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Flats/Apartments

How can I find a flat in London?

If your company is not providing you with a flat to stay, sources to find offerings of 'flats' are ('apartment' is a term used rarely):

• "Loot", an ad paper published 5 times a week
• all major newspapers, e.g. The Guardian (including upmarket flat-share offerings on Fridays)
• estate agents: walk into their offices in your preferred neighbourhood, not open on weekends

How does the London rental market differ from other cities in the world?

Fees/commissions are paid by the landlord. Typical contracts run for a minimum of 6 months, but 12 months are not uncommon. 

Rents are quoted in £/week. 

More than half of all flats on the market are rented furnished. Renting furnished flats for individual weeks is quite common, but very expensive (though still cheaper and nicer than staying in a hotel).

Should I rent or should I buy?

Don't dismiss this question lightly. Rents in London are extremely high. Even if your budget is limited, buying a flat might be a very economical alternative, especially if you intend to stay in London for at least 2 years or so. For about £5000 initial investment you can buy a reasonable 1-bedroom flat in Zone 1 or 2. 

A very simple example: a salary of £30,000 will get you a loan of 3.5 this amount; plus your initial investment. This will get you a flat worth £110,000. Instead of paying a rent of, say, £800 per month, you'll end up paying a mortgage of just, say, £500 per month. It's a bit more complicated, of course, but check it out with some banks.

How can I find addresses and verify post codes?

Addresses in London are segmented into post code areas like W1, EC3, NW11 etc. For a detailed look at ALL London post code districts visit the online maps Greater London and Outer London, provided by the hotel search website in-London.

To search for local online maps of a specific address or district visit the Multimap or Streetmap website.

To verify the exact post code for a specific address, call the Post Code Inquiry Line at 0345 111 222 or go to their website.

What kind of rents should I expect?

London is said to be the most expensive real estate and rental market in the world (except Tokyo maybe), around 30% more expensive than Paris and even more expensive than Manhatten. Prices are outrageous. 

A nice, decent-size 2-bedroom flat in central London or the West End could easily rent for £450 per week! There are two things you can do about this: move to a flat outside of London or move in with flatmates. Flat sharing is very common.

An excellent flat hunting source with a huge choice of flats for rent and very helpful area price guides with average rents etc. can be found at Find a Property.

What is the Council tax?

Council taxes in the UK are not paid by the landlord, but the tenant. They depend on the area and range from a few hundred pounds to way over a thousand pounds per year. To find out how much tax you will have to pay for your flat or house, call the Revenues & Benefits Center at 0845 302 3400.

Should I get renters/homeowners insurance?

It is recommended, especially if you have good furniture, electronic equipment, jewelry or other valuable belongings and if your flat is not safe against break-ins and burglars.

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