Here are a few of the best tricks to use during your search for the perfect flatmate.

Decide what makes a flatmate perfect for you

A perfect flatmate can mean very different things to different people. For some people, the perfect flatmate is someone who stays quietly in their room.

Others want someone to go to Wetherspoons with every night, or want to find someone who is as neurotically clean as they are.

If you really want to find the perfect flatmate, know what a good one looks like to you. Knowing the type of person you’re looking for will give you a much better shot at finding the right person.

Start your search with mutual friends

Be sure to let all of your close friends know you are looking to find a flatmate. Chances are your interests and living style will line up much better with someone you are already friends with, rather than taking your chances with the basic internet flatmate query.

Don’t underestimate the power of posting a Facebook status. Those slight acquaintances we call Facebook friends can be very helpful in a flatmate search. Your university lab partner that you are still connected to might just be able to give you an introduction to the perfect flatmate.

Meet in person

There’s no better way to feel the vibe of someone than to meet them in person. Lots of people can seem amazing via email or text messages but be completely different in person.

If you already live in the flat, have them come to the flat to visit. You can also attend flatmate search meetup events to meet a lot of potential flatmates at once.

Ask a lot of questions

You never really know someone until you’ve lived together. Even if you’re moving in with a friend, make sure you ask a lot of questions. Learn as much as you can about their living habits.

While there are many questions to consider, the most important ones are those that are specifically relevant to sharing a home:

• Are they employed?
• What time do they go to bed?
• Do they like to have guests over?
• When do they tend to shower?
• What are their cleaning habits?

These are all important things to consider when living with someone else, and you can use this full list of questions to make sure you cover all ground.

Ask what a perfect flatmate looks like to them

Knowing what they would want in a perfect flatmate is also important to make sure you’ll be a good match.

If they’re hoping to find someone who wants to barbecue every night and you’re a vegetarian, that could be an early sign of a problem.

Make a lucky, right decision

Ok, this one isn’t really actionable, but sometimes you’ll just have to see how things go.

Even if you ask all the right questions, you can still get it wrong and end up living with the wrong person. Some people are great at introductions but turn out to be very different when you are actually interacting every day.

If you do end up living with someone who isn’t right, try to talk to them about the problems you have early on. The sooner you talk about the problems, the easier it is to get things resolved.

Plus, one final tip – living with flatmates will be even easier if you use acasa’s bill splitting app to track and split your shared expenses!

The post How to find the perfect flatmate appeared first on acasa Blog.

The market moves very quickly and is expensive in comparison to the rest of the UK. Flats you visit are often already leased within the day, so you have to be quick.

It’s only a lucky few who find a good flat for the right price through online portals. To help you join that group, here’s some advice to help your property search.

1. Large flat and house hunting sites are great to find areas that fit your price range

Two of the largest property sites in the UK are Zoopla and Rightmove and serve as great places to start your property search. These sites will give you a great ballpark figure of what it cost to stay in various parts of the city.

Most searches to find flats or houses for rent begin on these websites. The largest sites include Gumtree, Zoopla, and Rightmove. Other smaller players, especially for house sharing, include Spareroom and Open Rent.

That being said, many of the ads listed through these sites are outdated or have already been let. While it is possible to secure a property through these sites, it can be extremely difficult to find exactly what you are looking for – which is where estate and letting agents come in.

2. Agents in your ideal neighbourhoods can connect you to London properties before they’re listed online

If you’ve narrowed down what neighbourhood you want to live in, contact estate and letting agents in that area. Neighbourhood agents know as soon as properties hit the market. They can connect you with exactly the type of property you are looking for before it’s even listed online.

Remember to check estate agent fees as an additional cost when securing your property. Agents are required by law to publish their fees in full.

You should also remember that property tours tend to be during traditional working hours and letting agents will not do a tour later than 6:30. Be sure to let your work know you’ll need to leave early/arrive late while completing your property hunt.

3. Walk around the areas you’re interested in and look for “To let” signs

It may seem counter-intuitive but this can be a great way to find properties that are not listed online. It’s also wise to check newspaper classified ads and don’t shy away from adverts written in all caps.

It could be that the landlord has a great property but is slightly older and not used to listing their property online. Some of the best flats to rent in London can be found this way.

4. If you find a place you like, move fast!

High demand means you need to make a quick decision to get a good place. If you like a place, chances are someone else will like it too. Be ready to place a holding deposit within a few hours of your visit because the best places can easily go on the market in the morning and be gone by the afternoon. The holding deposit is typically the first month of rent in advance so make sure you have that money saved upfront.

5. Don’t give up hope when searching for your new home

As we said, finding flats to rent in London is hard but don’t give up hope. You can check out our guide to some of the best places to live in London to gain inspiration. There are plenty of great places to live around the city so keep a positive attitude and you will find the right place for you.

The post 5 expert hacks for finding houses or flats to rent in London appeared first on acasa Blog.

London itself is expensive and finding a flat that fits your budget can seem like an impossible task. homie.rent has put together the three biggest tips on how to make your flat hunt go smoother. Read on to ensure you get the most for your money out of your next flat hunt.

