Accommodation in Surrey
TimePlan’s Surrey office is located in Kingston upon Thames, South West London. This office serves the London Boroughs of Richmond, Kingston, Merton (Wimbledon), Sutton and Croydon as well as the counties of Surrey & Berkshire.
The region is very diverse with some urban and extremely rural areas. Surrey itself has many smaller, picturesque villages, which have easy access to central London. There is something here to suit everyone.
When You First Arrive……
Finding a place to stay is not as daunting as it first seems. There are many different options in South West London and Surrey, with thousands of places to stay!
Some people want to be close to the countryside, others would like to be near bars/clubs! Some people would like to share houses while others want flats on their own. All of which the area offers!
We recommend that you stay in temporary accommodation when you first arrive. Avoid signing a 6 month lease until you have looked around to find the right area for you. Remember it’s a new country!
Temporary Accommodation…………
Below is some helpful information about getting settled with a place to call home once you arrive in the UK. There is a lot to take in, but it doesn't have to be an overwhelming process if you just focus on getting a short term arrangement first that can enable to you focus on setting yourself up in England.
You will make a lot of friends in your first few weeks – especially at the TimePlan socials! It’s very likely that you will meet people in a similar situation who are also looking for places to live. It’s best to look around as there are lots of great accommodation options in London at reasonable prices!
And remember, we are here to help you as well, so give us a ring if you have any questions!
“My Hostel Experience” - Kristin (Science and PE Teacher)
So you’ve decided to come and teach in England! How exciting! When I first decided to come to London I had no idea what areas were safe, which ones were ‘happening’ and did not want to arrange accommodation in a house without seeing or meeting the people. I stayed on a friend’s couch for a while, but when my body imprint was permanent in the couch, I thought it was better to find something else!
I stayed with the London Hostel Association. These hostels provide stays from a day up until retirement (no joke). It is most economical to stay for 2 weeks.
There are 11 hostels in some great areas in London which provide different levels of catering; catered houses or self-catered houses.
Prices start from £74/week for a self-catered dormitory style room. I’m currently staying at Holland house (above) for about £93/week meals included (bargain!) and it is on the same block as Buckingham Palace – Fantastic!
Check it out as it is a great way to settle until you really find what you are looking for.
Other Great links for long term hostels:
www.cheaperthanhotels.co.uk/United-Kingdom/London
http://barmybadger.com/
www.travelstay.com
What about the YMCA? ……….
If you are planning on being near the Surrey/South West London office when you first arrive, then have a look at the YMCA in Surbiton at www.kwymca.org.uk
Lots of people stay at the YMCA Surbiton Centre. They offer accommodation for one night or for several months plus they have heath and fitness facilities. Rooms are basic, but comfortable with en-suite facilities. Room rates start from £42.50 and include a cooked breakfast.
The YMCA is only minutes from Surbiton station which is a 15 minute train ride to the London Eye, Westminster, Big Ben and other sightseeing!
Other avenues……….
Check out the sites below for short term accommodation suggestions for after you arrive in the UK:
www.hostelworld.com
www.bestlondonhostels.com
www.hostels.com
*A note about searching these sites would be that they don't sort by area, so it can take some time to trawl through the information to find one that is within good access of the trains/tubes going to the Surrey area schools.
Otherwise, accommodation located near Waterloo is convenient for getting to schools anywhere near Kingston/Surbiton/Wimbledon/Richmond whilst accommodation near London Bridge is convenient for Croydon/Sutton/south-central London area schools.
A lot of teachers look at Accommodation London when they first arrive as they do not require you to sign up for a six month lease, unless of course you want to. You can stay in this accommodation for a week or two while you get yourself settled!
If you look on Gumtree there is a section for short term flat/house share. Postings on this website are usually made by people who have leased a room themselves but the room becomes available for a few months when the tenant is travelling or absent. Usually, lets are for one or two months.
Long-Term Accommodation
For long term accommodation, it is a good idea to think about accessibility to the school(s) you'll be commuting to, and thus areas such as Clapham Junction/ Putney/ Wandsworth/ Earlsfield/ Wimbledon are quite convenient.
(Wimbledon is a particularly convenient area because of its access via train, tube and tram throughout all of southwest London.)
