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Frequently
Asked Questions about renting/letting in London
Q: What
determines the rent price?
A: As in any city,
location is everything. Many areas are far form transportation and
are therefore cheaper. Other factors include size of the room,
inclusion of bills, etc.
Q:
What difference does it make what 'zone' I live in?
A: Transportation
fares are dependent on what zones you travel through. When choosing
a place to live, you should take into consideration where you work.
See the thetube.com for fares
in different zones.
Q:
Are my bills included?
A: If advertised as
all inclusive in the properties page, electricity, water, Council
tax and heating bills are all included in the rent.
Q:
Is there a phone line? why not?
A: All properties
have a telephone line installed (some have ADSL) Since telephone
calls are billed by the minute and can vary widely, it is up to
the tenants to activate the line.
Q:
What is Council tax?
A: Council tax is
a yearly tax applied to all properties by local government. Properties
advertised as all inclusive would include Council tax.
Q:
Is the property rented out furnished?
A: Yes, all the properties
listed on London-pads are furnished.
Q:
How much deposit should I expect to pay?
A: This varies, but
up to a month in advance and a month deposit is standard practice.
Q:
Is there a minimum stay?
A: This varies depending
on the agreement, but most state a minumum stay of six months.
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Getting aound London links:
The Tube
Transport of London
General London
links:
SurfLondon
This is Local London
Log on 4 London
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Glossary:
bed sit: A self contained living area, usually one
room with its own cooking facilities.
studio: A self contained living area with its own
cooking and washing facilities.
single: A room containing a single bed, suitable
for a single person.
double: A room containing a double bed,
usually suitable for two people.
flat:
A self contained area with its own cooking, washing and living
area with at least one bedroom.
house
share: A shared house consisting of rooms which share
a common bathroom, kitchen and living area.
flat share: A shared flat, consisting of
rooms which share a common bathroom, kitchen and living area.
inclusive: Landolord pays for council tax
and utility bills (water, electricity, gas, heating).
exclusive: Tenant pays for council tax and
utility bills (water, electricity, gas, heating).
Council tax: Council tax is a yearly tax
applied to all properties by local government and is used
to pay for city services.
zone: London is split into travel zones,
there are six travel zones, 1 being the city centre, 6 being
the furthest.
VAT: Value added tax, this is charged
by some letting agents on top of their fee.
AST:
Assured short hold tenancy, introduced in 1988, this is the
standard tenancy agreement used by landlords and letting agents.
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