Take a look at ground floor flats

Although ground floor flats may not be everyone’s preference, this can make them great value for money due to them being slightly less in demand. Not only this, but ground floor spaces have a tendency to boast more space, higher ceilings and even a garden, meaning you get more for your monthly rent.

Got an area in mind? Similar areas can be your saviour

London is costly, it’s a known fact. Your ideal area can feel unobtainable with rent. However, broadening your search to similar areas can really help. For example, you may have your heart set on West London and the likes of Notting Hill and Earl’s Court, yet Shepherds Bush and Hammersmith are great alternatives where you can get more for your money, better connections and an area which is just as vibrant as the former.

Personalise your offer

This is such a simple thing to do yet not many renters do it. Sending over a short bio about yourself is a really easy way to differentiate yourself from other renters, it also allows the landlord to get a sense of who you are and can be the difference between your offer being accepted and the landlord choosing another renter. This is extremely important if offering below the asking price, as it could make all the difference between your offer of £425pw on a £450pw asking price being accepted.

Moving to London for the first time? Need to find a place to rent?

Be wise. Get help from a Homie!

homie.rent can help you find the perfect home for you. You get a Homie who deals with all the hard stuff, gives you friendly advice and ensures you get the best deal on your rent… and much, much more. Use code acasa50 when signing up to homie.rent to get 50% off – you could find your next home in as little as 3 days.

The post 3 easy tips on how to get more for your money when flat hunting appeared first on acasa Blog.

With 8.5 million residents and counting, London is one of the world’s largest and most economically powerful cities. Every year hundreds of thousands of individuals, families and couples are moving to London from around the world. Do you want to be one of them?

We wanted to help make the process easier for London newbies. This page is a compilation of the best resources on the internet for anyone moving to London. We actively update this guide so it always contains the most accurate information for what you need to know to make the big London move.

One of the tools we are most proud of for helping people move to London is that acasa not only helps you track your shared expenses, we also manage the entire bill set up process for you (for free). We help you set up and automatically split your energy bills in a matter of minutes. We then send your bills straight to your acasa app. If you need to set up your energy bills register for an acasa account here. Just tell us your postcode to get a personalised quote. It takes less than 2 minutes and we handle the rest of the set up for you.

You can also check our directory of resources for people who are New to London.

This guide was last updated in November 2017.

What’s in the guide?

Deciding to Move to London

• Questions to consider before moving
• Pros and Cons of Living in London
• Visa Requirements to Live in the UK

After you decide to make the Move

• What to bring
• Shipping goods to London
• Bringing a pet from abroad

Finding a Place to Live

• Deciding the Location
• Renting an entire flat or house
• Renting shared accommodation in London
• Searching for property before arriving to London?
• Temporary Housing

Opening a Bank Account and Managing Money

• Sending money from abroad
• Utilise a currency card
• Opening a bank account in the UK *Getting proof of address
• How to start investing in the UK?

UK’s Healthcare System

• Register with a GP
• Dental Care
• Sexual Health Care

Getting a Cell Phone

Working in the UK

• Apply for a National Insurance Number
• Finding a Job

Getting Around in London

• Oyster Card
• Apps to get around
• Checking for Delays
• Santander Cycle for Hire (£2 per day)
• Cycling safety in London
• Discounts on Travel

Building a Social Life

Bloggers with Great Advice about Moving to London

About acasa – The Creators of this Guide:

acasa is a free iOS, Android and Web app that helps people sharing homes around the world manage their shared expenses and set up their utilities. Have you ever had an awkward financial conversation with someone you lived with over who bought last months toilet paper? Did you ever have to send yet another reminder text to get paid back for last months portion of the rent?

If you are planning to move to London, sharing a home is very common. Whether it’s with a partner or with people from the shared flat you found on the internet, acasa can help keep track of your shared household finances when so when you are new to living in London there is one less thing to worry about.

Deciding to Move to London:

Maybe you are moving to London for university, maybe it’s for a new job or maybe- you just want to figure out what all the hype is about. Regardless of your reasoning for making the move, we wanted to outline some of the questions to think about before moving to London.

Questions to Consider?

Who will you be moving to London with?

• Just you
• With a partner or spouse
• With a family
• With a friend(s)

It is important to consider who you will be financially responsible for. The more people you will be responsible for the more you need to consider if a move to London is realistic. If you are moving with a partner or spouse, will both of you be able to get work? If you are moving with kids, what school do you want them to go to? Will you have support with taking care of them?

Do you have enough money to make the move?

Generally moving incurs as lot of extra expenses and you need to make sure you can manage that extra cost. Some extra costs to consider include:

• Transportation for you and your things to get to London.
• The deposit/first month rent/rental fees.
• If you don’t have a job yet- how many months can you afford before you need to find one?
• Cost of temporary housing while you are looking for a flat.
• Household essentials: plates, ironing board, sheets, pots & pans.

One thing to note is it is very common to find furnished apartments in London. If you are moving from abroad you can expect to find a place that is pre-furnished with bed frames/mattresses, tables, couches etc. You will need to bring clothing and smaller items of the home.

Will you need to get a visa sponsored?

See our section on visa requirements in the UK.

