How early should I start house hunting before moving to London?

I have going to do a placement year in London in July 2015,
so when shall I go down to London to find a flat?

Because here in East Midlands,
it's common to sign the contract 9 months in advance,
but as far as I know,
it seems you only need 1-2 months in advance in London,
most flats are immediately available,
so could someone advise me on this?

Reply 1

emobambam

I think you should start looking in May

Reply 2

hukdealz

things are very different in London.

you could probably go the day before and sort something out.

I'd say early June

Reply 3

efl

Would Easter Term Break a bit too early?

Where can I hunt for flatmates by the way?

Reply 4

Fullofsurprises

Original post by efl

You are going for a whole flat or a room? The former costs even more than you might think in most places, be warned.

The main thing is to allocate some free days when you just do searches, as you will need to be ready to go straight to them and pitch in. A lot of people have viewing slots and it can be very competitive for some houses and areas. Be there or be square.

Reply 5

rockrunride

Demand is ridiculous, it's a massive seller's market and landlords/tenants have people fighting to secure places. You should be prepared to put a deposit down within a day or two of deciding that you want it, and start paying rent within a week at most (if it's immediately available).