Who would be better in helping you find a suitable rental than someone who knows where you are coming from? A company named London Relocation specializes in helping Americans relocating to London. Anthony Gallo, the owner of the relatively young company (est. 2005) is an American himself.

And please do let us know if they are as good as they claim!

Here is a reference list for those who want to filter out more problematic areas for renting. London Metropolitan Police has listed the top 20 wards with the most residential burglaries during 2007:

The list of the wards with the fewest residential burglaries during 2007 reveals that Kingston Upon Thames was the safest borough.

Source: Evening Standard

We say - always negotiate!

Here are a few arguments for the next time you are trying to negotiate a lower rent before signing the contract:

1. Find out for how long the flat has been on the market for. The landlord loses money each day the property is empty.

2. Find out what the alternatives are. If you can get something better for the same amount of rent - tell the landlord about it. Or better yet - have the ad with an alternative offer on paper with you.

3. Look around for repairs that need to be done, and ask the landlord if the rent can be lowered because …

4. Got some skills to improve the rental? Offer your services in return for the lower rent!

5. Have a portfolio of documents ready that prove you are an excellent tenant, and show them to the landlord before asking for a reduction of the rent. For example, a letter from work that states your position, duration of employment, and size of income, a reference letter from your previous landlord.

6. Paying rent 6 or 12 months in advance would make some landlords agree to lower the rent.

7. Let the landlord know if you can move in immediately - it might be an argument for a lower rent.

8. The landlord might agree to lower the rent if you can buy some essential furniture or appliances yourself, with the intention to leaving them at the property once your contract ends.

We hear that New York has become a renter’s market. In Manhattan 1-bedrooms went down 2,3% and 2-beds 5,2%.

Will doubts and credit crunch affect the rental market in London, too?

According to housepricewatch.co.uk the asking rent for 2-beds and 3-beds in W1 postcode are falling. 4-beds are slightly rising and 1-bed rents are unchanged. You can keep an eye on the statistics for your postcode HERE. Housepricewatch.co.uk collects information from rental listings in Loot, Winkworth, Black Katz and Hamptons International.

This is hilarious. Apparently it cost £3,320 to deep clean the 3-bed Admiralty House flat that John Prescott rented when he was Deputy Prime Minister.

Wow, it would have taken 474 hours for Monika to clean it at her modest £7 per hour rate!

Photo: Admiralty House by David Hawgood

A landlord has been fined £6,000 after admitting renting out a property in Oxford without registering it as a shared house:

Nadeem Aftab, who lives in London, admitted to renting out the property in Nuffield Road, Oxford, without a licence and to breaching rules on houses in multiple occupation (HMO). He was fined £4,000 for operating without a licence, £2,000 for breaching the housing in multiple occupation management regulations, and ordered to pay £1,000 costs following a hearing at Oxford Magistrates’ Court.

Needless to say this is a huge problem in London as well. Too many landlords lack the skills and knowledge to professionally manage a rental property. And there are oh-how-many hazards in a house that occupies more than 2 households…

If you are a tenant in a house or flat which is let to 3 or more tenants, who form 2 or more households, and who share a kitchen, bathroom or a toilet - for your own safety - find out if your home is considered a house in multiple occupation (HMO), and whether it is registered. If the landlord fails to ensure you, you can find out from your local authority. Each London Borough has a section devoted for it. Go to your borough’s website from our list HERE and search for multiple occupation to find out more.

Photo: House in Hackney, London

The activity in lettings is up 25% compared to a year ago, confirms The Financial Express.Right, right, you’ve heard the numbers already. But seriously - letting agents are spilling phrases like: “Fantastic month” and “We’re having a huge boom”. They sound too enthusiastic, even for the good salesmen that they are!

Article found via The Rat & Mouse.

(c) Knight Frank

…but they are too small!!! Knight Frank seems to be using professionally made photos but their website is not doing justice to them. The size is way too small and the quality is suffering, which makes the apartment itself look less attractive. The pictures should be available for viewing in size 640×480. That would be perfect.

Marc von Grundherr, the residential lettings director for London at Benham & Reeves, tells how he got a bit carried away once when trying to let his own place:

“I was keen to get my flat rented. When this woman came to sign the deal, she insisted on a get-out clause of just one week.” Most contracts allow you to get out after six months, not a single week. Yet even von Grundherr – a property professional who knows better – couldn’t quite wave goodbye to the deal. “She had the cash in her hand, and wanted to sign there and then. I think I was just desperate to get the flat away.”

After several hours of negotiation, however, he decided to knock the deal on the head, and got into his car. “She followed me, and was hanging onto the door handle and shouting. I did the classic trick of telling her to go around the back, to get into the passenger seat. As she did so, I immediately drove off. It was like something out of a movie. She ran down the street after me, but I sped away. Afterwards, she sent me about 100 texts, but by then I had come to my senses.” Von Grundherr thinks that his grip on reality became wobbly thanks to the tantalising lure of the contract. “Driving off like that – it’s not behaviour I would ever advise for a client.”

Story from The Times, photo from brlets.co.uk