Or course, there are a ton of websites with information about finding accommodation in London, and it can be overwhelming. Remember, we have been in the same position before and can offer some advice on finding the location and flat/house that is right for you if you are uncertain and need your questions answered.
Take a look at areas our teachers have settled……………..
Steph chose Kingston-upon-Thames ………….
I first decided to move to Kingston-upon-Thames due to its location; it has great travel connections to central London (15 minutes by train), as well as a brilliant bus service all around Surrey, Richmond & Wimbledon and to all the places you may wish to visit in the area.
The cost can often depend on the room size - £100 week for a small single and around £200 for a large double bedroom, but generally they are reasonably cheap and most rooms are fully furnished and ready for you to move in.
I would also recommend the website www.flatmateclick.com as a good place to find others who are looking for a place to live.
Kingston is predominantly a retail area, with the large Bentalls Shopping Centre and beautiful Market Square containing all the shops you could need, as well as various coffee shops and cafes.
Along the river Thames, there is a wide selection of bars and restaurants to suit everyone, and with a large student population, the nightclubs are known as some of the best in the area.
There are also lots of places to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life, such as Richmond Park, and Hampton Court, where you could try not to get lost in its famous maze. Esher is a great little town to visit and has the notorious Sandown Park Race Course.
Sarah chose Wandsworth/Clapham Junction……………
I found in really easy to find accommodation in this great area. My flat in Wandsworth/Clapham is situated very close to the river Thames; it has a lot attracting people to the area including great train and bus links to Gatwick airport, central London is only 15 minutes away and the South of England. The social life is great around here there is always lot going, just over the bridge is Chelsea and Fulham, Putney is 5 minutes away and Wimbledon is just down the road. It is bustling with people and activity and is a great place to make friends for life. Sport and picnics are always going on the common or in the parks and there is plenty to do at night from great restaurants to a hive of pubs and even clubs! A number are in the good pub guide for Britain! You can find out about things to do in the free SW magazine and the TNT bible!
Of course is only a train ride away from Twickenham Stadium to watch the amazing England rugby team at their home ground or in the summer the ‘Rugby International Sevens’ are played here and is a great day out of £10. Bargain!
Richmond and Kew is just a couple of stops of the train or a bus ride away, here you can go and watch the boat races along the Thames or visit the famous Kew gardens or Ham house. Don’t forget each weekend Wandsworth has a great farmers market by the station or down Northcote Road.
Price range in this area but you can get a shared house/flat from £190 per week bills included. Property seems to come and go very fast in this area but there is always a wide range to see and to match everyone. You will find a lot of properties on www.gumtree.com and is a good place to start. Also I kept looking in local estate agents and signed up to their promotional emails of when properties become available.
Websites such as www.wandsworthtown.com are also helpful but you can plug in locations and postcodes into www.google.co.uk and it can direct you to a lot of local estate agents websites. Word of mouth is very big in this area so once you have got yourself a circle of friends someone always knows of a room properties near there homes or friends that have a room coming available. Anywhere with the ‘SW’ (South West) postcode also has a free newspaper and there is a section for rentals they are: Putney & Wandsworth Guardian or Post and Clapham Guardian or Post.
I was a bit dubious at first of moving, as house rental prices in Luton where I am from are relatively cheap, and I was worried that being so close to London, the prices here would be out of my range. I was recommended the website www.gumtree.com as a good place to start looking for accommodation. It turned out to be really helpful – you can find a flat share, a short term or long term lease, and find a price to suit you. After phoning a few of the phone numbers on the website, I finally found a place that sounded perfect, and after a viewing I was able to move in a week later, which meant no waiting around.
The cost can often depend on the room size - £100 week for a small single and around £200 for a large double bedroom, but generally they are reasonably cheap and most rooms are fully furnished and ready for you to move in.
I would also recommend the website www.flatmateclick.com as a good place to find others who are looking for a place to live.
Kingston is predominantly a retail area, with the large Bentalls Shopping Centre and beautiful Market Square containing all the shops you could need, as well as various coffee shops and cafes.
Along the river Thames, there is a wide selection of bars and restaurants to suit everyone, and with a large student population, the nightclubs are known as some of the best in the area.
