London is one of the best cities in the world in my view. There are, of course, some (big) negatives – the weather can be a bit dreary and housing is incredibly expensive – but it’s also highly rich in history, culture and entertainment, and when push comes to shove, I don’t think many people here would rather be anywhere else. Views towards people from other countries tend to be quite positive. This may have something to do with the fact that about 40% of Londoners were actually born outside the UK. So you’ll likely find Londoners pretty welcoming and accepting; you can expect to meet lots of interesting people and have a fun and exciting time.
First, you may want to check if you need a visa for the UK and, if so, what kind and how to go about getting it. The best place to look for this is GOV.UK, which is a government website with a lot of useful information. But I’m going to focus on housing in this section.
You’re going to have to spend a lot more than you would like on accommodation; this is an inescapable fact. I’m reluctant to recommend any areas over others, as a lot will, of course, depend on where you work/study and your personal requirements. I suggest you spend time walking around the areas you’re interested in living in, to get a feel for them and what they have to offer.
If you’re a student, you may be able to get student accommodation through your university. While this won’t be cheap, it’s an easy option, and you should feel safe and secure there. Otherwise, a lot of people choose to share a flat/house to keep costs down. The best place to look for a room is SpareRoom. There’re thousands of ads so plenty of choice, but there are some fees associated with the site. Rooms in shared houses are usually furnished and you can expect to pay at least £650 a month. Logically, the further out of the city you go, the lower rents should be, but there’s a bit more to it than just that.
SpareRoom has a fairly good reputation, but do please be very careful and follow all the safety advice given, as scams do happen. Never transfer any money without seeing the room first and make sure the person you’re transferring the money to has the legal right to rent you the room in the first place. If a deal seems too good to be true, then it probably is. If you have any doubts whatsoever, you can check with me and I can give you my opinion.
House sharing can be a fascinating and challenging experience, especially if you come from a country where the concept isn’t very common. Expect to have lots of funny stories to tell about your time spent sharing in London. I would suggest perhaps not sharing with people from your country, just because you’re unlikely to improve your English if you’re speaking your native language all the time.
If you want to rent your own place and live by yourself or your partner, a one-bedroom flat will cost you from £1,400 a month. You could also rent a larger property to share with friends or you could rent out the other rooms yourself. It will most likely be at least partially furnished and you’ll probably have to go through a letting agent. There’re tonnes of agents in London and they’re all much the same in my opinion. The best sites to look on are Zoopla and Rightmove where multiple agents advertise all in one place. The law changed quite recently so that agents are no longer allowed to charge most of the fees they used to charge or demand massive deposits (again, see the GOV.UK site), but they can still be very strict about proof of income, credit checks, references, etc. It can be particularly difficult to meet these requirements if you’ve just arrived in the country and it may be necessary to provide a guarantor or pay six months’ rent upfront. To avoid agents, you may want to consider OpenRent where private landlords advertise.
In either case, check what is and isn’t included. If you’re renting a room rather than a whole property, there is likely to be more included. You may be unfamiliar with council tax (check on your Council’s website) and the TV licence. If your landlord allows you to, you may want to compare utilities deals on a site like Uswitch and switch if necessary. Also check your deposit will be protected in a tenancy deposit scheme.
If you can afford to buy, great! The best sites to look for properties to buy are, again, Zoopla and Rightmove. Flats in the UK are always leasehold (although it may also be possible to buy a share of freehold) and some houses are too. This can be quite a strange concept to get your head around if you come from a country where this doesn’t exist. Make sure you familiarise yourself with all the jargon – freehold, leasehold, stamp duty, ground rent, service charge, etc. MoneySavingExpert, an excellent impartial money saving site, provides a useful guide for first-time buyers. Properties in London are obviously very expensive and you may want to consider the government’s Shared Ownership scheme.
If you have any questions at all about living in London, you can always ask me. Check out my other pages on working, studying and going out. I’m sure there will be some things you’ll find difficult or have to get used to, but I’m confident you’ll have a good time in the city.