When shortlisting the best places to rent in London in 2018, there’s definitely a focus on out-of-town locations.
We show you that you don’t need to live next to an underground station to enjoy a short commute to work and that areas further away from central London can provide you with everything you need day to day.
From high streets full of diverse shops and restaurants, to great schools, these areas are part of the reason why we love London so much.
Bromley
2018 is the year that Bromley will see further improvements to its town centre, including a revamped street market, a tidy up of the main pedestrianised shopping area and new public spaces, which will hopefully encourage people to spend more time in the town.
It is development projects like these that help to secure Bromley's place in this list of the best places to rent in London in 2018. Suburban appeal and out-of-town convenience draws renters and buyers to the area, with The Glades shopping centre offering all the high street names you’d expect. You can also find independent cafes, bars and pubs dotted around the town.
The transport links are good too. You can travel directly from Bromley South Station to London Victoria in just under 20 minutes. Or alternatively, there’s just a five minute journey from Bromley North to Grove Park Station and you can change here for services into London Bridge, Cannon Street and Charing Cross.
This one bedroom flat is in the centre of Bromley and is available to rent for £1,100 per month.
Sutton
Like Bromley, people choose to live in Sutton because it has everything you’d need for day-to-day life, such as a range of high street stores, supermarkets and schools, alongside great transport links that connect with London Victoria in less than half an hour.
Looking back over the past 10 years, the attitude to living in areas further from the centre of London is changing and buyers and renters alike are seeing areas such as Sutton as viable options. Although Sutton may be further out on a map and there isn’t a tube station for miles, your commute time can be much less than areas closer to central London.
The location is also good for getting onto the M25 and Sutton is just a short drive from Croydon, where there is the huge retail park housing IKEA and a number of other large stores. Croydon might have a bit more to offer its residents - such as the ever-popular BOXPARK - and more choice when it comes to the shops, but Sutton has a more relaxed, out-of-town vibe that its residents love.
We currently have this two bedroom flat available to rent for £1,300 per month, or this one bedroom flat just a few minutes’ walk from Sutton Station.
Acton
We spoke about Acton last summer when shortlisting our favourite affordable areas within 25 minutes of central London and these commute times are just one reason why Acton is, in our opinion, one of the best places to rent in London in 2018.
A combination of a variety of transport links, parkland and Ofsted-rated Good and Outstanding schools all contribute to Acton’s popularity and make it a great area for a wide range of renters.
The University of West London is located close by in Ealing, making Acton a popular choice with students, while young professionals working in west London will find lower rents than those in nearby Chiswick. Acton is a great place for families too, with Gunnersbury Park just the other side of Acton Town Station.
This elegant one bedroom flat with access to a shared garden is available to rent for £1,495 per month.
Forest Gate
Just past Stratford, Forest Gate has risen in popularity following the boom in Stratford’s development around the 2012 Olympics. It’s really close to Wanstead Flats, which gets taken over in the summer by people exercising and having picnics, and Forest Gate’s high street has a mix of shops and eateries that reflect the diversity of the area.
Being only two stops from Stratford on the Overground or three stops from London Liverpool Street via the TfL Rail route from Shenfield, Forest Gate is the perfect location for commuting into the City. Changing at Stratford and utilising the many route options here means getting across London is easy too.
You’ll find mostly period properties in this part of London and converted flats rather than new developments, of which there are many in Stratford. That said, we currently have this contemporary two bedroom flat available to rent for £1,699 per month.
