These are the most common British housing terms and abbreviations
Inventory: a record of what is in the accommodation.
landlord/agency (or landlady): the owner of your
accommodation.
HMO license: (lit. = license for a house in multiple
occupation) a legal requirement for a property (responsibility of
the landlord/agency). Indicates how many people the property’s
space and facilities are adequate for.
avail: available
BR: train station (British Rail)
ch: central heating
d/g: double glazed
dep: deposit required
excl: excluding heating/hot water bills
F: female
f/f: fully furnished
M: male
n/s: non-smoker
o/l: overlooks
osp: off street parking
pw: per week
pcm: per calendar month
pkg: parking
pp: per person
shw: shower
tube: underground train (London)
vgc: very good condition
WC: toilet (Water Closet)
w/d: washer-dryer
wm: washing machine
Appointments to view an apartment
Try book an appointments as soon as possible. The longer you wait
–even if it’s only a matter of hours– the more
likely that the apartment will be rented before you get there.
As per a job interview, you need to dress well and be prepared for
being questioned by your landlord/agency about your income and personality.
If you are not confident in English, try to bring along someone
who can help translating. As a foreigner, you sometimes need to
be extra convincing.
If you take a day to decide, you might well find your dream flat
already taken by someone else. If possible, try to visit the area
around the apartment both during the day and at night, or ask around
to see what it is like. Perfectly peaceful areas during the day
can turn into dangerous or noisy areas at night.
Contracts
Standard rental contracts are designed to protect your interests
as well as those of the landlord/agency. As it is usually the landlord/agency
who provides the contract, it is important that you read it carefuly
to completely understand what implies
Make sure you got very clear the following:
- Duration of the contract: Most leases are for
12 months, during which time the landlord/agency cannot increase
the rent. Sometimes there are break-of-contract opportunities
after 6 months with no extra fine. It is also important to agree
on the notice periods that either you or the landlord/agency have
to give in order to terminate the agreement.
- Responsibility for household bills: Some utility
services will be included in the rent (e.g. water, c.tax), while
others you may be responsible for paying yourself (e.g. gas, electricity,
internet).
- Forfeiture: If you are deemed to be in breach
of your contract you can be evicted from your accommodation.
- Deposit: In almost all rental agreements, the
landlord/agency will ask for a deposit (usually one month's rent).
The deposit is used to cover any damages you may cause, along
with any outstanding debts you may owe at the end of your tenancy.
It is often advisable to request the landlord/agency to inspect
the property and draw up an inventory with
you on the first day of your tenancy. This decreases
the chances of being charged for damages not caused by yourself
and consequently losing your deposit.
Get legal help/advice: Look for legal assistance
if you are unsure about the t&c of your contract. One good free
help you can find is with the Citizens
Advice Bureaux (CAB). They offer independent
and confidential advice face-to-face or by telephone.
To find an agent or a list of estate agents in your chosen area
in the UK you should contact: The
National Association of Estate Agents
|
