This year we shortlisted Bromley, Sutton, Forest Gate and Acton as the best places to rent in London in 2018 for many reasons. But before you start your own personal property search, below are some important things to consider that will allow you to narrow down the areas you’ll be looking in and help you secure the home you want.
See an updated version of this blog: best places to rent in London in 2021.Our renter’s guide to the London will highlight what you need to think about when choosing your rental property and allow you to successfully navigate the busy London rental market.
Prioritise your commute time
Whether travelling to university or work, a long commute can take it out of you after a full day. Therefore, it’s important to consider how easy your journey will be.
Remember, you probably won’t be spending that much time in the place you live other than at weekends, so forfeiting the popularity of an area over the practicality of your commute isn’t such a sacrifice.
Use our Travel Time search tool to discover areas within your preferred commute time to your workplace or university, or take a look at our article on London’s affordable areas within 25 minutes of central London for some inspiration.
It isn't necessary to be next to a tube station
Being close to an underground station is often high up on the priority list when it comes to finding the perfect rental home, but chances are that you will be paying a premium for this.
Many people overlook the train network in favour of the tube, but the trains can be just as handy and often quicker, with less stops and routes covering larger distances.
The buses are also a lifesaver too, especially after a night out and when there’s a surcharge on Uber!
You’ll pay a premium to live in a cool area
Hackney, Shoreditch, Brixton– some areas of London are considered cooler than others. But you’ll definitely pay more for the pleasure of living in an area that is in high demand. If you’re stretching your budget to be able to afford a particular area, be aware that you might not have the disposable income to be able to enjoy what the area offers.
If you’re set on living in a particular place because it has cool cafes and trendy bars, have you considered looking at the neighbouring areas? Here, property prices are likely to be more affordable and in London you’re only ever a short bus ride from where you want to be.
Sharing is common in the capital
Unless you’re a couple or can afford to rent a whole property by yourself, you’ll probably find yourself living in a shared property.
Ask your friends if they or anyone they know is looking for a place to rent and club together to find somewhere, or consider moving into an existing house share.
Websites like SpareRoom and Gumtree have a large choice or rooms to rent at any time of year and sometimes estate agents will know of properties where the tenants are looking for a new house mate.
Register with your estate agent
Often the best properties will come on the market and be rented out immediately, before they’ve even made in onto the estate agent’s website or Rightmove and Zoopla. This is why it’s important to register with an estate agent and not just rely on the internet to find somewhere to live.
If you register for a My Foxtons account, you’ll have access to Sneak Peeks, which shows you details of properties immediately after they are put on the market. Your agent will also be able to take you on viewings before properties hit the internet.
Be quick and be prepared
London’s rental market moves quickly, which means you need to act quickly to secure the home you want. If you sit on a decision too long, you’re at risk of losing the property to someone else.
Once you’ve found a property you want to live in, you’ll need to provide documentation like references and bank statements straightaway, so that the landlord can look over your application and the estate agent can draw up the contract. Here, you’ll find the answers to the most common questions tenants have when renting a property. You might also be interested in the best time of year to rent out property.
Our renter’s guide to London may not be a comprehensive list of things you need to think about when renting in London. But if you consider these key points before starting your search, you’ll definitely be in a better position for finding the perfect rental property.
