Accommodation in London for approx. 4 months in 2010
 

(I'm posting this both in the lounge and the Europe forum for max coverage)

Well, despite the weirdness of this year so far, we're still thinking about going to London for 4 months in 2010 (well, more like 3.5 months). My SO is on sabbatical from January to December of 2010 and will be doing some research on nuclear facilities in Europe. We hope to be in London from the beginning of September to mid-December.

Our plan for lodging is to ask everyone we know and to search as many websites as we can and, of course, to ask the fodorites. I've looked at the Top Floor apartments at the London School of Economics but they're too $$$ for our budget (L99/night which, if I've done the math correctly, comes to L11,880 for 4 months or at today's rate $22,622 CDN). I'm keeping my eye on two websites, UK Sabbaticals and Sabbatical Homes, and some of the other apartment websites.

Here's my wishlist:
We would rather have a small apartment in a nice neighbourhood (shops, greengrocers, parks, close to the tube, etc) than a big apartment in a not-so-great neighbourhood or out of London altogether. We'd love a one-bedroom but could easily manage in a large-ish studio apartment.

We aren't prepared to do a home trade nor do we want 'house-sitting' because that, it seems, usually involves taking care of pets and we don't want that responsibility.

We don't need a car.

We're looking at a monthly rental of (I hope) a max of L1500/month but L1200 would be even better. I've seen this range on the sabbatical websites so I don't think it's completely wacky, although I don't know how dependable those websites are. Has anyone here ever had a good/bad experience with them? These are supposedly academics who are going off for sabbatical (or something) themselves and want to keep their homes and have someone pay the rent for a while.

If any of you have ideas for us or experience with particularly good, reliable websites, I'd appreciate knowing about them. Also, if you know of anyone who has an apartment or flat they're interesting in renting out for that period, please let me know. We'd be excellent tenants and would certainly take good care of their place.

Thanks in advance for your help and suggestions.

topping for myself

I think you are rather optimistic about prices unless exchange rates tip in your favour. Difficult to define a nice neighbourhood most have some shops and parks. I think you would be advised to select an approximate neighbourhood, or direction based on factors such as where you are likely to want to spend most of your time. Do you want to be near a specific college or university or library? Do you need to travel to nuclear facilities, except for research centres these are not near London, except for the trains taking nuclear waste through for disposal.

At this length of rental the price will include local taxes, utilities, possibly heating so that you have to factor that in to what you think is a reasonable price. Distance from the centre, if you want to travel to the centre of London regularly does affect fares so has to be balanced against cheaper (possibly) rents as you move out from the centre.

Another strategy might be to make direct contact with a relevant college or university to see if they have a noticeboard on the website that advertises available accommodation. If you use an agency they will obviously add a percentage for handling the business. On the other hand if you take a flat from an absent academic it might be difficult to resolve problems if they have asked nobody to manage it for them in their absence.

Your main problem is you've been looking at holiday/vacation rentals -- that doesn't make sense for 4 months.

You want longer term rentals which are an entirely different animal. You should be able to easily find flats w/i that budget. I have a file somewhere w/ a few contacts. I'll try to locate it.

Thanks helen, thanks janis. I've been trying to limit my 'shopping' to longer term rentals like the LSE Top Floor where we'd have no problem getting a four-month stint. I'd love to see some of your information, janis.

Helen, you've got good ideas. My SO won't be aligned with a particular university -- he's doing independent research. He will travel to universities and probably some nuclear facilities but they'll likely be out of the UK and he'll just do that on his own on one or two-day trips by train or plane. It's hard for me to define neighbourhoods since I don't really know London. My plan was to come up with some flats at a decent rent and then ask the fodorites what they think of the locations. It's good that you mentioned the agency fee -- I hadn't thought of that and will have to remember to ask about it. Also, you have a good idea about contacting other universities and colleges which may have apartments similar to LSE.

Thanks very much!

gtg: Yes, LSE Top Floor will rent for 4 months -- but they are still considered self-catering holiday rentals.

I see -- so you're saying that they're more expensive because they're 'holiday rentals' rather than flats to let. Is that right?

yep. Still haven't found that file - will look again in the morning. If you were renting 6 months you could for sure get cheaper places - 4 months makes it a bit trickier.

If only! I'd love to go for 6 months. In fact, I was hoping to go for the whole year but 4 months is the most I can talk him into.

I love going to London, and I cannot wait to return. Goddesstogo, I envy you being able to go for an extended stay.

Check out Foxton's to get you started www.foxtons.co.uk/

They list all sorts of very central studios and 1 bdrms from less that £300 a week to the sky's the limit. The interactive map of London is very easy to use.

Have a look at loot

http://www.loot.com/property/rent

This is where Londoners look for accommodation.

When you said shops, parks tube I initially thought of Finchley. It has everything you want but, and it is a big but, you would be 30mins to an hour from LSE and that also means the cost of travel cards etc would need to be factored in.

So you may be better paying more and being more central.

You can stay jut 4 months for a minimum 6 months rental (assured shorthold tenancy or AST) if you pay up for 6 months. Still likely to be cheaper than searching for 4-month rental properties.

Also try Douglas and Gordon.

Areas to try:
Clapham (by the Common) - we just moved from here and LOVED it, lots of young professionals, restaurants, cafes and the huge common.
Fulham
Putney
Islington (getting a bit more expensive)

Hope this helps!

Thanks everyone. Good idea about the six-month rental -- I'll look into it and janis, thanks so much for the info about the neighbourhoods!

I think Jamikins response illustrates my point about the need to have some sort of focus for looking. LSE apartments may be fine and you can walk from there to a lot of places but they are not very near a park and in general shopping is more expensive for everyday things. The shops just don't carry the same range and choice. I think for 4 months you would find it a bit arid and there is a huge amount of traffic in the area whereas a slightly more residential area could be quieter, especially at night. If you are not going to work, brilliant idea, do you plan to follow courses or delve into anything in depth? This could help you select an area. Assured shorthold tenancies usually require quite a lot of paperwork, references, bank guarantees and so on, not necessarily easy to do without someone local to step in before you arrive.

London is heavily populated, accommodation is in short supply which keeps the rents up. You will be competing with new employees starting work in London, new students and so on. Lower prices usually mean some downsides. I was talking to a young woman who lives close to me recently, she had moved from her flat because the noise from the main road was unbearable but luckily her landlord was able to offer another flat at the back of the block which was quieter, not perfect but she felt they would be able to sleep. It was affordable for a young graduate professional couple.

I live about 10-15 minutes walk away from her flat and it is very quiet but the rents are higher too. Both of us live very close to tube stations and the same parks and other facilities such as public libraries. I mention all this to illustrate that while people could advise against some areas they would be unlikely to know exactly how noisy or quiet a particular apartment is even in a pleasant area.

jamikins, I'm sorry -- it was you I meant to thank for the neighbourhoods.

We have no connection to the LSE at all, it's just that those apartments were recommended to us. I'd really rather be in a 'neighbourhood' too. My SO will be writing (and I may be too, if I can get myself motivated) but neither of us will be working regular jobs. This is just a chance for us to get away for four months, explore London and surrounds, and spend some long weekends on the continent. We're really playing more than working but I know my SO will want to finish his paper.

I know we're not likely to find the perfect home, especially since we're not there to shop around at our leisure, but it's only four months after all. Quiet would be good. And clean. And near a tube station. I'll keep looking around and asking people we know. Networking is a good too. Helen, that was an interesting website you posted on the other thread. Thanks!