House Hunting

• General Information
• Costs Involved
• Dealing with Estate Agents
• Advert Abbreviations
• Moving In
• Leaving
• Advice and Information

General Information

No matter what your accommodation needs are book yourself into a hostel (or a hotel) for your first few nights in the UK.  Expect to pay between £15 and £20 per night for a dorm bed in a London hostel and around £30 for a single room.  To book a bed in advance, click here.

If your intention is to stay in one particular town/city for a while, you may want to consider moving into rented accommodation - hostels are expensive for long-stay travellers.

If you are travelling alone, the easiest way to find rented accommodation is look for a room in a ‘share’ house. Adverts for this type of accommodation can be found on hostel notice boards (where more than likely, you’ll find you’re taking the place of someone who’s leaving to travel or go home) by word of mouth or in Loot (a daily London newspaper).  If, on the other hand, you decide to rent a house/flat with friends, then you must be prepared to pay a bond (usually 4-6 weeks rent) and one month’s rent in advance.

The best way of finding a house/flat to rent is to contact a few estate agents in an area you would like to live.  Let them know what type of place you are looking for (i.e. price, number of bedrooms, furnished or unfurnished – required proximity to tube, shops etc.) and they will call you when something becomes available (there should be no charge for this service, however, if you sign a tenancy agreement a small fee may be levied).

Whatever your situation, the biggest dilemma you’ll face is actually deciding in which area to live.  If you’re looking for accommodation in London, you should narrow your search to a specific area and keep in mind the cost of transport. London is divided into six zones, and although renting in zone 6 is cheaper, travelling from zone 6 to zone 1 (central London) is expensive - and more than likely, you’ll end up working in zone 1.

Furthermore, before agreeing to move into a place, think about how close you are to the nearest rail, tube and bus stop (day and night), the proximity of local facilities (such as the supermarket, launderette and doctor) and how long it will take you to travel to work.

Costs Involved

Renting a room in London will cost in the region of £50-£150 per week, excluding bills.  Prices will vary depending on location, the number of people sharing a room and the overall number of people in the property.

Similarly, the cost of renting a house/flat will differ greatly according to location and the number of bedrooms. However, when renting a house/flat it is important to be aware of the actual costs involved (including the hidden ones).  For example, if a property is advertised for £300 per week, you will be paying £1300 per month rent.

On top of rent, you will also have to pay for electricity, gas, water, TV licence and council tax (although sometimes water and council tax are included in your rent, so check with your estate agent).

Council tax is a charge levied by local government to pay for local services such as rubbish collection and road maintenance. It is payable yearly in 10 monthly instalments, and the amount you have to pay is dependent on where you live and the number of people you live with.

NOTE: Full-time students living alone, or with other full-time students, are exempt from council tax and single occupants are eligible for a 25% discount.  Failure to pay your council tax bill can result in a demand for the full amount to be paid within days or a visit from the bailiffs.

A TV licence, costing £139.50 per year, is required by every home in the UK with a television. More information can be found at www.tvlicensing.co.uk.

Dealing with Estate Agents

Before signing a tenancy agreement, read it!  Yes, it may sound obvious, but it’s amazing how many people don’t bother and find themselves locked into agreement they are not happy with.

Before signing a tenancy agreement, think long and hard about the contract terms you are agreeing to.  It’s not uncommon for plans to change, so you might want to check if there’s a break clause allowing you to end the tenancy after 6 months.  If there is no such clause, ask your estate agent if they would allow you to find someone to take over the remainder of your lease, should you want to leave early - this is usually acceptable, so long as you find suitable new tenants and agree to pay any fees incurred (for writing a new tenancy agreement for example).

Get a receipt for any monies paid and make sure you have a written copy of the tenancy agreement.

Advert Abbreviations

Moving In

Your estate agent will give you an inventory (i.e. a detailed list of the furniture and items in the property) when you move in.  You should take the time to check the inventory actually matches the contents of the property, and to make sure that nothing is damaged.  If anything is broken, scratched or stained, bring it to the estate agent’s attention immediately and make sure a note of it is made on the inventory – often it is these things that cause you to lose your bond/deposit at the end of your tenancy.

If you are responsible for paying the electricity, gas and water bills, contact the appropriate utility companies as soon as you move in, and inform them you’re the new tenant – this will prevent you from having to pay the last tenant’s bills should they not have paid them.

Leaving

Replace any damaged or missing items. If you don’t, expect to lose some of your bond.

Remember, when you leave a property you will not get your deposit/bond back immediately. It will take some time so don’t rely on it as a deposit for your new home or onward travel.

Advice and Information

If you have any queries about the tenancy agreement you are signing, or if you need advice and information about your rights as a tenant, contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau www.citizensadvice.org.uk.