|
Finding Private Housing
Once you have arrived in London,
your first port of call should be the Private Accommodation Office
based at the
School (St Clements building S075 in the basement) which will be open from
the middle of August until the start of term in early October. For
current students, this service is also available from mid June.
The office has information about privately rented
accommodation and lists of available rooms, bedsits, flats and houses.
As well as internet access and telephones (both free of charge). Offers of housing will be online and we'll also provide printed lists
to take away and general advice on transport and locations. The SU
Advice Centre will be available for legal advice on tenancy agreements and tenant's rights.
Students'
Union Advice Centre
Room E297
LSE Houghton Street
London WC2A 2AE
Tel: 020 7955 7145
Opening hours: Term time and September: Monday to Friday 10.30am to 4.00pm
Vacations: Monday to Friday 10.30am
to 2.00pm
You may also visit the
University of London Housing Services (ULHS) in ULU. They act for all the colleges of the University,
although before you can use this office you will need to show your registration card or
letter of acceptance from the LSE. As well as providing housing information, the
University of London Privately Managed Unit (Uni. London PMU, part of ULHS)
provides and manages accommodation for around 550 students in several self-catering flats
and houses.
The University of London's database of
accommodation can be searched online. You must email them for a password first. They
also list private agencies and have more information on housing law.
For details and vacancy information of these ULHS Centrally Managed Properties visit the
University of London Housing Services or call ++44 (0)20 7862 8881.
University of London Housing Services
University of London Union
4th Floor, London
WC1E 7HY
Tel: ++44 (0)20 7862 8880
E-Mail:
ulao@accom.lon.ac.uk
Opening hours:
All year round: Monday to Friday 9.30am to 5.30pm
During September: Saturday 10.30am
to 2.00pm
^
Letting
Agencies And Estate Agents
These are private businesses used by landlords to advertise and
sometimes manage their properties. Agencies can be good way to find
private accommodation but caution is advised. Under the Accommodation
Agencies Act of 1953, it is an offence to demand a registration fee, or
take money for simply supplying details of accommodation to let. However
agencies may charge a fee once they have found you accommodation. This
can sometimes be as much as three weeks rent and most will also charge
to draw up contracts or an inventory, so do ask before you register what
charges to expect. For a list of agents try
Agents or
Agencies
registered with ULAO.
^
Notice
Boards
Checking advertisements on notice boards in newsagents' windows and in supermarkets is one
of the cheapest ways to find accommodation. The accommodation may also be cheaper than
that advertised in newspapers or through agencies. However, you will mainly find rooms,
bedsits and bed and breakfast places rather than flats. There are also useful notice
boards outside the UL Housing Services in ULU. The LSE Accommodation
Office posts all notices onto the on-line message board found at www.netletlse.co.uk
.
^
Newspapers/publications
Loot (daily) - Loot's website publishes the previous
days adverts online. To get the most up to date list of properties you will have to buy a
copy of their paper. Loot is useful for giving an indication of the kind of properties currently
available and prices.
The Evening Standard (Monday -
Friday)
Time Out (Wednesday),
Dalton's Weekly (Thursday)
The London Weekly Advertiser (Wednesday)
The Guide in the Guardian (Saturday) - this is especially good for flat shares.
Also, try local newspapers (usually published weekly), these are particularly useful if
you are concentrating your search in a specific area.
Capital Radio flatshare
is a list of flats issued Tues & Fri from 12.00 in the foyer of
Capital Radio, 30 Leicester Square. The list is also reproduced in Midweek magazine out on Thursdays.
Midweek is available free outside tube stations as are TNT and Law which are published on
Mondays.
www.ukpropertyshop.com
for list of Estate or letting agents.
Try www.upmystreet.com
for local information and links to agents.
Guide to
abbreviations used in adverts
|
In General...
Be prepared to spend quite a number of
days looking for accommodation and expect to lower your standards - especially in the
first instance. London property prices are some of the highest in the world.
To help you in your
search you will need…
a street map of London (Nicholsons or an A-Z),
bus and underground maps,
a phone card or plenty of change for when you start telephoning and
if you are visiting several places in one day, a travel card
A guide to London
postal areas and district names - N,E,S,SW,and SE explained
Please note, maps and telephones are
available for use in the Private Accommodation Office.
^
|
