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Renting in London
Renting in London: Documents, Guarantors, Right to Rent & 2026 Rules
Start with the costs and documents. Then follow the steps from your accepted offer to collecting your keys. Valerio and Chase Evans confirm the exact requirements for your home.
What to budget for
First month of rent
Pay after all parties have signed the tenancy agreement, before the tenancy starts.
Five-week tenancy deposit
For the homes listed here, budget for a refundable deposit equivalent to five weeks of rent. Confirm the exact amount in the property payment breakdown.
Bills are always extra
Budget separately for utilities, internet and Council Tax where applicable. Any optional guarantor service has a separate fee.
Plan before you travel
How to rent a London flat from abroad
Start with your move-in date, number of occupants, exact campus or workplace and maximum monthly rent for the whole home. You can enquire before arriving in London; the viewing, referencing and tenancy arrangements must be confirmed for each property.
1. Compare the right campus
Choose your teaching building, then check the full walking and transport route. A nearby district or a matching university filter is a starting point, not a verified commute.
2. Check the complete budget
Listings show the monthly rent for the whole home, with bills excluded. Budget separately for the five-week deposit, utilities, internet, transport and Council Tax where applicable. Ask for the property payment breakdown.
3. Ask for a useful remote viewing
Where access allows, ask to see the living space, bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, storage and outlook. Confirm which furniture is included, the floor, lift access and any outdoor space. Ask which images or tours show the current condition.
4. Confirm the application before paying
Ask whether the proposed household and move-in date can be considered, which documents are required and whether a guarantor is needed. Confirm the payee and payment instructions through the agency contact you have independently verified. An enquiry or viewing does not reserve a home.
For a first shortlist, send your campus or workplace, whole-home monthly rent limit, move-in date, occupants and bedrooms. Keep passports and financial documents out of the initial enquiry.
Rental guidance by Valerio Berdondini, MNAEA. This checklist was updated on 26 October 2026. Property requirements and availability must be reconfirmed. About Valerio
Your document checklist
Valid passport
Prepare a clear, legible colour copy of your passport, which must be valid.
Proof of address
An original, unedited document dated within three months of the tenancy start date. Its address must match your application.
Right to Rent
Prepare the evidence that applies to your immigration status. If you use an eVisa, generate a Right to Rent share code.
Proof of studies or income
Students: provide proof of studies dated within the three months before your tenancy starts, such as a university letter confirming enrolment and course dates. Ask for a fresh letter if your existing evidence is older. Working applicants: the agency confirms the income evidence needed.
Accepted proof of address
- Bank statement showing your address, account number, sort code and transaction history. Cover pages and Revolut statements are not accepted for this agency checklist.
- Gas, electricity, water or Council Tax bill showing the supply address; downloaded bills must be PDFs.
- UK tenancy agreement signed by all parties, valid at the new tenancy start date.
Prepare documents privately. Wait for the agency secure upload instructions; do not send passports or bank statements through this website enquiry form.
If you need a guarantor
Your own UK guarantor
Subject to referencing and landlord approval. The current agency checklist requires annual income of at least 36 times the monthly rent being guaranteed; this is not a universal legal rule. If accepted, no paid scheme is needed.
Optional paid scheme
Subject to eligibility and landlord acceptance. Students: £1,000 including VAT per tenant. Working professionals: one month of their individual rent share plus VAT. Confirm the quote before choosing.
Guarantor documents and ID check
The guarantor provides ID, address and income evidence. They can attend in London for ID verification; otherwise ask about a certified passport copy from a participating Post Office branch or authorised bank official. The referencing team must accept the certification.
Questions from international renters
Renting in London as an international student
Plan your arrival, compare homes and prepare documents, costs and guarantor arrangements. These practical questions are selected for students moving from overseas; agency requirements are identified separately from the legal rules.
Can I pay six or twelve months upfront instead of using a guarantor?
For our listings, we do not offer six or twelve months upfront as a substitute for referencing or guarantor checks. Discuss an acceptable guarantor and your application requirements before committing.
For new assured private tenancies in England covered by the rules from 1 May 2026, no rent may be requested, encouraged or accepted before both parties have signed. For monthly rent, the amount that can normally be required after signing and before the tenancy starts is one month. This rent is separate from the tenancy deposit.
Once the tenancy has started, a tenant choosing to pay rent early is a different situation. It does not replace referencing or guarantee acceptance. Earlier agreements and other tenancy types can follow different rules.
GOV.UK: rent in advance and deposits · Rules before and during a tenancy
When should I start looking before I arrive in London?
Start planning once you know your campus or workplace, move-in date, occupants and whole-home budget. Compare homes whose available dates fit your plans, and ask how early an application can be considered. A current advert or enquiry does not reserve a home for a future academic term.
Can two students share a studio or one-bedroom apartment?
Ask about the permitted occupants and proposed household for the specific property before applying. Bedroom count and splitting the rent do not establish that sharing is accepted. Confirm the layout, privacy, storage, tenancy responsibilities and referencing for each proposed occupant.
