Choosing an Area

London is a very large city and is made up of 33 boroughs. Each of these is around the size of a small town so there are plenty of areas to choose from to find a property to rent in london and there is somewhere suitable for everyone.

The boroughs include:

Barking and Dagenham, Barnet, Bexley, Brent, Bromley, Camden, City of London, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Greenwich, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Harrow, Havering, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Kingston Upon Thames, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Newham, Redbridge, Richmond Upon Thames, Southwark, Sutton, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, Wandsworth and Westminster

There are many factors to consider when looking at a new area. This may be whether you are a tenant choosing an area to rent a property in or a landlord choosing an area to buy a property.

If you are a tenant

When deciding on an area and property to rent in London there are many decisions to make and these are likely to differ for every individual. A good letting agent will take your preferences into account if you approach them to suggest a property for you. However, some of the factors you are likely to consider are:

• Proximity to local employers, schools, universities, hospitals and suchlike.
• Access to train and tube stations and bus stops.
• Crime levels.
• Access to amenities such as high street shops, leisure centres, pubs, nightclubs etc.
• The overall look and feel of the area.
• What are the neighbours like? Are they quiet families or noisy students? Make sure the residents of the area aren't people you are likely to clash with. Account for your social needs as well as your spatial requirements.
• Proximity of eyesores/ear sores, are there any large buildings or trees nearby blocking out the light for large portions of the day? Is there a main road or train line nearby? Are there many pubs or nightclubs? Look out for anything that is permanent and likely to create a lot of noise.
• Litter. Look around the area an check the amount of litter lying around and the condition of the houses, it would be a shame to rent a property with a nice front garden only to find it gets heavily littered on a daily basis.

If you are a landlord

If you are a landlord it is advisable to consider the points above for tenants. If you intend to purchase a property to let, it is crucial not to think of the property from the same point of view you would take when buying a new home. It is necessary to understand that your property is an investment and what amenities would appeal to your target tenant.

Ensure There Is A Demand

You should always try to choose an area that will always have a good market for rental property. Areas near hospitals, universities, large employers, schools and colleges, etc will always have a good demand for rental property.

Investigate the area and see if any large corporation headquarters or facilities that result in a large number of people being in an area for an indefinite period. This may include for example, a large corporation planning to build their headquarters in the area. Alternatively, if the area is scheduled for a large redevelopment programme, you can pick up a property at a bargain rate. This can then be let profitably when the business is up and running or the area has been regenerated, increasing the value of your property at the same time.

You should try to avoid areas that are regarded as hotspots, since the property values will often be very high. There may be scenarios where landlords who have purchased the property at a cheaper time will be able to charge lower rent on equivalent properties, forcing you to have to charge less rent than may be required. This is the situation all landlords wish to avoid.

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