Facts
Over 500 clients
8+ Years Industry experience
1000's Properties viewed
London, Berkshire, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire,
Oxfordshire, Hampshire, Surrey, Kent, Lancashire, Merseyside, South Yorkshire, East Riding, Lincolnshire, Cornwall & Bristol
15 Counties
300+ Distinct Locations Searched
31
London Boroughs Searched (+ The City of London)
Client Reviews
See What My Clients Are Saying
Chris's relocation agent services were recommended to me by a coworker because I was moving from the US to London, after only visiting the city once five years ago. I reached out to Chris and he asked my requirements for a flat. He took me through what was reasonable and what wasn't, given the insane housing market at the time. Chris was very patient and understanding as I adapted to the market! He is communicative, efficient at setting up viewings (he had an excel spreadsheet, which I appreciated as an accountant!), and extremely friendly. For anyone looking to move to London for the first time, or even the third, I'd recommend Chris every time. His knowledge about the London rental market and neighborhoods is unmatched. Thank you for helping me find a flat that met my needs so quickly!
Alyssa -
Senior Manager
Auditing
Chris White was the agent for the apartment we have rented in Oct 2022, he was extremely helpful, open and reliable through the whole process. He understood our needs from the very beginning and always available to answer our queries however silly they would be sometimes. Chris white was well informed about every location which was very important to us because as foreigners we didn’t have a clue and safety was our prime concern. He was also very clear with his contract which said a lot about working with him. Overall we were really satisfied and happy that we found him in the first place. I am definitely going to recommend him to my friends and family.
Mrs Vijay - Parent of student studying for a Masters at Birkbeck University
We were on a tight deadline to find a flat and we were recommended to Chris White from a co-worker that had a great experience. From the very start Chris was on top of things. Extremely responsive and thoughtful from the very start. Very quickly he was able to get us showings at multiple properties with his extensive knowledge and connections within the areas we were interested in. Even some properties not yet listed. Within a very short time we were able to find the perfect flat in our budget with a wonderful leasing agency. He helped guide us through the entire rental process as it was extensive and new to us coming from the US. Needless to say Chris was just what we needed and we couldn’t be happier with the results. We would use him again in a heartbeat!
Kristin & Victor Gomez - Senior Manager Audit & Assurance
Chris was wonderful in every aspect of our home search. We had a lot of requirements for our next home, including a pet-friendly space and one that was close to work. Chris found numerous places for us to see very quickly, guided us through the process with great communication and found us our perfect home in Camden. Chris was great about understanding what we wanted from a home and finding the exact place to fit our needs. Thank you Chris!
Lauren -
Director, Merchandising
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do the services cost? Please make contact and speak to your consultant to find out what services are available to you and best suit your needs and requirements. We aim to be very accommodating and try to ensure that there is a good option for everyone. As such the service may vary to accommodate different needs and requirements and as such we provide individual quotations for the services. Differences to pricing may be affected by the timing and speed at which the search is required. The type of vehicle required on an accompanied viewing day. The service level.
How can I pay for the services? By bank transfer. You may be abe to use a transfer service like Western Union to make payment from a foreign account and currency.
What areas are covered? All areas can be considered. There are consultants who cover all sorts of locations and at PropertyFinders you can benefit from a system of practice which can work in any location. Most of our work however is concentrated around London (UK) and the surrounding Counties and commuter belts.
How can I avoid being scammed? Your consultant will advise you of any red flags regarding lettings agents, properties and anything which doesn't feel right. Their experience should help you to avoid the veriety of pitfalls and mistakes that might be made by someone unfamiliar with the market and processes.
I don't yet have my BRP card, can I still begin the rental process? In order to legally rent in the UK you must be able to pass your right to rent checks. Different agents operate in different ways but mostly they will require to see valid BRP's or visas from all adults on the rental agreement. If you are still in the process you may be able to provide them with your share code so that they can keep track of your visa progress and be assured of your status that way. You can still always begin the search process with viewings offers and negotiations though if you are confident you will be permitted to rent by the time your lease begins.
Can I bring my children on a home search day? Yes you can, although many children find the day's out on viewings to be tiring and they can often frustrate their parents and the course of the day. Sometimes they may even impact the viewing schedule and miss viewings. If you are to bring children, they are required to wear seatbelts and to have chidrens car seats in a car if under 135cm or under 12 years old. You can be provided with appropriate childrens seats on the day if you request in advance. If on the day you rbing a child who requires a child seat but you have not approriately advised your consultant of this fact, it may result in them not being able to ride in the car. So please be upfront about this and if unsure, just ask.
