Renting in the Ealing area?

Thanks again for the advice. After almost giving up on finding anything, I lucked out and found the perfect place. It's a lovely flat right near the common. It's a quiet area 10 minutes from the tube and shops  After leaving the agents office, I spent the rest of the afternoon in Ealing Broadway. The shops are fantastic! I'm so excited!! Now I have to furnish it. IKEA here I come!

Just around the corner, howdy neighbour Congrats on the new flat!

Cheesebiscuit, thank you so much!! Extremely helpful. I'll be there for a week 26th Nov to flat hunt and will come prepared to commandeer a rental! I see I've been approaching this at a typical leisurely American pace... It's no wonder I get little to no response from leasing agents/landlords.   

Haha, I think it's just big cities.  I had a similar experience in the New York City rental market.  And there, you were also expected to pay the broker who was showing the apartment a fee of 15% of the YEARLY rent on the place!!!!!!

Haha, I think it's just big cities.  I had a similar experience in the New York City rental market.  And there, you were also expected to pay the broker who was showing the apartment a fee of 15% of the YEARLY rent on the place!!!!!!

That's crazy! In fact, it seems I'm going through the same things sort of. I thought I had the place. Everything was in order. I have savings and SS payments that serve as my "income" and more than covers my living expenses for the term of the lease. I provided proof of this to the agency (Haarts) and they came back saying since I didn't have pay slips I had to pay the full 18 months in advance!!!! I told them that I wasn't willing to do that as my savings is an interest earning account and I would lose thousands of pounds by paying all in advance. Now we are waiting for the landlord to give a yes or no on renting it.   I was supposed to leave today but have postponed leaving to tomorrow. Spent a week here to find a place. Now I don't know if I'll have one.

Do any of you know of any recourse in this matter? I don't want to lose the property but I feel like it's extortion!

Sorry to say it but this is pretty standard when the renter doesn't have any credit history in the UK (and I'm assuming that you don't). Any expat friend I've had who got a place in London had to pay several months upfront as they were seen as a risk (no credit history, just opened a bank account or didn't have one yet, just starting a job with no paycheck yet). Is your fiance British? Can he put the lease in his name only and does he have the money to do so? That may be the only way around it.

maybe the agent isn't familiar with social security payments?  we don't have credit problems in the UK, but have in the past paid 6 months in advance if it helps us to negotiate other issues such as start date of lease or guaranteed rent rate for longer period of time .  I  can't think of anything that would be worth paying 18 months in advance unless the rent is really cheap...

It all worked out in the end. We agreed on me paying 6 months in advance on a 12 month let. Then the remainder of the rent is half the original paid monthly. The place is so perfect and after all the running around and trying to find a place, I'm happy to have it locked in. It was love at first sight really. The Common is practically on my doorstep! Just gorgeous!

It all worked out in the end. We agreed on me paying 6 months in advance on a 12 month let. Then the remainder of the rent is half the original paid monthly. The place is so perfect and after all the running around and trying to find a place, I'm happy to have it locked in. It was love at first sight really. The Common is practically on my doorstep! Just gorgeous!

Congrats! I am glad to see it worked out ;-)
Welcome home

Thank you ChillyWilly!

It all worked out in the end. We agreed on me paying 6 months in advance on a 12 month let. Then the remainder of the rent is half the original paid monthly. The place is so perfect and after all the running around and trying to find a place, I'm happy to have it locked in. It was love at first sight really. The Common is practically on my doorstep! Just gorgeous!

Congrats - glad to hear it all worked out for you.

My husband and I are waiting on the paperwork and checks for our flat application... if it goes through (hopefully!!  fingers crossed!!!!), we'll be in the Ealing area as well. 

Congrats, White Wabbit.  Glad things worked out for you.   

My husband and I are waiting on the paperwork and checks for our flat application... if it goes through (hopefully!!  fingers crossed!!!!), we'll be in the Ealing area as well. 

I hope it goes through as well! Ealing is lovely!

I've got my fingers crossed for my visa right now. Still waiting on it. Talk about the cart before the horse, eh?

Thank you kbeaumont! I'm ready to go home now! Hopefully I'll be there before Christmas.