Are these university halls or university-approved homes?
This website lists private rental homes offered through Chase Evans. It is not a university accommodation service, and a campus filter does not imply university approval. For university halls, use the accommodation service of your own university and compare its terms separately.
Does furnished mean there will be a desk and everything in the photos?
Ask for the actual furniture and appliance inventory. A furnished label does not by itself confirm a desk, chair, bed size, cookware or every item shown in a photo. Check storage, lighting and the internet arrangements for studying before agreeing to a home.
Do international students have to pay Council Tax?
A household where everyone qualifies as a full-time student does not have to pay Council Tax. Confirm the eligibility of every occupant and provide the evidence required by the local council. Mixed student and non-student households can have a different bill or a discount. Check your position before budgeting for an exemption. Bills are excluded from our advertised rents.
What if my visa, course or arrival date changes?
Tell the agency promptly and ask which dates and terms can be changed before committing. Check the application conditions, any holding payment, the tenancy start date and the applicable notice or cancellation rights. Do not assume that a change to your travel or course automatically changes the agreement or guarantees a refund.
What documents do I need to rent in London from China?
Prepare a valid passport, accepted proof of address, study or income evidence, and the Right to Rent evidence that applies to you. The current agency checklist asks for address and study evidence dated within the three months before the tenancy starts. Confirm the exact checklist for your application and wait for secure upload instructions.
My Chinese bank statement has no address. What can I do?
Tell Valerio before applying. Ask whether the referencing team can accept a university letter showing your enrolment and full current home address. An alternative document needs approval; a bank statement without an address should not be assumed to meet the address-evidence requirement.
Do international students always need a UK guarantor?
Not automatically. It depends on the property, your circumstances, referencing and landlord acceptance. Discuss your studies, income or support and proposed household before applying. Paying for a guarantor service does not guarantee acceptance.
How much must my guarantor earn?
For the current agency checklist, the annual income requirement is at least 36 times the monthly rent being guaranteed. For example, guaranteeing £1,000 per month requires at least £36,000 annual income. This is an agency requirement, not a universal legal rule; the guarantee amount, evidence and acceptance must be confirmed.
Must I buy the paid guarantor service?
No. You may propose your own suitable guarantor. A paid service is a separate optional arrangement, subject to eligibility, a clear quote and landlord acceptance. The landlord or agent cannot require you to buy a third-party service as a tenancy condition. Check what the service covers before choosing it.
Is the rent for the whole apartment or per person?
The displayed rent is monthly rent for the whole home, not per bedroom or per person. Bills are excluded. For example, £3,000 split equally between two occupants is £1,500 each before bills, but the permitted household and occupancy must be confirmed before assuming a home can be shared. This is a calculation example, not a property quote.
What should I budget for before moving in?
Our listed homes use a five-week tenancy deposit, with bills excluded. As an illustration, £2,400 monthly rent plus a five-week deposit of £2,769.23 totals £5,169.23 before bills or any separately chosen service. This is a calculation example, not a live quote. Confirm how any holding deposit is credited so you do not count it twice.
Can I arrange a viewing while I am still in China?
Ask for a live video viewing where access allows. Send your campus, whole-home budget, move date, occupants and time zone first. Confirm furnishings and the current condition of the home; an enquiry or viewing does not reserve the property. Keep passports and financial documents out of the initial message.
Added 26 October 2026. Payment rules checked against GOV.UK. Checklist requirements and optional-service quotes must be reconfirmed for your application. Official fees and optional-service guidance
Know before you commit
The rules from 1 May 2026
These answers concern private assured periodic tenancies in England. Most existing assured shorthold tenancies changed on 1 May 2026. University halls, some purpose-built student accommodation, lodgers and other tenancy types can follow different rules. Confirm the tenancy type; being an international student does not itself remove these rights.
Paying rent in advance: read the separate answer →
Do I still sign a fixed twelve-month contract?
For an assured periodic tenancy in England, the agreement rolls on, usually monthly, without a fixed end date. Most existing assured shorthold tenancies changed on 1 May 2026. Being a student renting a private flat does not by itself make it a student-halls contract.
Can I leave when my course finishes? How much notice do I give?
For a new assured periodic tenancy, the usual notice is two months in writing; a shorter period can be agreed in writing. The tenancy must normally end on a rent-due day or the day before. Rent remains payable during the notice period. Ask the agency to confirm the dates before booking travel; simply moving out does not end the agreement. Earlier tenancies may have transitional rules.
When can my landlord increase the rent?
For an assured periodic tenancy, rent cannot increase in the first twelve months and can normally increase only once a year. The landlord must use the section 13 process with Form 4A and give at least two months’ notice. You can ask the First-tier Tribunal to consider an increase above open-market rent. Different transitional rules can apply to notices issued before 1 May 2026.
Can I offer above the advertised rent to secure a flat?
For lettings covered by the rules, the landlord or agent cannot invite, encourage or accept an offer above the published rent. Written adverts must give a specific rent. Prepare a complete application and a suitable move-in date instead of trying to outbid another applicant; neither guarantees acceptance.
