Thanks, Helen. Re the dates, I've 'spoken' by email to many of the renters to ask about dates/flexibility of rent, etc. and the ones I'm considering are available within our time frame and our budget. Some have written back to me saying they prefer to rent for the year, or they're not flexible on price, etc. but that's fine. I don't mind asking and being told no thanks.

You're right about the kitchen. #1's landlord has already told me she's concerned about the size of it and we're emailing back and forth. We'll be there for 14 weeks but don't mind being a little cramped for space if it's the better location for us. We've certainly lived in smaller places than that in our lifetimes. I did ask about the heat, though. And good thought about the south end/ambulances. I'll find out. The owner lives in the building and I believe it was her family's home so I'm hoping that means she likes to be as comfortable as we do.

janis, I very much appreciate your help -- you really do seem to know London (do you live there?) but I can only give you that information I know. So if they tell me a street name and a three-digit postcode, that's what I can offer. That's why I put those 'extras' in my post (schools, theatres, etc) -- so that the fodorites who know London can pinpoint an area. I don't expect anyone to be able to tell me about the exact building because I can't give an exact address but it's very helpful to have a general idea of the tenor of the neighbourhood.

We do know a few people in London and I'm hoping to ask a couple of them to scout out neighbourhoods for me once I have some more detailed information. I wish I could afford to go and shop around for a week or so but that's just not do-able.

I do think I've got a wonderful resource here and I appreciate all the information you give me. I'll try to be as detailed as possible with my information.

"<i>I don't expect anyone to be able to tell me about the exact building</i>"

just a hint for future -- the full post code will/does tell us exactly which building it is.

No - Don't live in London. I'm in Northern California. But I did live in England for 5 years and spend a fair amount of time in London. For specific info about a particular block/bldg there are lots of Londoners on here that may know.

But, j, I don't have the full postal code. I can ask the renter at some point but until I have a 'relationship' with them (ie we're actually considering the apartment and they're actually considering us -- a marriage of sorts) I won't know it. I certainly can ask the landlord of #1 at this point, along with questions about the heating and possible ambulance noises. But while I'm still browsing and running things by the fodorites for a preliminary opinion, all I know is what's on the website.

gtg: I said "<u>future hint</u>" -- You're bound to have several more (maybe LOTS more) possibilities to check out and they often DO include the address and or post code . . . . .

Will do, janisj. Mercy boucoops!

Try www.multimap.com for looking up addresses in London and England. Much more interesting map.

Love it, Mimar, thanks!

And Multimap is based in London (unlike Google, Mapquest etc.) In my opinion, their maps are much better quality and the driving directions are accurate.

Well, Multimap was not so useful for Scotland. And there was wide variance between its driving times and those of the RAC and the AA.

But, for England, I love the little details as you get down in scale, especially in the countryside.

I prefer Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/ particularly for London. Can use name or post code.

OK, is this specific enough:

71a Loftus Road, W12 7EL

It's number 17403 on Sabbatical Homes

That one backs up directly on QPR football club. Not sure what effect that would have most days - but on match days I'd think it would be very loud and congested. Maybe someone who has been to the stadium will have better info for you.

Are you checking any other websites/agencies?

The rates do tend to be pretty good -- but some of the descriptions aren't very accurate. For instance -- Notting Hill and West Kensington for this one -- I don't think so . . .

It seems to be sort of like vrbo -- not an actual agency but merely a listing directory for private owners.

The football stadium concerned me a bit. I've just seen this listing and haven't been in touch with the owner. Re the football stadium (and I know nothing about football), I assume we'd be there during 'football season' -- Sept, Oct?

I've found that those neighbourhood keywords don't relate to the location of the flat itself, only the surrounding neighbourhoods.

Yes, it is like vrbo -- a listing directory for private owners. The difference between this and vrbo is that this one is limited to 1) academics associated with a university, or 2) academics working independently or 3) non-academics (but they have a different sort of listing). I know that the academics are checked out as 'real' because that's how we're listed and they checked us out. I think the reason the prices are reasonable is because most of these flats are not purchased as money-makers as the ones on vrbo are, but belong to academics, many of whom are working at universities outside of London for a semester or longer. In fact, one of the things that's been the most fun for me is googling the names in the postings. I googled one academic who'd held a chair at my own university and was a professor at my SO's grad school. I checked him out personally and found out he was quite famous. Now that's not to say I wouldn't look into these people more carefully but I do trust this website.

At the recommendation of many fodorites, I'm also in touch with London Guest Suites and Tim has sent me some listings he thinks might work for us.

Also, I'm looking into a few apartments listed in my university's and my SO's grad schools magazines.

But janis, aside from this one address, what do you think about Shepherd's Bush. I've done a search but there's not much on Fodor's about it.

I am one of the few people on Fodors who has stayed in Shepherds Bush, I suspect. But I literally cannot tell you a thing about it, because all I did was walk across the street to the Shepherds Bush tube station and go into London. From what I heard from Londoners, it seemed to evoke some slight horror (you're staying in Shepherd's Bush!!).

