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Letting agents

Letting agents act as an agent on behalf of the landlord. If you rent a property through a letting agent, you will usually have to pay an administrative surcharge, in addition to the rental cost, that covers items such as a contract arrangement fee, administration charge, agent finder’s fee and inventory charge.   

The advantage of using a letting agent is that they have a significant number of properties to choose from and you will be dealing directly with the agent who may have a more professional approach to the business of property lets. Often letting agents will require landlords to comply with certain standards such as Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMO) licensing, electrical safety certificate and fire safety.  

Check when you are using a letting agency that they are registered with the National Landlords Association. Letting agents must ensure the safety of your deposit during the rental period and that the deposit is returned to you. You will pay your rent to the agent and report to them any problems you have with the property. It will be the agent who then chases the landlord to address any issues.

Landlords

While some landlords have a vast number of properties and run property letting as a business, others may only have one property to rent. There are advantages and disadvantages to both types. The landlords with multiple properties may have a less personal although more professional approach and the smaller landlords can sometimes offer more of a home away from home.

When looking for properties it is worth checking if the landlord is a member of an accredited organisation such as the local authority accreditation scheme. While in most cases landlords will not charge as letting agents there can sometimes be nominal fees of between £30 and £50 for contract, inventory and administration.

Some landlords rent their properties direct and therefore arrangement fees are generally lower or not charged at all. Others will advertise their properties through a letting agent as well as by private means. It is worth checking on Studentpad first to see if the property is available directly as this may save you fees.

Lodgings

There is another option available known as "lodging". This is where you rent a room in a private house where the owner is living. Although a deposit is generally requested, the owner is not obliged to register this with a deposit scheme and sometimes you may not be asked to sign a contract. 

This accommodation often offers a more flexible and personable approach. It tends to suit those looking for a shorter stay or those wishing to improve their English while staying with an English family. We do have some lodgings advertised on Studentpad. The most notable provider of accommodation of this type is London Home Stay.