Can I pay in a different currency? The full amount must clear our account in GBP but yes you can pay from another currency. Some clients do this by utilising transfers from the likes of Western Union or by using multi currency accounts such as Revolute.
How would I be transported around on a home search day? On a home search day with accompanied viewings you will be transported in a consultants car which will be appropriate for the number of passengers you require to bring on the day. For VIP clients we can arrange larger vehicles or even more premium vehicles for the day if required, by prior arrangement.
Do you do Property Finding for purchases of property too? We can discuss any property finding needs with you and provide you with quotations for any services we can provide.
What are the different types of lease agreement? The main type of agreement used is called an Assured Shorthold Tenancy or AST. Other tenancy types are sometimes used such as periodic tenancies or licenses such as in a short let (less than 6 months). For more information about these please go to https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-rent/how-to-rent-the-checklist-for-renting-in-england and speak with your consultant.
I don't speak much/any english. Can you still help me? Yes. Your consultant will welcome any persons from any part of the world and speaking any language. They will be able to follow the same processes regardless and we can adapt to suit your needs by utilising google translate for instance or arranging in advance for a translator if required.
Can I pay by credit or debit card? Not directly no. A bank transfer is required.
I am moving from abroad and wish to start the home search process before my arrival. What options do I have in this situation? It is possible to begin the home search process remotely or to even conduct the whole thing remotely? PropertyFinders offers remote viewing servifes such as Pay Per View consultant viewings and Virtual Home Search Assistant. We can even conduct a full 'accompanied home search' remotely by live video call and or sending videos/images to you.
Most properties where I am looking seem to come unfurnished, however I really need a furnished option. What options do I have here? There are a number of options such as trying to make an offer which includes the addition of furniture by the landlord, or to simply rent or purchase furniture yourself. Please ask us for more information on this as our sister company FurnitureFinders will be able to offer you solutions.
What is a break clause? A break clause is part of a rental agreement which may state that after a fixed period of time e.g 6 months, you may use your contracted right to end the tenancy agreement. This is usually with a minimum of 2 months notice being given. So in this example with a 6 month break clause you would be able to give 2 months notice after 4 months, to be allowed to end the tenancy and move out on month 6, even during a longer tenancy of say 12 months. The exact details of any break clause are a matter for negotiation and will be stated within the contract. Some break clauses are for a fixed date or period in time. Others more usually begin after a fixed period and then roll on to the end of the tenancy as an option to break with a given notice period. Speak to your consultant for more information about this.
I require child school support, is this a service that you can offer any assist with? Yes. We can put you in touch with a schools specialist to assist you with this part of a move and we can link in with them to incorporate this into your home search.
How do I know which service is best for me? You can book an initial free consultation to go through your requirements and then be advised on your options and the best fit for your needs.
How do I know that I will find somewhere by the end of the search? There are few guarantees around what options will be available to you in a given timeframe with a specific criteria. What is guaranteed is the process we use, part of which is to help you understand from the beginning how realistic your criteria is in the market/time frame etc. If you listen to the consultants advice it should give you a much increased chance of securing a property.
I don't yet have my BRP card, can I still begin the rental process? In order to legally rent in the UK you must be able to pass your right to rent checks. Different agents operate in different ways but mostly they will require to see valid BRP's or visas from all adults on the rental agreement. If you are still in the process you may be able to provide them with your share code so that they can keep track of your visa progress and be assured of your status that way. You can still always begin the search process with viewings offers and negotiations though if you are confident you will be permitted to rent by the time your lease begins.
What if I take a place and then find out there are issues or I don't like it? This is a very difficult situation and one which you will want to try to avoid. Your consultant will try to advise you as best as is possible in order to avoid this situation but sometimes issues such as unforseen noise, bad neighbours, leaks, damp, maintenance issues or a change in your own circumstances can not easily be accounted for. If there is a maintenance issue you would need to speak to the relevant proeprry manager, landlord or agent to try and have is resolved. There are certain minimum housing standards which must be adhered to especially where something is a health risk. Aside from that with proper lease agreement in place it will usually state the obligations of the landlord during the lease and if these standrads are not met they would be in breach of the contract and as such you may be able to take them to court if necessary to sort out the issue. You may be well advised to seek proper legal advice in such a situation. There is also household insurance which may cover certain issues.
How can I pay the holding fee and rent? Most agencies require the holding deposit to be paid by bank transfer or debit card. Few accept credit card payments. If you have not yet got your UK bank account in place you may find making oayment difficult. As a last resort it is usually possible to pay cash directly into the receiving account at their bank. Bank transfers from foreign accounts can also be done but you are likely to receive charges and a delay in the payment reaching the intended account. You may then need to prove your payment has been made by screen shot or other methods. Many clients have also utilised the borderless style bank accounts such as Revolute or Monzo, to facilitate these transactions and seem to be easier to set up in advance of your move being that they do not require a UK address. Do try where possible to be organised in advance to be able to make these payments as delays can cost you and lose the offer you may have secured to someone else able to move more quickly.