There are also lots of places to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life, such as Richmond Park, and Hampton Court, where you could try not to get lost in its famous maze. Esher is a great little town to visit and has the notorious Sandown Park Race Course.
Mandy chose Wimbledon …………
Wimbledon’s a great place to live, with lots of bars, restaurants and the famous Wimbledon Common. As a newcomer to the London and Surrey area, I found it easy to adapt to and everything I need is within reaching distance. Wimbledon has a great transport network, there are rail links to central London and it’s on the District line. If you want to see the sights at weekends and get out and about, Wimbledon is really convenient, within 20 minutes you can reach central London, Clapham and places like Kingston and Sutton.
It’s really good for shopping, with high street stores inside and around the Centre Courts shopping centre and a selection of smaller boutique type shops in Wimbledon Village. Wimbledon Village is close to the famous Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Club, during Wimbledon you may well spot famous tennis players wandering round. Bars and restaurants are plentiful. Walkabout (Australian bar) isn’t far from the station; there are lots of bars around the Village and a selection of restaurants from Thai to Gastro Pub, all within walking distance from Wimbledon centre. The Greyhound Track is also a fun night out!
If you enjoy the outdoor life, Wimbledon Common is beautiful for walking and running, at the start of Wimbledon tennis, there’s a fete on the Common too. There are several gyms within Wimbledon and a local leisure centre with swimming pool.
There are loads of places to let; rent varies so there’s something for everyone. A room in a shared house can cost around £200 per week. Flats and houses vary, it’s cheaper to rent towards South Wimbledon Tube Station, more expensive accommodation can be found closer to Wimbledon Village.
If you’re looking for somewhere that offers great shopping and entertainment but is within easy reach of the countryside, Guildford is the place for you. The town centre has an excellent range of shops, with designer stores, cafes and restaurants. Guildford offers first class shopping and entertainment, however, it is also the gateway to some of the most stunning scenery in south east England. When you need a break from town and city life; villages, traditional pubs, stately homes, village greens and quaint rural hotels are all within easy reach – Just one quick train away from Wimbledon!
Shelley chose Raynes Park……………
Coming from South Africa I had been living in north London for a few months before I decided to cross the great divide and move south of the Thames! I decided on Raynes Park because a few of my friends lived in the area and because it’s on a direct train line into central London (15 minutes to London Waterloo). It’s also really close to the shops and restaurants in Wimbledon. I have a lovely house with a huge kitchen, lounge, dining area and a beautiful garden for bbqs in the summer. For a double room, you’d be looking from £180 per week. I’ve made so many new friends in the area and it doesn’t take long before you’re running into people you know on the way to the station in the mornings and evenings!
You can easily find places to rent or buy in this area www.gumtree.com is a great first place to look but also local estate agents are helpful.
Raynes Park itself is one stop away from Wimbledon and has transport as well with tubes, buses, trains and trains linking you to the whole of London and South of England. It is very close to the Royal Borough of Kingston which is a beautiful town on the river Thames, Hampton Court Palace and of course Wimbledon itself where you can find plenty of things to do from shopping to culture and nightlife. Raynes Park is also on the same train line to Epsom where you can have a great day at the races.
Lisa chose Battersea………….
I am Canadian teacher who arrived in England last year. When I first got to London, my biggest concern was finding somewhere affordable, yet comfortable that I could call home. I wanted to share with others and meet new people, but I also wanted to have some space of my own, not just a closet with a bed! I was very happy to find that there were so many options through various letting sites, such as www.gumtree.com and http://uk.easyroommate.com. I had no idea where to start! I first decided that I wanted to be located within an easy distance of rail or tube links for getting about, and I really liked the vibe of Clapham, so I focused my search there.
In no time, I had lined up a few appointments to view flats around the area. Whilst they varied greatly in size and condition, there were a number of places that appealed to me. I found a beautifully renovated flat within days and moved in with two other professionals my age. All flats I looked at were in the range of £90-110 per week for a double room, fully furnished. The flat I now live in is within walking distance of loads of restaurants, pubs, a large park and Clapham Junction station, which gets me anywhere I want to go- quickly! My flatmates are great as well and we are always out and about in London on weekends together.
