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Also moving to London

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  • 12-07-2010 10:06pm
    #1
    5uspect
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 10,518 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    Hi folks,
    Without trying to sound like a broken record I'm also planning a move to London.
    I'm starting a Marie Curie Fellowship with Imperial College and will be making the move over to London in late September. My OH will also be coming with me.

    It seems that there is a majority of agency housing in London. Certainly there that what I see on Gumtree. While I'm not adverse to private lettings can anyone recommend a good agency, or perhaps warn against one?
    We've been using rightmove.co.uk for the bulk of our searches to get an idea of what's available. (They've nice google maps integration :) tho I hear a lot of their listings are out of date)

    We're heading over at the end of the month for a few days to try to get accommodation sorted, or at best give us a better idea of what is available.
    I would like to have a few places lined up before hand.

    Obviously South Kensington is out of the question accommodation wise. We would like to get a two bedroom flat within reasonable commute distance, between £1000 and £1300 pm. We've been looking in the Clapham, Greenwich and Islington areas.

    Also am I mad to want to bring over my car?


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    #2
    Fysh
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Regional Abroad Moderators Posts: 11,054 Mod ✭✭✭✭Fysh


    Bringing over a car is pretty mad alright, public transport is good enough that you won't need it and you're just going to guarantee yourself extra hassle trying to find places to stick it.

    At the kind of price you're talking you should be able to find something suitable within the Zone 2/Zone 3 band (at least, that's my experience in north-west London). With any agency you'll need to be in touch by phone, as a lot of them resubmit properties that are already gone to try and lure in prospective customers. Rightmove.co.uk is ok, findaproperty.com and primelocation.com are also good ones.

    I imagine it's a bit legally iffy to go publicly naming and shaming agencies (though recommendations don't come with that sort of problem usually). If people want to PM you agencies to avoid, I think that should be ok.

    We've used James Baird Properties and Anthony's Properties in the Kilburn/Queens Park area, and I've heard good things about Mathesons. There are loads of agencies around though, so it's impossible to check them all out. One useful metric for a good agency is to ask what they do with the deposit - if they don't mention one of the deposit protection schemes, be a bit wary.

    Good luck with the move :)


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