How To Rent A House In London England From America

Learning how to rent a house in London England from America can be a stressful affair. Your own set of circumstances and requirements, like finding a rental that allows pets, needing to find a house to rent near ASL, or even a house that comes with a parking space in London can feel like a tall order. But with research beforehand and UK realtor assistance, you most definitely can find not only a house to rent but one that you won’t want to leave.

I know because we had many rental requirements checked on our must-have list for living in the UK. Aside from the property itself, there are key questions to not ignore when deciding where to live in order to ensure a happy expat life abroad. Between key factors, the growing London housing supply/demand concerns, increasing cost, and my family’s Texan housing expectations, I was convinced that renting a house in London or just outside of London that met our needs was simply not going to be possible.

But despite all that, we found a fabulous home to rent that we absolutely love and you can, too!

Find A Reputable Agency To Help You Rent A House In England

We started our house rental search in London near the American School in London but ended up just outside of London in a house that we never even saw in person. A house-hunting trip afforded us the opportunity to familiarize ourselves with London, what to expect for the size of a London rental property (square footage isn’t a consistent data point realtors publish), and even discover how important the location and size of a washer/dryer would be. Not in the kitchen, please!

Since our house hunting trip wasn’t successful on our first go, and another trip to London wasn’t in our deck of cards, we leaned 100% on a reliable realtor to find us a house to rent in London or just nearby. With or without the opportunity to research London in person, finding a realtor to help navigate through all the house rental differences between the UK and the USA is massively helpful.

With the help of Stephanie Gladis from Jean Oddy & Company, a boutique real estate firm that assists Americans and expatriates with where to live and rent in London, Stephanie answers burning questions and provides top tips on how to rent a house in London England.

How To Rent A House In London England

This post is brought to you by Jean Oddy & Company, in collaboration with aBroad purpose. Stephanie answers popular moving questions and provides top tips for Americans and expats on how to rent a house in London England.

How do you find a place to rent in London that will allow a pet?

The British love dogs and there are many great parks, trails, and riverside paths that are fun to explore with the family pet. Having said that, it’s very important to factor the pet into the home search as it will limit the selection somewhat. (Don’t panic, there are plenty of pet-friendly places!)

At the outset, ask the realtor or relocation agent to confirm whether each property will accept pets in advance of arranging a viewing. It would be awful to get excited about a property and find out later that the pets aren’t allowed. Most large mansion (apartment) blocks prohibit dogs and sometimes cats in the head lease (terms of the building), but be sure to ask, as there are exceptions.

For information on dog relocation, be sure to read How to Move A Dog To The UK (costs, too!).

What is the likelihood of a landlord allowing 2 pets (ie, 2 dogs)?

With houses or flat conversions, it will be up to the individual owner as to whether to accept pets. Some landlords will accept two or more pets, but again, it’s the landlord’s right to decide.

How much does it cost to include a pet on top of the house rent in London?

For rentals of less than £100k per year, called an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (or AST), landlords are no longer allowed to request an additional deposit against any damages the pet may cause. Above this threshold, the landlord may ask for an additional deposit of one or two weeks’ rent.

How do you find a furnished rental in London?

The larger the property, the less likely it is to be furnished. If you aren’t shipping your own furniture, consider looking at both furnished and unfurnished properties in order to allow yourself the widest selection. There are quite a few good furniture rental companies.

Another option is to purchase some items for the duration of your time in London from stores like Ikea, John Lewis, and Made. Be sure to use this list for where to find households and other essentials after moving to London.

It’s also worth checking expat websites or community bulletin boards for international schools. Families that are leaving London or the UK often sell good quality, gently-used appliances or furniture. These items are typically for sale at a bargain price.

Regardless, do some research in advance in order to properly factor the furniture cost into your budget!

How hard is it to rent a house in London England with a parking space?

Having a dedicated driveway or garage is not as common in the UK as it is in North America.

Most neighbourhoods have ‘resident’s parking’ in which the parking bays on the streets are reserved for local residents, permits for which can be purchased from the local council for a relatively nominal annual fee.

Whether or not to have a car depends on various factors: transport links to work and school, children’s activities, etc. Many families take a ‘wait and see’ approach, determining after the first few months whether a car would be useful.

An alternative to purchasing a car is the ‘Zipcar’. This is a shared car scheme that operates throughout London.

Remember to check the licensing regulations from your home country, as often your ‘home’ license will be valid only for the first year. Licensing information can be found here on gov.uk.

How long does it take to rent a place in London?

The amount of time it will take to find a rental depends on various factors including the number of neighbourhoods you are considering, the time of year, and the type of home you are looking for.