Some Pros and Cons of Living in London

Visa Requirements to Live in the UK:

First you can check if you need a visa – (Click the image to determine if you need a visa)

For additional information on visas in the UK you can visit:

Visa Bureau: http://www.visabureau.com/uk/immigration.aspx

You can also take a look at the types of available work visas as listed on: https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/work-visas

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After you decide to make the Move to London:

You’ve done it! You are really moving to London. Now there are still a number of logistics to figure out.

What to bring:

If you are going to be renting a place, you do not need to worry about shipping your bed frames and couches. What you should bring is clothing items (though you will probably buy more) and items to help make the place you are renting feel more like home.

If you are buying a home or making a permanent move, you likely want to bring along some larger resources for the home.

Shipping Goods to London

• For heavy and large items try out Parcel Monkey.
  • On their website you can get quotes for shipping items between 30 kg and 500 kg.
• You can also get quotes from UK’s mail service: Royal Mail.
• For smaller items it is best to try to bring them with you on the airplane. Sometimes it can be more cost efficient to pay for an economy plus or even business class seat. With these seats you get access to extra luggage space and it could be cheaper than shipping separately.

Bringing a pet from abroad:

To can enter the UK with a pet cat, dog or ferret if:

• It has been microchipped.
• It has a pet passport of third country official veterinary certificate.
• It has been vaccinated against rabies. *some countries of origin also require a blood test.
• Dogs require a tapeworm treatment.

*If you don’t follow these rules your pet could be put in quarantine for up to 4 months.

Don’t make Paws go into quarantine! Read all the requirements.

For a full look at the requirements of traveling with a pet visit: Take Pet Abroad

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Finding a Place to Live:

Finding a place to live when you are moving to London can be one of the greatest cause of stress. With 33 boroughs London is a massive space and varies a lot based on neighborhood. Cost of living also varies massively when you move to London and certain neighborhoods are much more expensive than others.

Resource page for finding a room to rent in London.

Deciding the location:

The website Find Properly is a great place to begin a property search. On the site you can get use a property search based on transportation time to work and how much you have to spend.

This page offers neighborhood guides for places to live around London.

Where you live when moving to London will be highly dependent on where you are working. There are lots of great neighborhoods of varying costs and access to public transport.

It is best to think about what amenities are most important to you. Some to consider are:

• Proximity to a park
• Access to pubs/restaurant
• Nearest grocery story
• Access to GP/hospital
• Travel time to major airports
• General safety of neighborhood
• Noise level at night

Renting an entire flat or house:

These are the three largest websites for looking for a place to rent when you are moving to London.

Rightmove: http://www.rightmove.co.uk/

Zoopla: http://www.zoopla.co.uk/

Gumtree: https://www.gumtree.com/london

• Gumtree has loads of properties available but is most susceptible to scammers. Beware of ‘too good to be true’ deals.

These sites are the best places for you to start your search. You will be able to see a wide selection of properties and determine about how much it costs to rent in the neighborhoods you are most interested in.

For most properties in London you will be working with Estate Agents not the landlord when you are searching for a property. Be sure to ask the estate agent what their fee is and add that into your budget for the property search.

Rental Hack: If you work with estate agents of the neighborhood you want to live in- they can connect you to homes b4 they are listed online

— acasa (@helloacasa) July 6, 2016

Additional websites to look for property in:

OpenRent

Moveflat

Nestoria

Find Properly

Rental Hack: Newspaper ads & walking in yr ideal location looking @ ‘for rent’ signs can lead 2 the best finds bc landlord is not tech savvy

— acasa (@helloacasa) July 6, 2016

An additional tip, don’t shy away from adverts that are written in ALL CAPS. It could ALSO BE THAT THE LANDLORD IS NOT TECH SAVVY.

Other resources to help you find a place to live:

10 tips for finding houses or flats for rent in London

The Crazy London Housing Market – How the Hell do Millennials Find Houses for Rent

4 expert hacks for finding flats to rent in London

Renting shared accommodation in London:

Finding a property is one thing, but finding the right flatmates is another. Living with someone who has the same values and living habits is equally, if not more, important than the property. The only website we’ve found that can match you with like-minded people is called ideal flatmate. Take their 20-question survey, and they’ll find your perfect flatmate matches.

Sharing a home is extremely common in London. Due to high costs of rent this is a popular way to lower the cost of living for many individuals.

The two most popular pages for finding shared accommodation are:

Spareroom

EasyRoommate

You can also look to find a room to rent via Facebook groups or smaller flatmate hunting websites.

This page provides a comprehensive list.

Unfortunately what many find is it can be extremely competitive to find a high quality flatshare from these sites. The best rooms will receive 20+ requests in just a few hours. Remember to be courteous and easy to communicate with throughout the process.

Generally, the more personalised your outreach to a flat the better response.

Also remember that you are going to be actually living with these people. This page lists the best questions to ask a potential housemate.

These questions pertain to:

• Cleanliness
• Sleeping & Noise
• Guests
• Work Life
• Money
• Food & Cooking
• Flatmate Expectations
• Furniture
• Pets
• Windows
• Smoking
• Flatmate references
• Length of stay

If you are sharing a home after your move to London, why not try using acasa to manage your shared household finances. One less problem to worry about as you make a new life in London.

What if I want to do my property search before I actually arrive to London?

