Britain’s rental market is much smaller in size when compared to continental Europe, with only 10% of families living in private rented accommodation.
Depending on where you are looking, good quality and larger rental properties can often be difficult to find and prohibitively expensive. Furnished or partly-furnished flats rented for short periods can be especially pricey.
Rental prices in different regions of the United Kingdom vary widely. Properties in London and the South-East England command the highest rents. In general rents are lower in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the north of England, but there are exceptions in larger cities. As rents tend to decrease the further you are from a city centre, it is worth deciding to what extent you are willing to commute to work. Many people who work in the centre of London spend well over an hour travelling to and from work.
Finding a good apartment at the right price before you arrive in the UK is difficult. Landlords prefer to meet tenants before signing a contract and the wide range in quality means it is not advisable to commit to rent a flat “unseen”.
Supply and demand can vary considerably in the course of the year, with the end of the summer being more difficult in some areas as students start a new year (in the UK students tend to go to university away from home, so rent).