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Housing in United Kingdom

General Information

Depending on where you are being relocated to, you will have different options.

There tends to be more choice in properties to rent in London and surrounding areas than in many other cities in the UK.


If you are going to work in the London area, you have to decide whether you want to live in Central London, in one of the smaller suburban towns around London, or in the countryside.


Just outside London, there are many attractive community towns, set within pretty countryside. Larger houses and gardens are more readily available and cheaper than in Central London.


You can find:

  • detached houses (surrounded by a garden)
  • semidetached houses (joined to another house on one side)
  • townhouses (terraced houses)

In Central London, you can rent either a house or a flat.


Houses:

  • terraced, and can be several floors high
  • mews, converted carriage houses, with character but little space

Apartments:

  • purpose built blocks.
  • mansion blocks, older buildings with spacious accommodation.
  • conversions, houses which have been renovated and divided into flats.

Properties can either be furnished or unfurnished.
Unfurnished properties have no furniture, but the kitchen is fully equipped with appliances and normally there are curtains, carpets and light fittings.

In Central London rental prices are advertised per week (pw), in other areas per calendar month (pcm).

When you rent a property from a letting agent, you won't pay a commission, but the Landlord will. You will be charged for a tenancy agreement preparation fee, check in and inventory fee, and stamping for the tenancy agreement.

While you are house hunting, you could choose a temporary accommodation in a variety of short term rentals (serviced apartments, houses)

Property Rental


a)Tenancy agreement

There is no standard Tenancy Agreement, most letting agents or companies have their own, and it has to be individually prepared. However all agreements are built around a similar pattern.


Rent :

Amount paid quarterly or monthly in advance.

Deposit :

Usually 6 weeks rent. This is returned at the end of the tenancy, sometimes plus interests, and less any dilapidation.

Term :

the period of the agreement, normally 1 year less one day.

Renewal :

the ability to renew the tenancy agreement for a 2nd and 3rd year, at an agreed increased rental, normally of 3% - 8% RPI (retail price index) linked.

Release Clause :

the minimum rental period for both parties, and the period after which each side can give notice. There are two main types of release clauses:

- General release clause - can be terminated for any reason
- Business release clause - allows termination before the end of the contract if the tenant of occupier's business address changes to a location 30 miles (or other agreed mileage) away.

Inventory :

It gives a detailed description of the property, including list of all contents and its condition, number of keys given to the tenant. This document is approved and signed by both parties, each one of them receives a copy of it. A representative of the Landlord and of the Tenant checks the inventory.

Maintenance :

The Landlord has to keep in repair and good working order the installations contained in the property such as central heating system, and appliances.

Insurance :

The Landlord must insure the property and the contents provided by him as itemised on the inventory. The Tenant is responsible for insuring his personal belongings.

Restrictions :

Tenants are usually not allowed to keep domestic pets without the Landlord's consent.

In some cases properties will not be rented to smokers.

The tenant might have to advise the Landlord in the event that the property is left unoccupied for more than a certain number of days (usually 28)

The Landlord or his agent has the right by prior arrangement, and under certain conditions, to enter the property for the purpose of inspection, cleaning, decorating, maintenance, repairs, renewal, etc…

The tenancy agreement can take 10 - 14 days to process. The Landlord will request business, personal and/or bank references. The deposit and the first month's (quarter's) rent will be paid before the start of the tenancy, by electronic transfer or Banker's draft.


Until all references have been accepted and both parties have signed the tenancy agreement, the Landlord has the right to rent the property to somebody else.

b)Premium lease

Can only be for a period of at least 18 months, and is only available to companies. A premium for the whole period is paid in advance. The Landlord is referred to as the "Lessor" and the tenant as the "Lessee". The rent, which is paid in advance, is called "Premium".

There is no break clause on either side. However most companies insert a clause enabling them to substitute another employee as occupier, should the need arise.

A Premium Lease can be advantageous to a company. Advice should be sought from an accountant to see if it would benefit the company.