This is also extremely common and in this case it is best to work directly with an estate agent. Make sure that the estate agents you are working with from abroad is a reputable one. One certification that is helpful to check for is if they are RICS certified.

You also want to make sure that your security deposit is protected.

Temporary Housing before finding a place to Rent:

Planning to spend a few weeks in temporary housing before you officially moving to London can help ease the stress of planning.

If you are transferring from a foreign office, your company will likely offer you a place to stay for the first two weeks before you find a place to rent.

Other low-cost options include:

• Reach out to friends and family about temporarily crashing on their couch.
• Stay at an Airbnb. This could also be a great way to make friends.
• Reach out to CouchSurfers in the city. Also a great way to make friends!
  • Couchsurfing tip: If you don’t have any recommendations on Couchsurfing people are often very hesitant to let you stay. Ask another friend or relative to join the site and endorse you. People with recommendations are much more likely to be accepted!

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Opening a Bank Account and Managing Money

Sending money from abroad:

TransferWise is the best tool when you are just getting started in the UK to send money from abroad when you are doing smaller amounts. They offer significantly lower fees than traditional money transfer experiences.

If you are transferring a very large sum of money into the UK, it is better to check with banks to make sure you are getting the best right. Money Super Market is a reputable source for learning about financial policies in the UK. This article informs about: How to transfer a large sum of money internationally?

Utilise a currency card:

Transferring money to a currency card when you first arrive can be a great way to save on atm fees or feel you need to rely too heavily on cash.

Revolut Card: You can order this card for free and it will arrive in a few days with a very easy registration process. You are also able to utilise a Revolut card to make purchases anywhere in the world, in over 90 currencies. Fancy a trip to France right after your move to London- you won’t have to worry about transferring pounds to euros.

Opening a Bank Account in the UK:

This can be one of the most stressful elements of moving to London. Many new Londoner’s have struggled with the process.

The major issue is that in order to open a bank account in the UK, you need to show a proof of address. Unfortunately, if you just moved- you might not have this.

Some tricks for providing proof of address right after you move:

• If you applied for your National Insurance Number the letter they send to your house from Jobcentre Plus. This letter will generally arrive within 1 or 2 days of scheduling your interview for your National Insurance Number.

• If you are in shared accommodation, ask for an old utility bill from the flat. Once you have that bill, ask the person whose name is on that bill to write a letter verifying you live in that location.

Once you have a proof of address it is much easier to open a bank account than before.

This page offers additional insight on How to Open a Bank Account in the UK.

How to start investing in the UK?

Want to start putting your salary to good use immediately after moving to London. Start investing!

Even if you only have £100 to spare each month, starting investing early can make a huge impact later on. Some of the best places to start thinking about investments in the UK are:

• Funding Circle: Estimated return of 7.4% per year. Backing British Businesses.

• LendInvest: UK Property investments with net returns from 5%

For crowdfunding:

• Seedrs
• CrowdCube

Additional advice for investing in the UK.

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Gaining access to medical care

The United Kingdom provides free healthcare to everyone living in the country through the National Health Service.

The NHS is generally a very reliable service that is internationally renowned. Do beware that at busy times of the day there can be very long wait times though.

If you would like to learn more about the NHS you can click on the image below.

Registering with a GP:

It is best to register with a GP early when you are moving to London. The process is extremely quick and easy but it is best to get it done before you are feeling very sick and desperate for medical help.

You register with the GP that is closer to where you live. This page provides you all the information you need to know to register with a GP.

Dental Care:

Not everyone in the UK is entitled to free dental care. Many employers offer dental insurance as part of their benefits package.

This page helps you determine if you are eligible to free dental care.

If you are not eligible, you can contact dentists located near your home and work. This is a look at the average dental prices in the UK.

Sexual Health Care:

There are a variety of services that offer sexual health care when you are living in the UK. The organisations that provide service are:

• GPs
• Contraception clinics (also known as family planning clinics)
• Sexual health clinics
• Sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing clinics
• Genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics
• Pharmacies
• Sexual assault referral centres
• Young people’s services

Complete information on the sexual health services offered in the UK.

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Getting a Cell Phone:

Getting a cell phone after making the move to London is a relatively simple process. If you already own a phone you just need to pick up a chip from a UK provider and you are good to go.

If you would need to purchase a phone, Carphone Warehouse has some of the best resources in the UK. If you are not paying back a phone, UK data plans tend to start at around £10 per month.

More information on getting a cellphone in the UK.

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Working in the UK:

If you do not already have a job- finding a job quickly will likely be your top priority when moving to London.

Apply for a National Insurance Number:

Everyone who is working in the UK needs to apply for a National Insurance Number. This acts like your tax number and must be provided to employers when you are working.

To get a National Insurance Number you must book an appointment to be interviewed at JobCentre Plus. Generally you can get an interview within a few days. After your interview you wait about a month to see if you have qualified to receive a National Insurance Number. This number will be sent to you by post.

You are allowed to start working before you have a National Insurance Number. The application document you receive during your interview can be presented to an employer while you wait for your official number to be issued.

