We spotted this rental a couple of days ago in Kensington. It is a one bedroom first floor flat in a red brick building from the late 19th century. The location is really good as Hornton Street is quite a quiet street, with only 5 minute walk to Holland Park or Kensington High Street. The property is advertised by Hamptons International.

Hornton Street, Kensington W8
Bedrooms: 1
Floor: 1
Rent: £425 per week

A spacious and light first floor flat with high ceilings and a lovely large reception. Situated within a victorian conversion, moments from High Street Kensington tube and shops.

Click here to see if the flat is still available.

We spotted a studio flat for rent on Lower Sloane Street SW1 in Chelsea.

Details from Findaproperty.com:

Lower Sloane Street, Chelsea SW1
Studio flat for rent
Rent: £395 pw

Nigel Lewis introduces the new iPad application for property portal Primelocation.com. The app is available to download for free!

iTunes preview.

Here is the link to the property where the video was taken.

ROYALS of RENT Services page desperately needs an update!

We have begun collecting information for our London Removal Companies page and would very much appreciate your help.

Recommend London tenants a removal company you or your friends have hired before:

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Demand by tenant type.

A lack of supply is pushing rents higher, says the latest RICS Lettings Survey.

Download RICS Residential Lettings Survey Q1 2010

London market comments from the local property professionals:

James Gubbins MRICS
Dauntons in Pimlico, Westminster
- The market has been somewhat static up until recently: now improving in line with seasonal expectations.

Ben Temple MRICS
Temples (Clapham) Limited in Clapham, Wandsworth
- More landlords are now selling their properties. The picture is very mixed with some good rental levels being achieved but in some cases rents have continued to fall. Tenants are still negotiating and there seems to be enough choice for them to go elsewhere if they believe a rental is too high. We expect this to change but economic uncertainty may constrain rental growth.

Craig Newell BSc MRICS MCIArb
Craig Sheehan in West Kensington
- Acute shortage of rental property. Many landlords selling. Will have an effect on prices (upwards) in the near future.

Edward Reeve BSc
Edward Reeve in Pimlico
- Market very steady.

Nik Madan
John D Wood & Co. (R&A) Ltd in Kensington
- There is a clear shortage of stock on the lettings market in London and the South East. As a result, rents (and therefore yields) are rising. It is likely that this potential increase in returns will serve to attract investors back to the lettings market, particularly with a weak sterling making investment in the UK very attractive indeed to overseas investors.

Nicola Mukerrins
Cluttons in Bayswater
- Demand is certainly outstripping supply. We have many families looking with decent budgets but very little to show them. All local agents are experiencing the same shortage which in turn is resulting in agents overvaluing to get the instruction. Very frustrating!!

Jeremy Leaf FRICS
Jeremy Leaf & Co. in East Finchley
- Shortage of good quality 1 & 2 bedroom flats – especially if including outside space – as well as houses suitable for sharers both within 1/4 mile of station is pushing up rents. There are some signs too of aspiring first time buyers leaving the rental sector and trying to purchase though most are still being deterred by strict lending criteria and high deposits required by lenders.

Mark Wilson MRICS
Globe Apartments in London.
- Tenants continue to renew at a level we can never remember being so high. If owner occupiers are trapped so too is some of the private letting sector. Empty flats continue to let well and we are urgently in need of instructions.

One of our favourite UK property portals Findaproperty.com has just come out totally reconstructed. The yellow measuring tape and note sheet finally look like they belong on that site!

What has changed?

- Cleaner, less cluttered look;
- Easy to start your search – the home page features a big search box;
- “Photos only” view option has been added to search results;
- Local area information panels with all details now easier to see and read;
- It’s now easier to see how many additional photos are available for each property;
- The map is now visible on the main property details page. New tab design system allows easy access to Google Streetview, Area info, sold prices and EPC info.

That is by far not everything, there is a lot more to discover! Go and have a look yourself: Findaproperty.com

We are very happy with the changes. Sometimes you want to stick to the old version but Findaproperty.com definitely looks better now.The only thing that we would still complain about is the quality of the photos on the site. It is simply not possible to fully enjoy the new photo browsing option. This is probably is in the interest of a faster site.

The popular portal that was first launched in 1997, looked like this back in May 26 of 1998:

Remember this? In the beginning the site only had 1,300 properties vs. over 626,614 today.

Calum Best, the son of Northern Ireland football legend George Best, has rented a studio apartment opposite Chelsea football ground which is just off Fulham Road in SW6 postcode.

“It’s a light and airy flat and Calum is very happy there,” says his landlady, advertising guru and property developer Stephanie Whitaker. The flat is said to be costing £310 per week (£1343 per month).

Source: Homes & Property
Photo: MTV

*Kensington in April 2010

Letting agents are doing a good job spreading the word about the rent rise.

Lucy Morton of  W A Ellis in Knightsbridge, the letting agent with 27 years of experience, tells Telegraph:

“Landlords who last year locked into long-term tenancies are now trying to revoke them and renegotiate rents, which are rising 15 per cent or more annually in prime parts of London. Tenants are being advised to renew contracts when they end, even if they come with a rent hike, because they would have trouble finding a cheaper property if they decided to walk away.”

“I had a tenant paying £800 a week for an apartment who was disgruntled when it rose to £875. He terminated the tenancy, couldn’t find a cheaper alternative, then asked if his old flat was still available. It had gone for £1,000 a week.”

Here are a few reasons why letting agents don’t have enough stock this Spring:

- First timers can’t pay deposits;
- Overseas investors are expanding portfolios;
- A lot of the owners are trying to sell their property in April, May;
- More landlords are renting privately;
a. More of those who realise they can do it on their own.
b. Landlords who don’t want to pay taxes.
- More (competition from) DSS tenants?