This area is also very close to Battersea which has a fantastic firework display in the park on Guy fawkes night and is a bus ride away from one of the oldest and famous ‘fruit and veg’ markets in London – Borough market! If you’re a big cricket fan then the ‘Oval’ stadium is just one stop away, great place to get tickets for test matches of 20/20 cricket is about in the summer and a nice wind down to an evenings work with friends.
Becky chose Richmond………
Having moved to London and stayed around the Heathrow area as it was close to the airport, I decided to branch out and move to a place which was much more accessible for Surrey schools and was easier for nights out in central London. My boyfriend and I decided that for a mix of countryside and transport, Richmond was the best option for us, given its closeness to Richmond Park and an excellent bus service. Richmond also has an Underground station (District Line) and regular trains into London, Wimbledon and Clapham Junction.
Now before we started to plan our trips to IKEA, we needed to find a place to live! Luckily, another couple we knew were also looking for new accommodation, so we teamed up and began our search! We used a number of websites, but the best one was www.findaproperty.com, which gave us an easy breakdown of the different estate agents in the area and what they had on their property lists. The website also lets you type in your budget, so you never need worry about over-spending!
After about a week, we had secured a place near to the station, with off-street parking and two double bedrooms-Excellent! Parking is restricted in Richmond, so you will either have to buy a Resident’s Parking Permit (about £70 for the year) or rent a property with off-street parking.
Flats vary greatly in Richmond, and you can expect to pay a little more than other areas due to the proximity to both the park and the travel links. Our flat cost £90 a week, with bills being an extra £40 per week.
Despite its being a more expensive area, Richmond is great for pubs and enjoying the River Thames, with boat trips and bike hire being offered. It also has an array of shops, so even the most committed shopaholic won’t get bored!
Tips…
Options for living in London include renting a flat of your own, renting a room with use of shared facilities or sharing a house, flat or room.
When budgeting, find out if bills are inclusive or additional.
The paying of electricity, gas, water, television license, council tax and telephone bills depends on your situation. If you are renting a flat by yourself, it is likely that most bills will have to be paid by you. However, in flat share situations, the bills are often split amongst all the occupants. Additionally, some landlords include the cost of these bills into the rental price.
Remember Council Tax is usually an additional extra but this can vary depending on the rate of council tax (which varies across councils- Wandsworth council is cheapest in the country and includes the areas of Clapham Junction/ Wandsworth/ Putney/ Earlsfield). Check out areas carefully before organising to view properties to make sure they are within your price range.
When first renting, you will usually pay one month’s deposit and a month’s rent in advance. This may seem like a lot of money, but bear in mind that your advance rent means you don’t have to pay rent again for a month. It simply ensures that your payments are always ahead of time rather than behind. Also remember that to calculate how much rent you will pay, you need to multiply the weekly rent by 52 and divide by 12. For example, if you share a flat with a friend and the total price is £250 per week, £250 x 52 divided by 12 is £1083 per month, £541.50 each.
Most long term lets will require you to sign a rental agreement or contract that ties you into a fixed term, usually 6 months. Some lets listed on Gumtree.com and accomodationinlondon.net will have shorter term or week to week options, however that may suit your needs. Be careful before signing anything, though, and be sure you are clear on the terms, such as whether you can transfer the tenancy to someone else if you leave
and whether your agreement applies only to yourself (your room) or to all housemates together. Contract or not, almost any rental accommodation will require 1 month up front plus 1month-6 weeks deposit and it is a good idea to get some kind of agreement in writing about this to ensure you get the deposit back at the end of the tenancy.
Once you have found a property, you will need to sign a contract. Read this carefully and make sure you are present when the inventory check is done. When you leave the flat, the inventory will be checked and you will receive your deposit a little later. Be aware that if you are moving immediately to another property, you will need to arrange sufficient funds before leaving your current place.
Particularly helpful sites for long term accommodation arrangements are as follows:
www.gumtree.com
www.aussieinlondon.com
www.accommodationlondon.net
www.londonnet.co.uk
www.findaproperty.com
www.bokinlondon.com
www.easylondon.com
www.kiwiinlondon.com
www.timeout.com/london
www.thisislondon.com
www.london-daily.co.uk