The best time to look for a property is between 4-8 weeks in advance of your planned move date. Beyond that timeframe, landlords may not be willing to hold the property for you.

It can be very useful to plan a property hunting visit allowing 2-3 days to look at homes, one day to review the homes that are short-listed, and a final day to prepare paperwork or relax.

Most paperwork is done electronically, so there is no need to be in situ. The exception to this rule is that you will have to show your passport and work permit/visa in person prior to the start date of your tenancy.

Are there any additional letting expenses to consider beyond the monthly rental cost itself? (ie applications)

For any rental under £100K per year (an AST), the agents are not allowed to charge fees. Above that, there may be fees for reference checks, preparation of the tenancy agreement, and inventory check-out costs.

Which real estate apps are most useful for Americans to find a property to rent in London?

Rightmove, Zoopla, Primelocation, and On The Market are all good apps to find a property to rent in London, both in and out of London.

One word of caution for all of the online portals is that the listings aren’t always up to date. The apps are a great way to get acquainted with the property market in the various neighborhoods, but try not to fall in love with anything you see online, as it may have been let!

How do you find and choose a letting agent in London while still living in the USA?

At the outset, find out if your company will be using a relocation agent or whether you will be responsible for the property search on your own.

If it’s the former, the relocation agent will be the liaison with the estate agents in the neighbourhoods you are considering.

If you will be doing the search on your own, keep in mind that the real estate market in the UK is very different than the US as there is no licensing of real estate agents nor is there a Multiple Listing Service (MLS). Good agents will be members of Propertymark or NAEA, which are the industry’s regulatory bodies.

Another significant difference is that one agent can represent both the landlord and the renter, unlike many US states where each party has to have their own agent.

How do you find a realtor in London while still in the USA that you can trust?

1. Use online resources, in particular expat websites, Facebook groups, or word of mouth recommendations.

2. Find out if the agents you are considering cover all the areas you are looking in London and outside of London. It may be that some focus only on one area. Some lettings agents will do a more comprehensive search of all listings in the area, rather than focus only on their own listings.

3. Keep in mind that if you leave any contact details with a company, even if it’s just through an enquiry form on Zoopla or other portals, the agent will consider you as ‘registered’ with them and will only show their listings themselves, not through another agent.

Our firm, Jean Oddy & Company, was founded precisely to help navigate the differences between the US and UK markets. We are a boutique estate agent working with each of our families to show the breadth of the market, contacting every agent in the relevant neighbourhoods, assisting through the whole process of search, negotiation, paperwork, and move-in.

Do rentals in London include major appliances?

The rental property should include a refrigerator, washing machine or washer/dryer, and normally a dishwasher. Microwaves are included in some rentals, but not all.

Pro Tip 👉🏻 Keep an eye on the washing machine and dryer situation while viewing properties, as some only have combination machines that wash and dry in one unit. These aren’t as efficient and allow only one full cycle (wash, then dry) of laundry to be done at a time. For a large family with lots of washing, this can be a deal-breaker!

Do you recommend taking or leaving appliances behind in the USA?

The electrical voltage in the UK is different than the US so most appliances (including toasters, coffee pots, hairdryers, electric toothbrushes, etc) will not work in the UK. For more information on what to take or leave behind, read this.

Bonus Tips To Rent A House In UK

In addition to Jean Oddy & Company’s direction on how to rent a house in London, here are more top tips from aBroad purpose to make your house hunt a success.

Offer incremental money per month per pet to help persuade the landlord, along with a security deposit. This will make you a more competitive tenant and since many landlords are the homeowners, this will convey your commitment to keeping after your pet(s).
Air conditioners are uncommon in the UK. We were told not to worry about this due to the mild weather but our first year in England was the second hottest on record.
Windows typically don’t have screens. If you have small children be sure to check that windows can be locked or if there are options for screen installation before you sign the rental agreement. Also, refer back to AC.
If you’re unfamiliar with London neighborhoods, be sure to read about the best neighborhoods for Americans to live in London. Also brought to you by Jean Oddy & Company.
Use this moving to the UK checklist for all the steps, documentation requirements, what to pack, and more to ensure a successful move abroad. A fast one, too!

If you’re moving to London and seeking a realtor, be sure to contact Jean Oddy & Company HERE. Also, as a graduate of American School in London, Jean Oddy & Company have specialized experience to help you find a house to rent near ASL.

Are you feeling confident now about how to rent a house in England? Let me know if you have any rental questions or tips to find a house for rent in the UK in the comments.

Looking for more American in England resources? Try these.

- Where To Live In London As An American
- England Packing List
- Looking to move to the UK? Download this moving to England guide HERE

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