Hiya. Moi again.

How about South Hampstead, 1.5 blocks from Finchley tube station, NW6 3EA? It's #19384 on Sabbatical Homes.

Just to catch you up, I've let #1 go after several emails from the landlord who seems like a lovely woman. She's concerned, and so are we, that the kitchen facilities won't be enough for us for an extended period. We're going to meet for a drink though, when we're there. Her father, Dennis Flanders, was quite an interesting artist.

Also, I've told the landlord of #2 that we're not prepared to make a decision yet and if he has other offers he should go ahead and take one. He's written back to say if we're still looking later on, to get in touch and if the apartment's available again, we'll talk.

This new address in South Hampstead is quite an attractive area. I can't work the Sabbatical Homes website any more as a casual visitor but can see the place on a map with the post code. Its a residential area, most flats are conversions from Victorian houses. Its convenient for transport and shopping, two good sized supermarkets in walking distance and several mini markets open most hours. Lots of local restaurants or eateries might be a better description so quite OK but not a major experience. Purgatory for car parking.

If you want to travel to or from Luton airport while in England you can pick up the bus service to the airport from Finchley Road or go over to West Hampstead (not far away, there is a local bus link) and you have the cheaper Thameslink service to Gatwick, Brighton etc.

A short walk or bus ride away you have the local Swiss Cottage sports centre, recently rebuilt and run for the Council and the local central public library.

What price did you get? The only North West london premises visible were quite expensive but may have had more rooms than you need.

If you are religious you will find practically every permutation available in the nearby area.

You are a bus ride from a large out of town shopping centre (Brent Cross I avoid it like the plague) and also about the same distance from Oxford St, Regent St but in the immediate area you can buy all those little convenient things you need for your length of stay which somehow aren't there in rented places. I mean things like reading lamps, flat irons (just called irons in England), rack for drying clothes etc, the odd saucepan. There are also two multiplex cinemas close by to north and south. Still remnants of the continental cafe culture of the European refugee era. A Waterstones bookshop in the little O2 shopping, cinema and chain dining area, where there is also a large Sainsburys supermarket, but you would need to walk or bus to Hampstead for more bookshops and cafes.

If you want to get a feel for this area you can read the local newspapers online. In England it means local, not like the US meaning, about a five to ten mile radius.

http://www.hamhigh.co.uk/e-edition/hamhigh/

http://www.thecnj.com/

This second one is one of the last remaining independents in the UK and a bit more radical

Thanks, Helen -- what a great lot of information! It's a nice looking flat. It does have two bedrooms where we only need one but two would be fine.

Regarding the SH website, you don't have to log-in to use the browse function. I did it for years. I've only registered recently. Sometimes, though, it takes a few minutes for the browse function to kick in but then you can pull down the menu.

This two-bedroom flat is going for L450/week which is the very top end of our budget but still doable. We've seen several flats for around L350 both on SH and London Guest Suites but I'm lured by the slightly greater space and decor of the higher priced flats. Also, once I realized we were going to be there 14 weeks as opposed to 16, rent money loosened up a bit.

I've also got a line on a fabulous flat in the heart of Chelsea and unless there are any snags, I may be committing to that this week. This one in in South Hampstead is a close runner-up though. It sounds like it has a nice neighbourhood-y feel which appeals to me. On the other hand, Chelsea is -- well, Chelsea and right in the heart of things. Fortunately, we won't have a car to worry about.

You've been so helpful, Helen -- thank you!

71a Loftus Road, W12 7EL>>>

Tempting though it is to let you make this colossal mistake, don't do it.

It's not "In shepherds bush" (which is bad enough). It's in White City and it doesn't get worse than that.

I used to run that area on a professional basis and it is the busiest patch I've ever worked in. It's running alive with drugs - specifically crack ( I closed several crack houses in Lofus Rd) and associated crime. The area is a dump and there's nothing to do in the area apart from get drunk with the BNP in the Springbok pub or hang with the homeboys from Stonebridge Park.

Avoid.

Send us the details of Chelsea. It may be more Fulham than Chelsea when you get the address. My personal objection to Chelsea is that public transport is not very good for the places I want to go to but it is attractive and can be picturesque. It feels very damp to me because it is near the river Thames.

Helen, it's at Sloane Square between Cheltenham Terrace and Walpole Street. It's a newly renovated (2007) and beautifully decorated flat with a large terrace. I think this would be considered the heart of Chelsea. The terrace overlooks Kings Road and is quite deep so the apartment is set back from the road. Based on your excellent suggestions, I've asked a lot of questions and most importantly, yes, it does have central heating so I hope dampness won't be an issue. It's not on SH and I don't feel comfortable posting the pictures because it's a somewhat more private listing but let's just say it's nicer than my own home (which is pretty darn nice).

Helen, do you live in London?