Finding a Job:

There are a number of job sites out there to help you with your job search. Finding a job in London is similar to finding a job in many other major cities. Some general tips:

• Reach out to your personal (or LinkedIn) network to see if anyone you know can offer you an introduction for a job.
• Attend networking events in your industry.
• Cater each application to the exact job you are applying for. No-one likes generic cover letters.
• Utilise a recruiter to help you find a job.
• Be optimistic. Finding a job can take time, remember to keep your head up and you will find something.

More tips for getting a job in London.

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Getting around in London:

London has one of the best public transportation systems in the world.

Oyster Card
The first thing to do is get an Oyster Card and top it up with credit. DON’T even leave the airport without getting an Oyster Card. The card has a £5 deposit and within your first journey you will have already saved money. In the future, when you get a UK contactless bank card this will offer you the same rates as an Oyster Card.

Apps to get around
While the Google Map App does work in London, downloading CityMapper will offer you more accurate time and price estimations.

Delays

One thing to note about London transport, there are often delays. The upside is it is very easy to check train, tube and bus delays online so hopefully you don’t get stuck waiting at the station for ages. Transportation for London provides an up to date service of delays on transportation Lines in real time.

Cycling in London

Santander Cycles are one of the most affordable form of travel around London. You can rent a cycle for £2 for 24 hours. (That’s a lot cheaper than rush hour tube!)

With the bikes you can use them for 30 minutes at the time before dropping them off at the next docking station. If you are comfortable on a bike, this is often the easiest form of travel for short distances. There are docking station all over central London. Downloading the Santander Bike app will show you exactly where these stations are.

Cycling Safety

Do bear in mind cycling safety when cycling around London.

Some safety tips provided by transport for London include:

• Always pay attention – do not wear head/earphones or use a mobile phone while cycling
• Stop at red lights
• Always signal clearly
• Stay central on narrow roads and avoid parked cars and cycling on pavements
• Stay back from HGVs – lorries and other large vehicles might not be able to see you clearly, so stay well back behind them
• Use night lights after dark – white at the front and red at the rear. You may be fined £50 if you don’t have them
• Consider wearing a helmet

How to get discounts on travel

Purchase a railcard. The types of railcards are:

• 16-25 year Railcard
• Two Together Railcard
• Family & Friends Railcard
• Senior Railcard
• Disabled Persons Railcard

These railcards vary based on which card you apply for.

*Extra Tip: You can buy the 16-25 year old railcard for three years at a time. When you are 25 year can purchase this railcard for the next three years for extra savings!

If you are a student there are also a myriad of ways you can save money on transport if you are living in London. Check out the Student Guide to Travel to learn more.

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Building a Social Life:

Building a social life can be one of the hardest things to do when you are new to London. A few tricks will help put you in a strong position when making friends after moving to London.

• Reach out to your friends for introduction to their friends living in London.
• Put yourself out there.
  • Attend meetups that you are interested in
  • Chat to the person next to you on public transport (if they look up to it. People who live in London generally don’t like tube chatting)
• Join a sports team
• Volunteer around the city
• Join an organization

This page offers a full set of resources on building a social life in London.

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Bloggers with Great Advice about Moving to London:

Living in London on a Budget

The Broke in London blog is a great place to get information if you are moving to London and on a tight budget. Manolis Zografakis started the blog when after university he found himself broke and with nowhere to live. Manolis now leads a team of 7 in sharing tips for living in London and not breaking the bank account.

London New Girl Blog

London New Girl is a blog created by Kamila Zawadzka who came moved to London from Australia in 2012. In her blog she offers a variety of tips to help people moving to London. She also showcase activities and important events happening around the city. Other topics she writes on include travel around Europe and Health & Fitness. This blog is exceptionally relevant for Australians moving to London.

Moving to London? Ultimate 2016 Living & Working Guide

Ian Wright writes Randomly London sharing his experiences living in the city since moving to London from Canada with his wife. Ian has created an extensive moving to london guide with information on visas, where to live, tips for renting and more. Ian’s blog also shares his story of walking all of London’s tube map.

London Lotta How to Move to London

This blog is written by Charlotta Buxton. Originally Finish, Charlotta moved to London in 2009 and now lives in North London with her husband. The London Lotta offers both a guide to London and how to move to London guide.

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Moving to London can be hard but after a few months you will likely feel like you never want to leave.

London is a vibrant city with countless interesting pockets to explore and interesting people to meet. Due to a high housing demand and an expensive cost of living in London, it is extremely common to share a home. Don’t expect to find a 1 bedroom in central London for less than £1400 a month.

acasa is a free tool to help you track and split your shared expenses with flatmates or a partner. We think it can really make a positive impact in your life when moving to London.

Download here:

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You can also check out all the information featured in this guide by checking out our directory of resources for anyone New to London.

Have more ideas for resources to include in this guide to moving to London? Let us know if the comments! Also let us know if you would like us to add additional categories to help moving to London.

Written by: Julianne Sloane – Moved to London in December 2015.

The post Moving to London? Guide to everything from finding a place to live to getting a job. appeared first on acasa Blog.

As it’s likely to be your first time living away from home, it can be hard to know exactly which items you’ll need to survive and entire year and which can be left at home.

Of course, there are plenty of useful ‘what to take to uni checklists’ out there that can provide you with guidance on what’s necessary and what’s not. However, as everyone’s uni experience is vastly different, it’s sometimes far more practical to know what you DON’T need to take with you on your new adventure….

