Acorn Student Housing: Are they legit?

I'm soon moving to London (departing this Sunday) and will be a graduate student. I'm not going through my university to find housing, but definitely want to secure something as soon as possible because term starts soon. Suffice to say, this has been really difficult since I'm not in the city right now.

I recently heard about Acorn Group for student housing (http://www.acorn-london.co.uk/study-abroad/ [nofollow] ) and am close to signing with them, but after learning about recent housing fraud that other students have experienced, I'm hesitant. They seem legit, but I'm hoping that some board members have had experiences with them that they can share. The contract is only for one term, so I could leave at the end of December, and I've already put down a ₤50 deposit. Once I sign the contract (haven't yet), payment will be month to month and the first installment will be due within 14 days.

Any thoughts or advice?

I'd contact your university or look at private landlords that are with accreditation schemes:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/HomeAndCommunity/Privaterenting/Repairsandstandards/DG_189202

Also try:

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk//index/your_family/housing/tenancy_agreements.htm

It might help if you say what area of the UK you are looking in. Or your uni.

Hope that helps! 

The OP did say where:

I'm soon moving to London

Yes, but where in London?  'Tis a big place........

Thanks so much, mapleleaf! I am looking at areas particularly close to King's College; the accommodations offered to me are in Bloomsbury in particular. Also, if anyone knows of trusted housing leads for students that are not exorbitantly expensive, that would be great. I would sort of like to wrap up the deal with Acorn though, provided that they are an honest service. Sigh. The housing search is almost as painstaking as waiting for a visa!

I'd also look here:

http://www.kcl.ac.uk/about/structure/admin/facser/support/advice/housing/

Bit late in responding, but I wanted to let you know that I studied abroad via UCLA in autumn 2005. UCLA used Acorn Group for our housing (I do not believe they do anymore though) and all was fine, they are definitely legit. We stayed in the Bedford Place property listed on their website.

I didn't realize they let out privately as well, but in 2005, they were fine.

It was a University of California study abroad programme which also used their study centre for most of our class meetings.