Added: 10/02/2005 |
London Flat Rental - the Beginners' GuideThe first thing to remember is that London flat rental payments may vary from several thousand pounds a month with a huge deposit and six month contract to 400 pounds a month in inexpensive districts. The security deposit is refundable, but its amount varies a lot. That is why it is better to think beforehand how long you are going to stay, how much money you are ready to pay for your stay, and how much money you should have on you.
The price of a flat mostly depends on the part of London it is situated in. In such prestigious districts as Belgravia, Kensington, Chelsea, Mayfair and Knightsbridge London flat rental payments will be as high as £65-220 a night for one bedroom and more than £220 for two-bedroom flat with a requirements to stay for seven nights minimum. These areas are very close to the main London places of interest and, moreover, they are situated in a comparatively clean district with fresh air and famous London parks.
In other central areas London flat rental payments will be generally lower: for example, you can find a two-bedroom flat in Bankside or Notting Hill for £100-250 a night. But you should remember that here you may finally find out what the "famous" London air is, and it will be a longer way to downtown and London sightseeing places.
Why do London flat rental payments differ so significantly? They depend on many different factors. Of course, firstly, it is the flat itself. The next factor is the proximity to the London Tube (subway), which is very important as it largely influences the speed and the comfort of your getting around in London. Another thing to be considered is the proximity to the poor areas of London. Flat rental will be certainly lower there, but the ghetto will probably badly influence your opinion about the capital of Great Britain. The farther from the center the lower prices you get.
A good way to save money is to rent a flat in one of the suburbs of the city. The price there is much less, but it takes 1-3 hours to get to London, so you will have to get up early every day. You may find a flat for £200-400 per month in suburbs. Another good way to save money on flat rental is to share. In this case you will have a neighbor, but will save almost twice. All kinds of flats and possibilities may be found in hundreds and hundreds of real estate agencies which can be easily found through the Internet, in phonebooks or any advertisement newspapers. When seeing the price of the future apartments in the Internet or in an ad you should always remember that those prices usually do not include taxes and utility payments which may add to the sum almost the third of the price.
Of course, the best way to find a suitable apartment is to take a look at some of them yourself. Another good way is to ask your friends in London if you have any. Anyway, relying on the picture you found in the Internet is not the best option. So when you search what flat rentals London has to offer you should familiarize yourself with the area you want to stay in, decide what price range is suitable for your, whether Tube is important to you for the period of your stay, is there a good furniture, a phone, a bathroom and so on in the flat, whether the area is highly polluted and foggy, and is it worth living alone or getting a flat with a roommate which will be less expensive. After you find the dot where all these factors coincide take you flat and enjoy your time in one of the world centers of industry, economy, art and culture.
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