Also check out these guides by acasa for more tips on university living. Also remember to reflect on what University Accommodation Type you are living in as that will impact what you do/do not need to bring.

Share a home with other students? Download acasa for free to track your shared expenses and set-up your utilities.

8 Things You Don’t Need To Pack For University

1. Toiletries

Toiletries and large bottles of product can take up a lot of unnecessary weight and space in your luggage. This can be particularly problematic if you’re travelling to uni by plane, where every kg counts! A good rule is to leave items behind if you can easily and inexpensively repurchase it when you get there. So if you have a fancy face cream, take it with you but leave the standard bottles of shampoo, conditioner and shower gel behind.

2. All Your Clothes

Clothes will form the bulk of your luggage, so the less you can bring, the better. Although it’s tempting to pack everything you own, remember that student accommodation rarely has generous wardrobe space. Besides, as a student you will end up wearing loungewear and pyjamas most of the time anyway.

3. An Iron

Ask any student and they will tell you that an iron is completely and utterly useless in a student home. Ironing is time-consuming, so either you’ll stop caring about wrinkled clothes or you’ll find ‘inventive’ ways to straighten them out – like bringing them into the bathroom whilst showering and letting the steam do the work, or placing them under your mattress at night to flatten under the weight of your body.

4. Luxury Kitchen Supplies

Kettles, toaster, microwaves and similar standard kitchen appliances will usually be provided for you in student halls or accommodation. Luxury items such as toastie makers, coffee machines or rice cookers probably won’t, but they should be left at home. If you’re sharing a kitchen you could risk damage or theft. If possible, don’t buy any kitchenware until you arrive and see what’s provides for you. After that, take a quick trip to a local supermarket where you’ll be able to pick up any essentials.

5. Old School Books

You might have all the best intentions to be the single most prepared student on campus, but there really is no need to bring all your old school books and notes. At university, you’ll be starting afresh and most of your old study material will be irrelevent. As these items tend to be heavy, the most sensible option is to leave them all at home and if it turns out that there’s something you absolutely need, you can use a cheap courier or a student shipping service to deliver it to you.

6. Your Entire Reading List

Similar to the previous point, try to avoid the temptation to buy your entire recommended reading list ahead of your course. Not only will these take up a lot of luggage space, but it could be a waste of money as you won’t need every single one of them. Wait until you’ve started your course and decide which books you do need to purchase, which can be borrowed from the library and which can just be ignored.

7. A Printer

Unless your course requires you to print a lot of material (most don’t), your own printer will be pointless. The university’s own printers will be just as handy and more cost effective; if you do run out of printer credits, buying more is still cheaper than ink. And, if your friends find out you have your own printer, you’ll just be swamped with requests from them to ‘just print out one little page’ for them – and all those little favours add up.

8. Stationery

Remember the excitement of buying a new schoolbag, pencil case and fancy gel pens for school every September? Even when you get to uni, the urge to do this doesn’t go away. However, you should resist, because when you arrive at university and attend the Fresher’s fairs and events, you’ll be able to pick up enough free pens, USB sticks and notepads to last you a lifetime.

Written by Lana Richardson, blog editor for UniBaggage.com – The No 1 Student Shipping Company.

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Want to be passive aggressive? We’ll complain for you about the moaning sounds you had to endure through the way too thin wall if you convinve you’re roommate to call the number here.
Maybe it was just some too loud for comfort moaning coming through the thin walls.
Maybe it was an hour long steamy shower session in the middle of the night.
Maybe it was full on turning the light in the living room to get your laundry screaming.

Get tips and resources about sharing a home as a couple.

Regardless of the severity of the incident, after this roommate having sex run in it’s hard to know what to do next.

Sterilise surfaces.

via GIPHY
If it was full on walking in on your roommate having sex in the living room situation, the first thing to do is try to get that image out of your head. There is nothing quite like trying to find a way to move on with your day after catching your roommate doing the nasty.

We recommend trying to distract yourself by engaging in non-sexy activities. There is no better way to get that awkward roommate having sex image out of your head like focusing on disgusting activities. Removing moldy food from the fridge or the classic declogging the shower drain of hair move are both great options.

This could also be a great time to take advantage of sterilizing surfaces. A solid bleach of that kitchen table can be incredibly comforting (especially if you are thinking about moments you didn’t walk in on).

acasa is a free tool for tracking shared expenses with your flatmates and setting up your utilities.

A not so sexy conversation.

If your roommate’s sex habits are starting to have a regular negative impacts on your life, the next best thing to do is talking to them about it. Embarrassment can be a powerful weapon in fighting problems like roommate having loud sex syndrome. A subtle reminder in the morning of just how thin the walls are can be incredibly effective in gaining quiet nights of sleep in the future.

A solid banging the wall with your fist during the act and shouting “be quiet” is also an incredibly effective method to make things more quiet.

Set the rules.

Creating a solid set of roommate sex rules can help solve future run-ins. The top 5 roommate having sex rules we recommend are:
Watch the volume. No one wants to hear their roommates moans or dirty talk.
Stick to individual spaces. You live in a shared flat, please keep things contained to your bedroom. If it has to be the shower, try to keep it quick.
Play music. Music is a great muffler and can keep everyone happy.
Respect closed doors. Also if you share a room with someone respect the sock on the door knob system.
Never have sex with your roommate. It gets complicated. Avoid dating a roommate at all costs.

