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London
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
I might be moving to London after the summer.
Anyone care to tell me how flat/house/room contracts work?
Should I be looking for a place now and secure it for then, or is it a matter of finding a place up for rental and moving in immediately? Are the contracts usually on a monthly basis or on a yearly basis, as it is up here for students?
Any tips/advice/anything really, would be greatly appreciated!
Anyone care to tell me how flat/house/room contracts work?
Should I be looking for a place now and secure it for then, or is it a matter of finding a place up for rental and moving in immediately? Are the contracts usually on a monthly basis or on a yearly basis, as it is up here for students?
Any tips/advice/anything really, would be greatly appreciated!
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Comments
its best if you can move in within about 2 weeks of finding somewhere, someplaces will be available straight away, others may not be available for a month...but be prepared to move in quickly.
Contracts for normally first for 6 months, and then can be renewed on a yearly basis, and you must give a months notice when you want to leave.
Gumtree is a good place to look, but beware of scams because there are a few going around.
You can find something at very short notice usually, I've had estate agents advise me not to even look until 3 weeks before I need to move. You need to be prepared to put 4-6 weeks' rent down as a deposit (and ask if they are putting it in the Tenancy Deposit Scheme, which protects you) as well as 1 calendar month in advance.
As TT says, there are a lot of scams on sites like Gumtree, so if anyone demands "proof that you can pay" before a viewing, rather than references or guarantors when you sign the contract, run a mile.
Good luck!
You will rarely (if ever) find a property that you are able to secure well in advance, unless you are moving into Student accommodation. You will most likely find property available anywhere from immediately through to 4 weeks, less often up to 6-8 weeks. Allow yourself plenty of viewing time as there is a lot of rubbish out there and estate agents are very skilled in making things look a lot nicer/bigger than they are. London is vast, and many areas are less than desirable - make sure you ask plenty of questions to people you might know in London.
For example:
My new place
This is actually as nice as it looks, but it looks massive on the pictures. It's certainly not small, but definitely doesn't have the space it seems to in the pictures. I found that with approximately 3 weeks until it becomes available (and it had only just been advertised. It was sourced on thegumtree through an estate agent), with 6 weeks in advance for deposit, one calendar month in advance for rent. Check what the agent's fees are as some are extortionate.
As suggested, check out www.thegumtree.com as I have found all of the properties I have lived in for the last 5 years on there.
Contracts are generally as piccolo states. Yearly, with a 6 month break clause. One calendar month rent in advance and between 4 and 6 weeks rent down as a deposit.
Being near-ish two tube lines is worth aiming for because then if one is down you can still get around.
Agreed.
Narrow down the areas you want to live. This is most likely going to have to be a compromise between cost (as the prices vary wildly)/location (due to the previously mentioned differences between the areas and how big London is)/Transport (as Budda mentions. For example, if you're way out and your only tube line is down, you're fucked).
As I said before, just make sure you have plenty of time to spend in London to make your viewings. Distances look a lot smaller on the map than they actually are and it can easily take a couple of hours to get from one end of London to the other.
(I am biased though but i am always amazed by how lovely it is)
too fucking right. I'm on my way home now but Ive been house hunting (unsuccessfully) in London for the past 2 days. I thought I would be able to fit loads of viewings in, but instead I have been traveling from place to place.
Supposed to start work on Tuesday, so guess I'm going to have to come back better prepared.
Also, are rented flats usually furnished or not?
Varies.
Blackheath! That's in Kent isnt it, its hardly central.
Most house shares will be furnished, but if you are renting by yourself it tends to vary.
The TFL website will tell you all you need to know about travel times - www.tfl.gov.uk
Its like two stops on the train from london bridge and it has a london postcode - its not like dartford or st mary cray or swanley.
Also its possibly worth pointing out that if a flat is unfurnished it still comes with a fitted kitchen - unlike some other parts of europe
Is it completely impossible to get something decent for that amount?
This is stresful!
Depends what you want and where. I have just come back initially with a budget of £500 not including bills, but realised I'm going to have to increase that to £600
It's tricky, cause on one hand I don't wanna live too far away from central London, as it'll be a bitch commuting every day... and what's the point?
On the other hand I really really can't afford paying way more than 400 pounds a month.
Is it possible to do it?
I am paying around £500 pcm to share a room in a 1-bedroom flat in Kings X, but I did live in a 3-bedroom flat a while ago for just under £400 including water. So it's possible but tricky to find in the more central areas. Estate agents will tell you it's not possible - but they would...
A lot of my friends live out in Wood Green which is not too expensive but bear in mind that you'll add at least £20 p/w for travel the further away from uni you live.
Where abouts will you be studying?
Important question :yes:
ETA: east london is definitely cheaper than west from experience, of course it varies by area...and if you go through most lettings agents you can expect to pay a premium on top i.e. get ripped off.
:yes: ex council estates are often full of students paying approx £400-£450 per month - I saw a few places round the Caledonian road area that I would probably be quite happy to live in if I was still a student. Wood Green is also cheap but as Piccolo says you end up paying extra for travel. Part of the trick to finding a place is to just throw yourself into it, have a look at different areas and view as much as you can in the time you have.
I really don't wanna jinx anything, but if everything works out gradewise then I'll be in either LSE or King's. So couldn't really ask for anything more central.
I wrote the accomodation officer who mentioned that popular student areas are Camden, Finsbury Park, Arsenal, Highbury, Mile End, Bethnal Green and Bow.
As someone who's never spent any longer than a week at a time in London, I have no clue what these areas are like, living-wise and cost-wise.
As said there are two arguments floating in my head: I don't wanna miss out on anything cause I live too far away, but I don't wanna miss out anything cause I can't afford to breathe after rent has been paid.
All the areas you mention are about the same, safety-wise and distance from LSE/King's. You might find that Mile End and Bethnal Green are slightly cheaper as a rule.
Living too far away shouldn't stop you missing out on anything as long as there is a night bus or a 24-hour service. I don't live on a tube line but I have 2 night buses from Uni or Soho and it's really easy to get home.
How far away do you guys reckon is still decent distance to live from the school? Not only for transport links but also time-wise? I know it's 'all relative', but as London residents you probably have more of a clue than me
Thanks!
As I said in Cal's thread I live Highbury, Finsbury Park way and I like it a lot - one of the best areas I've ever lived... well apart from all the bloody students :P
I think £400 should be doable - especially if you've got the chance to find other students to go in with - but it may take some looking. Camden probably not though - always been pretty expensive to live there and it's pretty much at its peak right now.
As to travel - well for getting to somewhere in the morning, hell pretty much anywhere in London is fine - travel isn't too expensive compared to the rest of the country and you can get in from places as far from Ealing in, what, an hour top, to central London.
Main thing is probably to look at finding somewhere close to a good trainline or the tube the further out you go. As to getting back at night, long as you don't mind a long bus ride then travel is available literally 24 hours a day, everyday of the year.
http://www.findaproperty.com/searchresults.aspx?edid=00&salerent=1&al=67266762
I'll be studying at the Institute of Education, near Russell Square btw so I'm looking for something central too. I had thought 500 pounds top per month.