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Apartment hunting is usually a painstaking process. It is often not very transparent, has a lot of variables, and has luck as a huge factor in getting something you like in the allocated budget. Before I moved to London, I tried to make the process of house hunting simple for myself and my flatmate. I created this checklist with some general notes about the whole process here. It did serve me well, and I think is fairly comprehensive and fungible for house hunting in any part of the world.
General
- Apartments in the UK are either looked after by brokers or by owners themselves
- https://www.rightmove.co.uk and https://www.zoopla.co.uk are the popular websites which are used. There are several brokers who have their own websites, which you can check too
- Apart from rent, you will also be paying:
- A council tax (usually around £100-200 / month depending on location of the apartment - the broker can give that info
- Utilities (gas and electricity) usually around £100 a month, but can vary depending usage and kind of appliances in the apartment
- Sometimes, the landlord pays for it - it is usually mentioned in the listing
- The process of finding a place to rent is:
- Find the places you like on the websites
- Ask for more information or a viewing
- Give an “offer” which means that you are interested in the flat
- The landlord accepts the offer
- Do a second check of the apartment (if required)
- Pay a small holding deposit (usually a weeks rent)
- Do the formal agreement
- Pay 1 month of advance rent and 6 weeks rent as deposit
- The apartments move really quickly in London, so if you like something close quickly else it will be gone
- The whole process could be done as quickly as 2 weeks: beginning from you going for a viewing till you sign an agreement
- You can make offers on several apartments in parallel, and then go ahead with the one you like best
- An offer includes:
- The rent you are willing to pay (there is always room for negotiation)
- Things that you would want in the apartment, or things you want removed (bed, tables, dining table, couch, cupboard, TV etc.)
- Length of tenancy and break clauses
- You can also offer to pay advance rent (apart from the stipulated 1 month) to improve your chances of getting something you like. I have known people offer to pay 3-12 months of advance rent to close a deal
- Before paying the holding deposit, ensure a thorough visit of the apartment (can view the same apartment twice or even more if required)
- For the agreement make sure there are no fishy clauses like penalty payments for vacating or something that should not be there
- Get a 4+2 break clause in the agreement where you can leave the apartment after 6 months ( 2 month notice period, at the end of 4 months) without any penalty
- Typical agreements are for 12 months, but can negotiate rent based on length of agreement as well
- Well lit and ventilated apartments are a must in London. It gets really dark and depressing, so an apartment which gets a lot of sunlight is something you really should prioritise
Apartment checklist
- Apartment location
- Should not be more than a 5 minute walk away from a tube station (Zone 1 and night service specially)
- Check what lines are closest, and how long does it take to commute to work, or other places you will frequent
- Should have a grocery store close by, you don't want to walk too far away to get your everyday stuff
- Should be in a safe neighbourhood - duh!
- Should not have major noise sources very close like a ground floor apartment on a busy street, or something next to a railway station
- Should not be on ground floor for security, low sunlight and noise reasons
- Should have some places to eat, go-out in proximity
- Close to a gym or any other activity that you might do regularly
- Apartment insides
- Check for sunlight, ventilation
- Elevator in the building
- Double glazed windows (to protect against cold in winter, else heater would need to run a lot)
- Check for noise
- Check if phone network is everywhere in the house
- Storage area
- Appliances
- Oven
- Microwave
- Washing machine
- Dryer
- Kind of stove (induction/ gas/ hotplate)
- Dishwasher
- Does the kitchen come with utensils and other equipment
- Rooms
- Spacious
- Cupboards and storage space
- Space to set up WFH
- Bathroom / toilets / Kitchen
- Water pressure
- Quality of fittings
- Hot and cold water
- Leakages
- Drainage
- General hygiene
- Moths and insects
- Mold
- Linens / Pillows / Blankets
- Power sockets all working condition
- Pet friendly, if applicable