Your Guide to Renting Property in London

Renting Property in London

Finding your Perfect Property

When it comes to finding the perfect property to rent in London, timing is everything. Knowing when to start your search for a property, how quickly to put in an offer when you find the right one or how to negotiate your move-in dates with the landlord are all key factors.

This step-by-step guide to renting should provide you with some of the essential information you need prior to finding a flat, house or apartment to rent in London. It should answer some of the questions you may have with regards to renting and help you avoid some of the most common problems when you search, as well as show you how Currell Residential can provide you with any assistance you require.

Currell Residential is dedicated to ensuring your search for a new rental property in London is as quick, trouble-free and rewarding as possible. If you have any further queries, please give us a call or pop into one of our offices, where one of our team of experienced, dedicated staff will be happy to assist you. We have busy lettings departments in each of our four offices, based in Islington, Clerkenwell, Hackney and Victoria Park/Bow.

Finding a Property to Rent in London

Wherever you want to rent property in London, the best time to begin your search is 4-5 weeks before you need to move. Most London properties are available either immediately or within one month, so finding your perfect place long before you can move in could be pointless – no landlord wants a vacant property.

Currell Residential can ensure you find the right property in London for your needs within this tight timeframe. As the turnaround of properties in London is so fast, registering your requirements with us is the best way of staying abreast of what is on the market.

Currell Residential’s experienced staff have excellent track records in assisting tenants find their ideal flat, house or apartment to rent in London; we keep all our applicants up-to-date on any new properties that arise enter the lettings market. Our website is updated throughout the day with available properties but, please note, some London properties are snapped up so quickly by our applicants that they don’t make the listings.

To register with us you can pop into any of our offices or just give us a call. To find the right property for you, all we need is your name, phone number(s), an email address and your property requirements, including considerations of location, budget, number of bedrooms etc.

Viewing the Property

The London lettings market moves very quickly. Therefore, if you wish to view a property that will have more than one occupier, we suggest all interested tenants come to the viewing – there is always the chance that the property will be taken by someone that does not require a second viewing.

When choosing whether the London property is right for you, there are a variety of factors to consider. Some major considerations may include: the commute to work, type of neighbourhood, local facilities and nearby schools. Therefore, you may want to find out as much information about an area before you view a property there.

Currell Residential manages a wide variety of quality residential properties from our offices in Islington, Clerkenwell, Hackney and Victoria Park/Bow. As a testament to these areas and local communities, most of the Currell team lives in the neighbourhoods that we operate. Therefore, our lettings negotiators can offer you an unparalleled knowledge and depth of experience about the areas that you are looking to rent property. We can also provide you with as much honest, realistic advice about a neighbourhood as you require, before you view a property there.

Referencing

Tenancies are subject to receipt of satisfactory references that confirm your financial ability and suitability as a tenant. Currell Residential use a reliable independent referencing company to reference-check our applicants. We send you a link to their website and you just fill in your details: name, date of birth, employment status, contact names etc.

Once referencing is complete we will have the information needed for the landlord to confirm you as a tenant. This will include information about your credit history, employment, previous landlord and character references. This process normally takes about 3-4 working days. Assuming that the landlord wishes to proceed, we then move to contract.

Contracts

Broadly speaking, there are two main types of contract for private, residential tenancies: an Assured Shorthold Tenancy and a Non-Housing Act Agreement.

There are a few caveats that have to be satisfied to determine which type of contract will apply to your tenancy. The most common is whether the rental amount exceeds £100,000 per annum – if the tenancy does, it will be a Non-Housing Act Agreement, if not it will be an Assured Shorthold Tenancy. In practice, the clauses in the contracts are near identical. The only time that a difference would be noticed is if the Tenancy turned sour and you and the landlord went to court, but this very rarely happens.

The Dilapidations Deposit and Inventory

Since April 2007, it became law that any deposit taken under any Assured Shorthold Tenancy should be protected under the Tenancy Protection Deposit Scheme (see www.communities.gov.uk for further details). This legislation was introduced to protect tenants from their landlord’s making unfair deductions from deposits.

Since the legislation came in to force, most landlords will opt to have an inventory conducted on the property. An inventory lists what fixtures and fittings are in the property and will give an indication of their condition, normally backed up by photographs. There are three stages to the inventory process: the inventory itself, a check-in (when you move into the property) and a check-out (when you leave). The landlord will normally pay for the inventory and check-out, whilst the tenant pays for the check-in. The check-in is your opportunity to either agree or disagree with the inventory itself and have your points recorded.

At the end of tenancy the check-out report will ascertain the amount of damage (if any) to the property, so that the landlord can ascertain how much of your deposit is retained (if any). If the landlord and you are in dispute over amounts retained, an independent arbitrator will ensure that the matter is concluded fairly.

During your Tenancy

Depending on your tenancy, whether it is on a Let Only or Let & Managed basis, you will deal directly with the landlord or with us. If your property is Let Only, you pay rent directly to the landlord and contact them if you have any issues during your tenancy. In Let & Managed properties, you pay rent to Currell Residential and we are your first point of contact for all maintenance and repair issues etc. In Let & Managed properties, we act on behalf of the landlord.

The landlord, or his appointed agent, is only allowed access to the property with prior notification and shall allow you ‘quiet enjoyment’ of the property during your tenancy. Conversely, you will need to uphold the covenants of the agreement and ensure that the landlord has no course to serve you with notice to vacate the property. The vast majority of tenancies are conducted with no hiccups on either side.