Can I be charged a holding fee? Yes and no. A holding fee is probably not legal. A holding deposit however is. It is a show or commitment from you to the offer you have made and should secure your offer and prevent others being able to make further offers on the property. A holding fee is usually 1 weeks worth of the monthly rental amount. This can be calculated using the following method: Monthly rental amount multiplied by the number of months in the year (12) and then that figure divided by the number of weeks in a year (52). This gives you the weekly amount. The holding deposit comes off of your first months rent so that you will pay the first months rent in advance of moving in but minus the one week already paid. The rest of your rent for the period of the lease will be pro rated and worked out by your agent or landlord essentially.
Can I be charged a security deposit? Yes, this is usually 5 weeks of the monthly rental amount and should be held in the governments tenancy deposit scheme until the end of your tenancy. At the end this will be returned to you if upon inspection at the end you have not caused any damages beyond fair wear and tear etc. Any disputes arising can then be handled through the scheme to provide a layer of protection for landlords and renters alike. If the total rental amount is more than £50k a year a landlord may charge up to a 6 week security deposit.
Will I be liable for any additional fees? There has been a tenant fee ban in England which makes it illegal to charge certain fees to renters. There are some special circumstances where it is allowed so please ask you consultant for more advice on this if nended but when renting no you should not be charged fees by a landlord or agent before or upon taking a rental. Please note for anyone who's total rental amount exceeds the stamp duty threshold during the entirety of a tenancy may be liable to pay stamp duty on the difference over the threashold. Please seek further advice about this if you think you may fall into this category/bracket. If the total rent over the life of the lease (known as the ‘net present value’) is more than the SDLT threshold (currently £250,000), you’ll pay SDLT at 1% on the portion over £250,000.
How much will council tax cost? This will depend on where you live and the banding level attached to the property. You can find out what the council tax band of a proeprty is by searching online with a simple search bar request or via the local government website for the area where a proeprty is located. Notably, the London Boroughs of Westminster and Wandsworth have considerably lower council tax.
How much will my bills cost? Of course this will depend on a number of factors and varies greatly. Factors such as the EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) of a proeprty will indicate it's energy efficiency and a place with a poorer rating such as an E is likely to have much higher energy costs than a B. The insulation of a property, the glazing of the windows, size of windows, position within a building, light bulbs used, type of heating system etc all have impacts on the price of energy. Also your own useage, choice of energy provider and the general cost of energy will impact your bills. You can choose your energy provider so shop around. You cannot choose your water supplier which is fixed by location. Useage is usually metered and based on useage. As a ball park figure, a bedroom apartment for 2 people with fairly average useage you might expect to pay around £300 per month for combined cost of council tax, energy and water.
Which agencies do you work with? PropertyFinders has a huge number of professional relationships built up over time with big corporate agencies to smaller independant agents. The search is open to any options from any providers and not fixed to a set list of companies. However, we steer clear of any agencies with whom we get a red flag to their operations or properties and would prefer to work with well trusted agencies, for your protection, given the choice. You will be advised if their are any concerns regarding an agent, landlord or property so that you can make an informed decision.
Is the Virtual Home Search Assistant Service 24/7? Not at this time. The virtual assistant will be your UK based professional home search consultant, operating within UK hours and in and around the course of their work. It is not a full time 24/7 service. Replies to messages and responses to property enquires and options to view etc will be handled at the earliest opportunity and usually you will get a response within the hour.
What is the benefit of using a consultant to view a property with me or on my behalf? The benefit of this to have an experienced professional property consultant who is well aware of the way the market works, how agents work, how properties work etc. Your consutant is experienced in looking out for the pros and cons of a property, relative to the market conditions and can feed this back to you. Also having a consultant their with you or on your behalf puts a helpful layer between you and the estate agent when it comes to asking or answering questions, making offers and negotiating.
I am a student and will not be working in the UK. Therefore I do not have any UK income. How can I still rent a property and pass referencing? This is a common question and it is important to be prepared before committing to your move. In order to pass referencing when you have no UK income, you may be required to prove or provide any of the following. 1. 6 months or more rent in advance. 2. A UK guarantor who will likely need to pass a monthly income multiplier of around 40x the monthly rental amount per annum of income and to have a UK based residency/mortgage. 3. Proven savings in an amount great enough to satisfy them on referencing that you can cover the entire rent over the course of the tenancy. This will usually be required to sit in a UK bank account.