The UK is a supremely desirable place in which to settle down, being a world-beating nation for everything from employment to medicine and beyond. Whether you are moving to the UK for your studies, for work or to start a family – or even if you are returning to the UK after an extended period of time living abroad – you will need to consider accommodation as a key priority.
Renting is an extremely common form of access to a home, for both the short term and the long term; many live for years in rental properties, and those whose intentions are to purchase a property often need a short-term rental home to accommodate them in the interim. But what exactly are the options available to a budding tenant in the UK, and what is the process for renting a property?
Short-Term Rentals in the UK
Short-term rental describes the act of renting a property on a temporary basis, for a period of days or weeks. The most common contemporary example of this can be found in Airbnb, the global holiday letting platform that enables people to rent rooms or properties for short periods.
Short-term letting is often used for the purposes of holiday accommodation, as a more comfortable or less expensive alternative to booking a hotel. However, Airbnb and other platforms like Sparerooms can also be a useful route to securing temporary accommodation, in order to finalise a house purchase or longer term contract.
Long Term Rentals in the UK
Long-term rentals make up the bulk of domestic rental agreements, being a formalised contract that enables tenants to make a property their home for years at a time. Long-term lets are safe and protected when managed by a letting agency or registered private landlord.
Long-term letting agreements can come in a number of different forms. Students visiting the UK for a year or two of international study can sign for student rentals that line up with university term times and are fixed to the length of their stay. Professional domestic lets enable households to enter into an initial minimum-term contract, and then stay on a rolling contract until they decide to move.
The provisions made by a rental can also change from landlord to landlord, and from property to property. Some rentals may be furnished, providing tenants with sofas and white goods as part of the agreement. Others may be unfurnished, with no furnishings or appliances included.
Requirements and Protections
In the UK, tenants, landlords and rental properties are all protected by robust regulation and legislation. Tenants are protected from unlawful evictions, and it is legally required of landlords to place tenants’ rental deposits in government-protected deposit schemes – ensuring the money is not used for personal gain.
In order to successfully rent a property, you will need identification and proof of income. For certain agreements, agencies may accept a guarantor instead. You may also need references from previous landlords to demonstrate your ability to pay rent on time.