Revenge.

Caught your roommate having sex and really want to get back at them. There are a number of strategies you can take.

You can go for the congrats on the sex cake or graphic post-it notes are a good option. Make such a big deal about it that they will (hopefully) get embarrassed and quiet down next time.

You can also go a more tit for other tit method and have them catch you in the act. Don’t be afraid to (literally) turn things up a notch the next time your bae spends the night. That being said, be warned as one must tread carefully as roommate having sex revenge can be dangerous territory.

Download acasa for Free:

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But where exactly are the best places to live in London?

Our recommendations for finding the best places to live in London, for you.

If you are just moving to London or you’re a native London, everyone wants to know where the best places to live in London are. The truth is there are lots of great places to live in London and finding the best place to live is highly dependent on what you are looking for in a property.

To help make this search process easier, we have created a portfolio of resources to help you decide the best places to live in London for you. This page can connect you with resources to decide where to live in London.

We also wanted to outline some additional steps to help find the best places to live in London for you.

This post was created by acasa, a free app for setting-up your utilities and managing your shared expenses.

Want to end financial arguments in your home?

Download here:

Think about where you need to go.

Living someone that is a convenient commute can make a HUGE difference in London life. During peak travel hours, public transportation is extremely crowded. Living somewhere in London that is a convenient commute to work or school can make a big difference.

Also consider where you friends and family are already living. If everyone you are friends with lives in South London, you would probably be happier living there than in North London. This is especially true for university students. There will be a lot of people to connect with from your university and you will be much happier living in a place that is close to your fellow classmates.

Determine what you can afford.

Living within your own means can make a big difference in finding the best place to live in London for YOU. Zone 1 might not be a very good place to live if you cannot afford anything other than your flat. A huge part of finding the best place to live is finding a place that fits your budget.

When you are determining what you can afford to pay in living expenses each month, make sure you consider the cost of transportation. Peak travel in London can be very expensive. Spending £100 more per month to live within walking or cycling distance of work can actually end up being the cheaper option. The transport section of our moving to London guide can help you learn the various travel costs there are while living in London.

Decide what you want in your neighborhood.

The best places to live in London vary a lot for different people. Some people are die hard park lovers. Others love being close to bars. Others want to have farmers markets. Knowing what makes a good neighborhood for you is essential for your property search.

The best places to live in London by region our recommendations are:

North London:
Camden
Primrose Hill
Islington
Highgate
Maylebone

South London:
Clapham
Battersea
Brixton
Crystal Palace
Herne Hill

East London:
Shoreditch
Bethnal Green
Hackney
Stratford
Mile End

West London:
Kensington
Shepard’s Bush
Hammersmith
Fulham
Notting Hill

Remember to check out our where to live in London resource page to learn even more about the best places to live in London. This will help you even more narrow down exactly what region of London is the best for you.

Additional Information to Help your Property Search

Two articles with tips and tricks.

These tips can help you with finding flats for rent in London.
These tricks can also help you with finding flats to rent in London.

Will you be sharing a home in one of the best places to live in London? Try using Splittable to track and manage shared expenses with your flatmates.

The post Best places to live in London appeared first on acasa Blog.

There are some things which you may want to consider and there might be some things which you might encounter. Take a look at our helpful guide to see how you can make the most out of your shared rental this summer.

Respect communal space

This can be one of the most important factors when living with someone. Of course, everyone is entitled to their own personal space. You obviously have your bedroom as your own space but there are many shared spaces within your home that need to be respected.

Make sure you do your bit to clean and tidy and keep your own belongings to a minimum. Work out with your house mate who will be putting their items in each room, for example, who will be supplying the sofa and the TV? The last thing you want is it to be packed with furniture!

Make friends with the people you live with

If you don’t know the people that you are going to be living with, you will need to make the effort to get to know them. If you get on, it will be easier to deal with any problems and you may even make some lifelong friends.

Have a cleaning system in place

Sometimes cleaning can cause a lot of arguments. Just remember to tidy up after yourself. Making a cleaning router can also be a good idea and sometimes will keep the peace.

Be respectful to other peoples schedules

People have different schedules and wake-up times, so you will need to be respectful of this. If someone has just come back from a nightshift and you are blasting music, you won’t be making your roommate very happy.

Label what is yours

Right, this might sound a bit extreme but if you do not want people to touch your things (especially food), it is a good idea to label things. You can always have your own shelves in the fridge, and if you need to use someone’s milk, just ask!

Develop a system of communication

Start a group chat on either Whatsapp or Facebook; this is a great way to keep everyone updated with the going-ons in the house. You can let everyone know that you will be working late and to keep the noise down and such.

Maybe just try to be a little more creative than ‘flat chat’ when naming it.

Track costs

This can sometimes cause a lot of arguments, you will need to split everything fairly and correctly. Even the small things can add up so be sure to use technology to help keep track of spending. Remember, acasa is a great tool to split costs with the people you live with ;D

Embrace your inner gardener

If you have a garden, the summer time is the perfect time to make the most of it. What better way to get to know your roommates than throwing a BBQ or garden party.

