I have recently moved to Wimbledon from Clapham Common so though I would share some tips on looking for a new property to rent and how to go about it and how to have the best time!
1) Register your interest with as many Estate Agents as possible.
2) Have a checklist ready of the things you want eg 4 double bedrooms, outdoor space, close to tube
3) Be open to explore new places, but don’t let the estate agent waste your time by taking you to lots of properties that don’t match your requirements or budget.
4) Always ask as many questions as possible, its better to have all the answers
5) Don’t feel obliged to take the first property you see, shop around and don’t feel pressurised into taking a property. We had so many estate agents tell us that they havn’t had a 4 bed come on the market for 6 months and that we wouldn’t find anywhere.
6) Remember to factor in bills to the price, you will not just be paying rent, if you are lucky get bills included. Don’t forget about council tax too!
7) Always offer below the asking price, the landlord may not accept it but never straight away offer the price they want. More than ever you will manage to get the property cheaper then the asking price
8) Some landlords will want you to rent for a longer time period, however others will only want you to sign for 6 months. Make sure you know what you want and what the landlord wants too. You don’t want to be tied in for longer than you want!
9) Some landlords will request certain things from you in order to agree to rent their property to you. Our landlord requires us to have a cleaner once a month. Therefore we use Fantastic Services They are your one stop shop for all home services. If you use our referral code twobrits you get £10 off your first order as well – winning!
10) Once you move in, make a list of the things you need to buy furniture wise and then do a group shop to Ikea. Its super fun and then you can all bond over building the furniture when it arrives, also it only costs £25 if you head to the home delivery counter after your shop and they will deliver to your property.
11) Cooking as a group is wayyy cheaper. If you are lucky to live with great people then cook all together and save lots of pennies doing so!
Happy Renting, and if you’re still not convinced, check out our post on reasons why you need to move to London!