Read also ARLA Review & Index for Residential Investment 2010 Q1

The rents in Prime Central London rose by an average 3.1% over the first quarter of 2010, says the latest residential market report from estate agent Cluttons.

5-plus bedroom houses were seeing the highest uplift in rents at 7%. 4 bedroom houses also performed above average with an uplift in rents of 5.8%. 2 bedroom flats and cottages had the smallest increase in rental values in the three months to March 2010 (1.9% and 1.7% respectively). Central West London recorded the highest increase in rental values this quarter at 5.6%, followed by Central North West which recorded an increase of 3.2%.

The report also predicts that the growth in prices will not lead to a sharp uplift over the course of the year as the election time in May will probably bring slowdown in the sales market. That means there is some potential uplift in rental stock during this period.

Download Clutton’s London View – Spring 2010.

New TV advert for the popular UK property portal FindaProperty.com.

The Hill magazine has asked the top agents in Holland Park to write down some tips for tenants looking to move to the area. All 12 have just one message for us – the stock is limited, competition between tenants is high, and if you really want that flat you better have your references and monies ready on the day!

- Stock is limited, with the sales market having been so strong across 2009. Family houses are seeing particular demand. If you see the right property, do not hang around. Limited stock means more competition. – Savills.

- With the shortage of good quality stock you need to act quickly if you find the perfect property. Be prepared to offer asking price or close to secure the property. – Knight Frank.

- With an increasingly competetive rental market, as a result of the rental property available, it is paramount that tenants are acting quickly and presenting their best offer as soon as possible. Great properties can  attract multiple bids. – Marsh & Parsons.

Read the digital issue of The Hill, the local magazine for Notting Hill, Kensington and the surrounding areas.

I Want Spike From Notting Hill As My Flatmate (Facebook)

Finding that perfect flatmate is usually not an entirely painless procedure with pleasant results. No matter how good you think you have vetted your future housemate – it is a lottery, really. Experienced sharers would probably agree with us when we say that before you invite someone over to see the flat, you better let them know some characteristics of your ideal flatmate. Saves time for you and the time-wasters!

The ideal flat mate would be someone whose down to earth and chilled out; I tend to understand and get on with almost everyone I meet. - Flatmateclick.co.uk

It would be good to find someone who is sociable when at home but also has a lot of things going on too. – SpareRoom.co.uk

My ideal flatmate would be taller than me (not difficult I guess and very handy for reaching the top shelves), warm and friendly, mid to late twenties, female and working – i.e. not a full time student. – Facebook group: Flat to share

As all of us living here are Christians believing in Jesus Christ the ideal housemate would be someone who fits in with that. We like it when housemates have their cell groups in the lounge and put wonderful bible versus up. – Gumtree

People interested food and health, green or social justice issues, the Arts particularly welcome. - Gumtree

We’re looking for a similar person in their twenties who is also looking for a home, not just a crash pad! – SpareRoom.co.uk

The ideal flatmate would be friendly, clean, sociable and out going. – Moveflat.co.uk

We preferably would like to find a french speaking person as we are all french BUT if you really feel comfortable with being the only non french speaking of the flat, then you are more than welcome as long as you are friendly and laid – back. – Franceinlondon.co.uk

I’m looking for non-smoking professional who is respectful, clean and tidy in shared spaces and friendly and fun. – SpareRoom.co.uk

London Rooms For Rent SpareRoom.co.uk
Rooms For Rent in London Flatshare EasyRoommate.co.uk
Flatshare & Houseshare Gumtree
Marketplace in Facebook

The flat that was used for the set of upcoming movie London Boulevard starring Colin Farrell and Keira Knightley is available for rent.

Private landlord advertisement on Gumtree:

Stunning two bedroomed maisonette in private
mews with outdoor terrace (£600 pw)

In the heart of Notting Hill, this secluded Mews, was recently used for the set of London Boulevard, a film to be released with Colin Farrell in 2010. This stunning two bedroomed flat offers a boutique style living space with contemporary fixtures and fittings, lime stone flooring and private outdoor terrace.

Situated on the top floor the property comprises a bright reception room with a small modern kitchen, excellent master bedroom with a second terrace leading from this room, with a smaller -sized second bedroom.

Botts Mews is conveniently close to the shops, bars and restaurants of Nottinghill, as well as 2 tube lines (Nottinghill Gate, and Bayswater) and numerous buses providing a useful transport link around London.

This is a fully serviced let with a well equiped kitchen, (utensils, crockery and cutlery), washing machine, microwave, towels, and bedlinen. Cable TV and broadband internet connection is also provided. Superb location ! References required. Available for both a short and long term rental. £650.00 per week including all bills.

Come on Farrell fans, here is your chance!

Link to the advertisement in Gumtree
Link to London Boulevard in IMDB
Photos: Gumtree

At least 5,500 properties owned by the London councils are unoccupied, more than 3,000 of which have been vacant for three months or more, revealed Evening Standard last week. Here are some numbers:

Now Ealing council is planning to launch a scheme that gives young people the opportunity to jump the queue for affordable housing if they agree to learn renovation skills. The council will identify privately owned properties which have been left unoccupied for more than three months.

Sounds like a full time job!

Experts say that the demand for rentals in London is increasingly on the rise:

“A rising number of more mature households in the private rented sector is likely to mean that it is not just studios and one-bedroom flats that will be required but, increasingly, small houses and family homes for those with children who have been unable to gain a foothold on the housing ladder,” says Yolande Barnes of Savills.

Read the whole story in FT Weekend.