The Insiders Guide to the Best Places to Rent in London
The Insiders Guide to the Best Places to Rent in London
So If you’re new to London, it can be challenging to decide where is the best place to live. After all, London is a huge city, and each area has its unique charm and advantages.
To help you decide, here are our ideas of the best places to rent, based on your lifestyle, family situation, hobbies and budgets.
1. If you are on a budget:
London has the highest rents of any city in the world. According to CBRE, the average rent is £2,083 per month.
Affordable rent is anything below £1,000 to £1,300 per month. The following boroughs have quality places to rent in the affordable range:
• Bexley
•
• Croydon
• Ilford
2. If you can afford to live anywhere:
If money is no object, then the top places to live in London with average rents of £3,000 per month are:
• Kensington
• Westminster
• City of London
These boroughs are close to the high streets with various shops, restaurants and bars, close to excellent schools and the heart of the city.
3. If you are a young professional:
Young professionals have a wide variety of choices to rent. Here are our top areas:
• Islington (North London) is close to central London and has great transport links. It’s a residential area with lots of entertainment, including museums, galleries, bars, pubs and restaurants.
• Croydon (South London) has changed recently as part of a regeneration project. More businesses are moving into the area, as well as trendy bars, nightclubs and restaurants. Best of all, it is only a short commute into the city.
• Docklands (South East London) is one of the most stylish and modern areas with high-quality city living, which includes expensive wine bars, exclusive restaurants, modern gyms and beautiful apartment blocks overlooking the river.
• And Clapham, Fulham, Wimbledon, Brixton, Shoreditch, Hoxton and Knightsbridge.
4. If you have a young family
If you have a young family, then you are probably considering areas that have great schools, parks, supermarkets, good transport and low crime rates.
Here is our pick:
• Hampstead has many family-friendly advantages including the large outdoor spaces (Regent’s Park and Hampstead Heath), trendy shops, restaurants, good schools and low crime rates.
• Richmond has lots of child-friendly restaurants, parks, private schools and great transport links. What’s more, Richmond Park is a beautiful 2,360-acre outdoor park that the kids will love to explore.
• Sutton is an affordable family area with plenty of green spaces, low crime rates, great schools and only 30 minutes commute to the city.
• Notting Hill is the trendy (and more expensive) alternative. It has a large variety of great schools, low crime rates, beautiful parklands and is close to the city. Best of all, Notting Hill has fun places for the children to explore including Museums, Markets and child-friendly restaurants.
5. If you own dogs
Although London is a large city, many boroughs cater to dogs. The best ones we know are:
• Hampstead has many outdoor green areas, pet-friendly shops and restaurants, as well as great places to walk.
• Greenwich is another place with many green areas for your dog to walk
• Battersea is a pet-friendly area with great outdoor spaces including the 200-acre activity park
• Stoke Newington offers many parks within easy walking distance, as well as being a short commute to the city
6. If you love eating out
London is the city for food lovers. The mix of nationalities and cultures means you have a wide variety of cuisines from around the world.
Our pick is Richmond and Kew. Not only do these areas have trendy restaurants, but they also have good quality shops if you wanted to cook your own dish.
7. If you are a student
If you can afford to live close to uni, then that is the best option. However, some areas have good transport, are affordable, have great nightlight and quality supermarkets:
• Woolwich
• Deptford
• Leytonstone
• Stratford
• Streatham
• Wembley Park
• Greenwich
8. If you want more space, a leafy area and better value:
An area to consider if you want more space, a leafy outlook and better value for your rent, is Acton. It is only 20 minutes from central London by tube.
It has the advantage of a good combination of transport links, open parkland and great schools.
9. If you love the nightlife
London is one of the best cities for a colourful and entertaining nightlife. Soho and Covent Garden are the top picks. However, if you like a more bohemian nightlife, then Shoreditch, Dalston and Camden are great places to stay.
10. If you love art, culture and the bohemian lifestyle
East London is home to the artistic types, which makes it a great place to mix with the bohemian crowd.
Our picks are Peckham, Shoreditch, Dalston, Shadwell, Hackney Wick, and Hackney Central.
The Next Steps
Before you narrow down your search, write a list of the essential criteria. Be clear on what is important to you and your family.
If you’re searching for quality self-contained studios, rooms with ensuites, houses, flats and apartments for long-term letting and short stay in North, South, East and West London, then feel free contact us on +44 (0) 203 286 6468 or email us at lettings@RekaProperty.co.uk.
Or stay up to date with the latest news on available accommodation by connecting with us on Facebook, YouTube or Twitter.
Doug
P.S. Please share your comments below. Where do you currently live? How long have you been renting? Where do you want to live? I would love to know your experiences and thoughts on this topic. I hope our paths cross again soon.
