The internet has become the standard tool for househunting, with people looking to rent property in London simply entering postcode, number of bedrooms and maximum price into estate agents’ websites. However, there’s more to finding the perfect place to live than just location, size and price, and tenants need a tool that can find more details. Fortunately, Right Move’s new app has the answer – RentLondon allows you to search by commute time, among other factors, helping tenants find the perfect property. RentLondon is free and is available through the App Store.
Commuting in London
Like it or not, the length of time it takes to get to work plays a major part in how you choose your new rental property. London is the biggest city in Western Europe, with most of its workers employed in the centre (Zone 1) and living in the inner and outer boroughs (Zones 2-6). Travelling to work by car is not a realistic option for most people, and the city relies on its excellent public transport network. However, the “perfect flat” isn’t perfect if it takes you hours to get home to enjoy it, and savvy tenants always consider the commute when they choose a new home.
Chloe Robinson, estate agent at Henry Wiltshire’s Bow office, explains how this affects property searches: “You can use a conventional property search to find a flat in a particular postcode, but it doesn’t necessarily help you understand your commute. Depending on where you work, taking the tube to Bromley-by-Bow on the border of zone 3 might be quicker than taking the bus to Bermondsey in zone 2. Making the right choice about your commute will seriously affect how well you settle down in your new flat and how long you choose to stay. Like all good London estate agents, Right Move understand this, so they’ve incorporated journey times into the search terms for their RentLondon app.”
A user-friendly app for finding property in London
The RentLondon app has other features, making it easy to use and speeding up property searches.
- The developers have created a “not for me” option, allowing people to reject properties, making search screens less cluttered while also teaching the app about tenants’ preferences.
- The app allows you to make notes about a property, meaning that you can keep all your research and comments in order – no need for confusing scribbles in your diary!
- You can also contact the agent directly through the app, cutting out another step in the process and avoiding embarrassing mix-ups.
- If you have to move but love the area where you live, RentLondon uses GPS to find you, and can suggest other properties in the neighbourhood.
Henry Wiltshire and Right Move
“We always list our London rental properties with Right Move,” says Chloe. “We love Right Move’s new app – it makes property hunting easier for tenants, and will also help landlords to get their properties rented out more quickly and avoid gaps between tenancies.”
Renting property in Bow
If you’re looking to rent property in East London, contact Chloe and the team at Henry Wiltshire’s Bow office on 020 3696 9610.