As long as you follow these tips you should have a carefree and happy summer in your home.

About the Author:

This was a guest blog by Right Surveyors.

The Right Surveyors are a national group of chartered surveyors, stretching from Penzance to Gateshead and everywhere in between. With 19 practices, each individually led by an experienced local chartered surveyor, we can provide any client, private or corporate, with the surveying service they need.

You can find out more by visiting the Right Surveyors website, or by using any of the following methods: 0800 880 6024 | enquiries@rightsurveyors.co.uk | @RightSurveyors (Twitter)

The post How to make the most out of your shared rental this summer appeared first on acasa Blog.

The post How Life in London has Changed for Millennials in the Last Two Decades appeared first on acasa Blog.

As soon as you enter CoHome, the residence of 5 London tech workers, you can feel that the energy is different. As the guests began to gather, I reflected on my first experience with this truly ‘happy home’. It had been approximately 6 weeks earlier after a breakfast meeting with one of the household members, Jonathan Baillie Strong. He invited myself and acasa’s CEO, Nick Katz to come visit his home. It was 9 am, on a Wednesday and I was skeptical to enter a home at such an early hour on a weekday. Upon entering, I realised I was wrong to doubt. Rarely have I received such a warm reception in someone else’s home. Every single member of the house was thrilled to have guests visiting regardless of the hour. It was hugs and smiles as we met each of the housemates despite the fact they were still in their pajamas.

Amazed at this home’s charm, Nick and I discussed and then agreed to collaborate with Jonathan on figuring out how to share this experience of truly positive living with more people. The CoLiving Experiment was born.

CoLiving, is an emerging trend in cities around the world. The idea to have ‘shared housing designed to support a purpose-driven life’. We wanted to create an event that showcased coliving and how it connects to the sharing economy. Sharing economy ideals have been popularised by organisations like AirBnB and Bla Bla Car, but coliving is still in it’s infancy.

The @SplittableApp @OuiShare #coliving & #coworking is in full swing pic.twitter.com/5UXu8ocxfo

— Bernie J Mitchell (@BernieJMitchell) April 27, 2016

Beginning with prosecco and apertif, the group gathered. Standing on a rooftop surrounded by gorgeous street art and with the brisk Spring air around us, attendees anxiously waited to discover what the evening had in-store. The master of ceremonies of the event separated everyone into 5 groups. Guests learned that they would be visiting 5 different rooms around the home for 25 minutes each. Each room represented a different organisation connected to coliving. The guest’s quickly connected with their fellow team members. Below is a shot of ‘Team Yellow’ visiting the Splittable room.

Go team yellow!

@Marina_Srksn @KahliScott @baenaenanna @mariofdez6 @Daniel_A_Flow @johnmabower @mnlfrgr pic.twitter.com/GXCCvaHLtA

— Eleanor Moss (@Eleanor_Moss) April 27, 2016

The organisations present had been uniquely chosen due to their connection to the home and were spread across 5 areas of the home.

There was:

Ouishare – connectors that organize local events to connect collaborative economy enthusiasts.

Vrumi – who allows you to rent peoples home to become your workplace for the day.

Shaken Cocktails – who delivers cocktail ingredients to your home monthly with easy to follow directions.

Peter Levics – an instrumental duo combining classical and folk elements that does private performances in the home.

La Belle Assiette – bringing world class chef’s straight to your home.

And ourselves, acasa – an expense tracking and splitting application for people sharing a home.

As the guests visited each room, I spent the evening hosting guests who were visiting the acasa room. Upon entering, guests gathered closely together with as many as 10 people clustering onto the room’s queen sized bed. We asked them to share stories of their shared living experiences and were amazed by some of the tales we heard. Some of the best included:

A stay at an AirBnB that included warnings of a man turning up at the door in a wolf mask, a car being flipped onto its hood and running through a corn field in the middle of the night. Yes, in one weekend!

When one of the attendees discovered upon returning home from vacation that his flatmate had used his £280 candle.

Stories of those who would truly rather not be sharing.

And a story of trusting (and having it work out) when the guy you met at a SpareRoom flatmating event asks you to pay the room deposit in cash and doesn’t provide a contract.

We heard stories of friendships that started and that ended all due to sharing a home.

It was the good, the bad and the crazy of sharing a home together.

Guest’s exclaimed that each room had brought such unique experiences. From live music to fantastic cuisine, it gave them new light on how a home could be and function. Everyone had thrived off the energy of this happy home. They got a glimpse at the way home services are changing they way we live. They saw that with the right mix of people, a shared rental can feed positive energy into our lives. That it is the person to person relationships you build in a property that turn a rental to a home. Coliving is the path.

#Coliving experiment

1 house

5 mini experiences

Lots of awesome people

Good job @jonbstrong & co pic.twitter.com/c1O7qXoOUw

— Rishi Chowdhury (@rishi_chowdhury) April 27, 2016

Want to be involved in the next coliving event or share your opinions on what it is like to share a home? Please get in touch with julianne@splittable.co Haven’t tried Splittable yet and want to use the app? Download it here.

Special thanks to Smartup Visuals for the illustrations!

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