Can I rent with a pet under the new rules?
For an assured periodic tenancy, request permission in writing and describe the pet. The landlord must consider the request fairly and cannot refuse unreasonably. They normally have 28 days to respond; requests for more information can extend the decision period. Building restrictions and the suitability of the home may matter. Do not assume permission is automatic or bring a pet before permission is agreed.
Does the end of Section 21 mean a landlord can never ask me to leave?
No. New Section 21 no-fault notices are no longer available for covered tenancies from 1 May 2026. A landlord can still seek possession using a valid legal ground and the required notice and court process. Some proceedings begun under the previous rules can continue. Certain student HMOs have a specific possession ground; that does not apply automatically to every student flat.
Checked 26 October 2026. Legal answers use the linked GOV.UK guidance; payment-verification and inventory steps are practical checks. Ask for advice on your own agreement if the tenancy type or a transitional rule is unclear.
Know before you commit
Payments, deposits and moving in
What is a holding deposit, and is it extra rent?
A holding deposit reserves a proposed tenancy while checks take place and is capped at one week’s rent for the whole home, not one week per applicant. The usual deadline for agreement is 15 days from receipt, unless changed in writing. If the tenancy goes ahead, it should normally be refunded within seven days or, with your consent after signing, credited to rent or the tenancy deposit. Ask for a written payment breakdown so it is not counted twice.
What happens if the application does not go ahead?
It is normally refundable if the landlord withdraws or agreement is not reached by the deadline without a permitted reason to retain it. Retention is allowed only in defined circumstances, such as withdrawal, materially misleading information, certain Right to Rent failures, or not taking reasonable steps to agree the tenancy when the landlord and agent have done so. A failed reference is not automatically a right to keep the money. Written reasons must be provided within the applicable seven-day period; ask for the reason and evidence if you disagree.
How do I check bank details before paying from overseas?
Confirm the property, payment purpose, amount and recipient using the agency’s official contact details obtained independently from its website. Call the published branch number to verify bank details, especially any change sent by email or message. Do not rely on a forwarded screenshot or reply to the same message as verification. If the bank’s payee-name check does not match, stop and resolve it before paying. Keep the invoice and receipt. No rent is payable before both parties sign a covered new assured tenancy.
How do I know my tenancy deposit is protected?
For an assured periodic tenancy, the landlord or agent must protect the tenancy deposit in a government-approved scheme within 30 days of receipt and give you the required information within the same period. Ask for the scheme name, protection details and prescribed information, then verify with the scheme. A holding deposit is different. Our listed homes use a five-week tenancy deposit; this is our listing policy, not a claim that every tenancy has the same legal cap.
What should I check when collecting the keys?
Compare the home with the check-in inventory: furniture, cleanliness, damage, appliances, keys and meter readings. Take dated photos or video and send corrections and repair requests promptly in writing through the confirmed management channel. Keep a copy and follow any inventory-response deadline. Report urgent safety issues immediately using the appropriate emergency or management contact. An accurate inventory helps document the condition; it does not guarantee a full deposit refund.
Checked 26 October 2026. Legal answers use the linked GOV.UK guidance; payment-verification and inventory steps are practical checks. Ask for advice on your own agreement if the tenancy type or a transitional rule is unclear.
Get your Right to Rent code
Every adult occupant needs a Right to Rent check before moving in. If you use the online route, give the agency your Right to Rent share code and date of birth. It is not a Right to Work code. British and Irish citizens use accepted identity documents instead.
Cannot generate a code? Ask the agency which official checking route applies to you.
Your tenant journey
From offer to keys
Five steps to understand what happens after your offer is accepted. Chase Evans confirms the requirements, payment breakdown and timing for your tenancy.
Holding deposit
Reserve the home with up to one week of rent. Read the written reservation and refund terms first.
Tenancy Guide
Check your details and complete the online Tenancy Guide as instructed.
Referencing & documents
Complete referencing and submit the requested documents securely.
No suitable UK guarantor? Ask about your options. A paid scheme such as RentBuddy may be available, subject to eligibility, fees and landlord acceptance.
Deposit & tenancy agreement
Read and sign the tenancy agreement. Pay the refundable deposit shown in your payment breakdown.
Move-in payment
After all parties sign, pay the first month of rent. With your consent, the holding deposit can offset rent or the tenancy deposit. Set up your standing order. If someone else pays, ask which payer documents are needed.
Someone else paying? The agency may request their ID, proof of address and a third-party payer form. Submit documents only through the verified secure channel.
Ready for your keys
Once checks, signatures and cleared payments are complete, confirm your collection appointment with the agency. Bring the original passport or photo ID they request.
A practical overview, not a guarantee that an application will be accepted. Some checks and steps may overlap. For England: Deposits and payments · Right to Rent
Official guidance
For the full rules in England, use these government pages.
A practical guide for England. Chase Evans confirms the property requirements, agreement and full payment breakdown.