Moreover, it is one of the most picturesque, affluent and leafy parts of London. This area is just the thing for extended families due to large open spaces and parks as well as some of the town’s best schools. If you are still considering where to settle down, take a closer look at Camden Town, Hampstead Primrose Hill and Archway. The area boasts a fantastic selection of high-quality restaurants, fashionable boutiques and gastropubs. According to the source mentioned above, a one bed flat in North London costs nearly £1,700 pcm. If you are looking for a mix of urban and rural life, South London will make you forget that you are living in the bustling metropolis. It is also worth checking out the lovely areas of Clapham, Forest Hill and Peckham. The average rental price of a one bedroom flat in the southern part of London is £500 per week, according to the source mentioned above. If you are interested in art, the best part of London for you may be East London. It has some of the greatest places to live in London such as Shoreditch that includes the districts of Hoxton and Haggerston. Shoreditch offers a great mix of unconventional lifestyles with a wide selection of interesting things constantly going on. Due to an increasing number of newcomers, rental prices are rising there. Still, it is a popular place for youth, especially for people working in media and other creative industries. In this part of London, the average rental price reaches £546 pw, as reported by rightmove.co.uk. It is well known that a living in West London is quite costly. No wonder that this area has the largest amount of top-notch restaurants, dazzling boutiques and chic entertainment places. A broad variety of unique shops, stylish public places, theatres and music venues stretches across Soho, while Marylebone with cosy pubs and cafes remains calm and peaceful. Renting a one bedroom flat in West London costs around £515 pw, according to the source mentioned above. In any case, you always have an opportunity to explore the capital’s streets. However, if you are eager to save time when searching for a home, visit our website and contact us to get fast, professional services: readyproperty.co.uk.

Decide on the size of your property

It is obvious that the cost of renting a flat depends on the number of bedrooms it has. The best option for tourists is a studio flat or a one bedroom flat that is available for rent at the lowest price of £375 pw in Kensington and Chelsea and at the highest price of £715 pw in Mayfair, based on rightmove.co.uk data. If you consider two and three bedroom flats, prices on these types of property vary from £650 pw in Marylebone to £1,300 pw in Soho, as stated in the report by rightmove.co.uk. Four and five bedroom flats are popular mostly among students rather than families. Nevertheless, such properties can be trickier to rent. The lowest rental price for such a property is £1,007 pw in Gloucester Place, whereas St John's Wood offers the highest price of £4,766 pcm, according to the above source.

Consider commuting expenses

London has an extensive public transport system that includes underground, buses, trains, trams as well as river boats. The Oyster Card will make your life easier - it holds multiple tickets for all kinds of public transport. In addition, you can refill it with a credit or debit card, which makes your commuting even more convenient.

Finding the right flat

As soon as you decide upon the main criteria, such as location, property size and commuting expenses, you can look through online listings. When looking through available properties in any area, it is advisable to consider online listings only with prices mentioned. Many real estate websites usually collect offers from estate agents and private landlords. Therefore, this way is not only secure but also convenient. Do not waste too much time choosing among preferred options because decent properties may be taken too fast. Thus, it is better to get in touch with an estate agent or a landlord immediately after you find a decent flat. In case you are already in town, magazines and newspapers may be an excellent source for seeking a new residence. It is better to proceed the same way as with searching online — contact landlords as soon as possible. You should make up your mind whether to rent a flat through a real estate agent or a private landlord. A helping hand of a professional estate agent will not only prune down your search but also secure you from scammers and even help you save some money. While looking for an estate agent, the first thing you should pay attention to is whether the agent is a member of a professional trade body. When dealing with a private landlord, the most important for you is landlord’s proprietary possession. Sometimes, landlords are tenants too and they do not have permission to let their flat out on lease. Under such circumstances, if you do not want to come across a scammer, do not take a risk and leave this job to experts.

Last steps before moving in

As soon as you find a flat you like, it is useful to familiarise yourself with the tenancy agreement. Below, you can find the most popular questions tenants may ask a landlord: - Does the price include utility bills? - When can I move in? - What is the length of the tenancy? - How can my deposit be protected? After receiving satisfying answers, you can sign the tenancy agreement and get ready for moving in.