Top Tips for renting in London

Finding a new home to rent can be a very daunting process. Not only do you have to find a property with an ample amount of space, which is close to everything you need, it also has to be in an area that you would like to live in. It is probably one of the most stressful things that you will do in your life, so to ease the burden we have pulled together some top tips to help you find your dream home in the area of your choice.

Location, Location, Location

Start by choosing an area to live in. If you are familiar with London this will probably be an easy decision, however if you are not this can be an extremely daunting task. Therefore ask yourself a few of the following questions:

• Is living near to where I work very important to me?

• Do I want to be in the centre of activity of in a more secluded location?

• What amenities to I need to be near?

• How important are transport links to me?

Once you have answered these questions make a list of the areas that you like and take a walk around. Once you get a feel for an area you can narrow it down to streets that you like. It’s really important to get a good feel of the place that you intend to call home, many people make the mistake of thinking that as it is only for the short term and that it does not matter, however this could not be further away from the truth.

Our second tip is do not be afraid of busses! If you’re not familiar with the city, it is understandable that you may be a bit reserved about not living within walking distance of a tube station. However, one thing to keep in mind is that rents are significantly higher around London’s buses are the un-sung heroes of the transport network. If you familiarise yourself with bus routes you’ll be well placed to find affordable and well connected places to live.

At Mayfords we mainly cover the Harrow area. Take a look at our area guides to get a better feel.

The trade off

When hunting for your home, there will is always going to be an element of compromise or a trade-off. Therefore to ensure that you tick as many boxes as you possibly can, you should prioritise your wish list into “essential” and “nice to have”. Consider the things you really want, for example do you detest carpet, need a single room for an office or simply cannot live without outside space. List them and keep them close to hand. It is very easy in the bustle of multiple viewings to get fed up and talk yourself into believing that you can live with something. Only to find yourself highly frustrated with the compromise a few weeks or even days down the line.

The viewings

Now that you have narrowed down your area and hopefully even found a few roads that you like you can start your hunt. When you do find a few properties to view take your time and don’t rush. Here are a few tips things to check for when viewing a property:

Does the property have gas or electric? Is there a washing machine a working fridge or central heating? Sometimes any one of these issues can be a deal breaker and it may be too late to solve any of these issues once you have moved into property.

Choose your landlord or letting agent wisely

This can make the difference between a trouble-free or problematic let. Here at Mayfords we have been letting and selling property in the Harrow area for 35 years and manage many of the properties that we let ourselves. Therefore we can ensure that your move is a seamless and hassle free as possible.