Everybody knows that London is the UK’s biggest city, but this certainly doesn’t mean that finding a rental property is easy.
In our digital era, most people find it easier to look for a rental property online on the various websites out there. London’s property market is known to be one of the most competitive in the United Kingdom, sometimes confusing people.
What’s the best place to find a good rental property in London? That’s the question! In the following lines, we’ll introduce you to the 10 best places to find a rental property in London!
Zoopla
This real estate website in the UK is truly one of the best out there, combining a wide range of property listings, rental guides, local information, and other user-friendly features.
There, people find detailed information about everything they want to know to find the property that suits their specific requirements best. The easy and understandable navigable tools on the website make the search much easier with the help of well-structured filters.
On Zoopla, people can find all types of properties to buy or rent. The website has many other useful features, such as estimating the travel time from the property of your choice to your job and estimated living costs.
Rightmove
Many people find Rightmove as the best real estate website in the UK when looking for a rental property.
It’s the biggest property portal in the United Kingdom, with over 4 million available properties. People like it because it’s easy to navigate, allowing users to look for rental properties in the area of their choice in London.
Its well-structured filters give people the opportunity to choose their specific housing preferences, along with the number of bedrooms. People will see each property’s images, maps, videos, and descriptions.
All you need to do is enter your budget and desired location, and the website will do the rest for you. You can also find useful guides and advice on the Rightmove website if you need more in-depth information.
On the Market
On the Market is another awesome website that will help you find the best rental property for you in London. When you mark your desired location on the website, it will speed up your search with its useful search filters.
Users can easily find the best property in London for them by using the ‘’help me choose’’ section on the website. Another great feature it provides is that users can create their own wishlists, choosing 5 features they’d like their ideal rental property to have.
If you click on a specific listing but are unsure if it’s the one, you can easily click on another one in the ‘’similar properties’’ section the website offers on each listing. This will really help you narrow down your searches.
Ideal Flatmate
This is the best platform for you if you’re looking for the best property to share with other people. When you want to pay less rent, Ideal Flatmate will help you find the ideal flatmate in the ideal rental property.
Depending on your personal preferences and needs, you can look for a flatmate, a rental property, or list a room. The useful filters will help you ease your searches. The platform brings together both landlords and agencies.
What’s unique about this website is its Compatability Quiz, designed to help people find their most compatible flatmate.
When you finish the quiz, you can contact the person via a message to ask them something you want to know. The platform allows users to select their age, gender, or whether they want to live with students or professionals.
There’s so much more, you’ll love it!
OpenRent
Both tenants and landlords definitely appreciate the philosophy of OpenRent – entirely transparent renting. This online platform’s aim is to connect landlords and tenants, ensuring a safe, transparent, and affordable renting experience.
The website provides various features, making sure to meet the preferences of both sides. When you find the rental property that suits your needs best, you can meet the landlord and take a look at the property. The website help tenants through the entire rental process.
So, if you’re not very familiar with the steps of renting a property, this is a very useful feature. People love it because they get to miss the pushy agents, hidden fees, and unclarified information.
Foxtons
With 50 offices across London, Foxtons is the city’s largest estate agency. This well-known agency specialises in properties in London.
On the website, you’ll find the best rentals in each area of the city, whether it’s west, north, or south London. You can easily find what you’re looking for by using the filters.
Due to their high knowledge of London properties, you can rely that they’ll cover anything important you need to know about the area, property, taxes, etc.
You can use the user guides that also have recommendations on places to eat or drink. The wide range of letting agents and rental properties is what makes Foxtons one of the best websites for finding a rental property in London.
SpareRoom
If you’re specifically looking for house shares, then SpareRoom is the website for your needs. There, you can find the ideal rental property for you and the ideal flatmate.
The website allows you to select the tenancy length and when you plan to move in. This really narrows down the numerous options available.
You can even tell the website the people you prefer living with, whatever suits your preferences. Users can also narrow their searches by selecting a specific commute time, travel zone, or tube line.
You can match with potential flatmates depending on your lifestyle, budget, interests, and other specific requirements. The website is very easy to use, featuring detailed property information.
PrimeLocation
This Zoopla’s offshoot is another UK-based company focused on helping people find the property of their dreams. It’s a highly reputable brand, giving users the opportunity to find rental properties by city or postcode.
PrimeLocation features both premium listings and more affordable rental options. So, there’s something for everyone on the website. The various filters help users select the number of bedrooms, property type, furniture, specific keywords, price, and more.
It’s a good website to start from when you’re looking for a rental property in London. Once you find a listing that suits your needs, you can contact the estate agent and book a tour of the property.
Find a Hood
Find a Hood is the right place for people who know exactly what they want and exactly what they don’t! The website will help you find the perfect property for you, whether it’s a spare room or a house.
Also, it’s great for people who are new to the city and unaware of the area. Before users begin their search, the website asks them to complete a scale of 12 key factors about rental properties and to do a quick questionnaire.
When you complete these easy steps, the website will narrow down your search and show you the best listings based on your stated preferences. The thousands of available listings will amaze you!
Gumtree
With over 20 years of experience, Gumtree helps users find the ideal property for them and purchase furniture at a reasonable price.
People have different preferences, that’s clear. Some prefer renting furnished properties, others prefer unfurnished. On the website, you can find the ideal property for you and find listings of items to buy in your local area.
Users can also create a personal profile and save their favourite properties. Thanks to the nice and user-friendly design, it’s very easy to navigate through the website. It also makes it very easy to contact the landlord.
End of tenancy tips and advice
Many tenants aren’t fully aware of the end of the tenancy process. There are specific things tenants must do before moving out of a rental property.
First of all, you need to start with a notice to give to your landlord at least one month before the end of your tenancy agreement. Then, you’ll need to do a deep end of tenancy cleaning of the whole place.
If you don’t feel you can manage the entire cleaning process alone, you can always find professional cleaning services in your local area to help you with this task.
During the time you lived on the specific rental property, it’s common that some small damages appear. You’ll need to cover all those small damages before you move out.
Remember to take photos of every room once you’ve removed your belongings and finished the cleaning and repairing. This will give you peace of mind when meeting your landlord to return your keys.
Conclusion
And there you have it! 10 of the best places to find a rental property in London and a list of things to do before moving out of one.
Everybody deserves the best place to live. These websites will help you narrow your searches. The ideal rental is out there somewhere, and you’re only a few clicks from finding it.
Many people aren’t fully aware of how to do end of tenancy cleaning correctly, and that’s where professionals step in.
Don’t rush, organise your time, and follow the steps. All can be a pleasant experience if you know where and who to look for.