FAQs
You will have a lot of questions to ask when you are looking for somewhere to stay or live in London. Here we have tried to include the answer to as many of them as possible. If you have a question that isn't answered here, please feel free to contact us and ask, we will be happy to help.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions answered for you to help you make your decisions
Booking somewhere to stay for the Olympics?
You can read about our Olympic booking packages
Where can I check the standard Terms & Conditions?
You can read our standard Terms & Conditions
Can I see the property before I book?
Yes, many people like to see the room or flat they are interested in before they sign and agree to rent it. We are happy to arrange a viewing with you to do this, just call us on 020 7407 5851 or use the contact forms on this website to request a viewing at the property you are interested in.
How can I pay my rent?
We offer a choice of ways for paying your rent. You can pay by Standing Order (ask us or your bank for more details), online through Paypal on our website, or at branches of Barclays Bank. We also accept credit and debit card payments at our office.
How do I collect my keys?
During office hours: You can collect keys from your Account Manager on your arrival date or when you sign the contract if you do this in our office.
Office Hours are:
- Monday & Wednesday - Friday 10:00 - 19:00
- Tuesday 12:00 - 19:00
- Saturday & Sunday 10:00 - 17:00
Out of office hours: If you are arriving outside our normal office hours we can arrange alternative wasy to get you your keys at the time. The solution will depend on when you are arriving and which property you have booked.
What is the procedure for check-in and check-out?
- Check-in time at our properties is 15:00 on day of arrival
- Check-out time from our properties is 08:00 on day of departure
If you require different times for arrival or departure this can be arranged with your individual Account Manager.
A check-out cleaning service is provided with all bookings so you do not need to worry about cleaning your accommodation when you leave and you can be sure it will be clean when you arrive.
What is the security deposit for?
The security deposit you pay is to guarantee that any items or fixtures that might be damaged during your stay can be repaired or replaced. Any cost for repair or replacement of any item caused by misuse during your stay will come from your security deposit.
You cannot use your deposit to pay for any part of your rent at any time.
A key deposit is also applied for every set of keys given to you for the accommodation. This deposit covers the cost of replacing any keys that you might lose during your stay or when you leave.
How will I get my deposit back?
If everything in your accommodation is in the same good working condition when you leave as it was when you arrived and you didn't damage any items or fixtures during your stay you will receive your full security deposit refund after the check-out report has been processed in our offfice. This is usually done by the Friday after your departure date.
If there has been damage to anything in the accommodation during your stay we will contact you to inform you of any deductions that will be applied to your deposit refund.
Deposits are always refunded on to a credit or debit card (usually one that you have used to pay for part of your booking already, but it can be any card). This is the only way to receive your deposit refund.
You cannot use your deposit to pay for any part of your rent at any time.
What do I have to pay in advance?
For bookings during the London 2012 Olympic Games you must pay 50% of the cost of your booking when you make your reservation and the remainder 8 weeks before arrival.
Click to read full Olympic bookings Terms & Conditions.
For standard bookings you must pay at least the security deposit in advance in order to reserve your accommodation. If you are booking a room in one of our professional shared houses this security deposit is equal to 2 weeks rent. If you are booking one of our studios or 1,2,3 bedroom flats this security deposit is equal to one week's rent.
Before you arrive, collect keys and move in to your accommodation you will also need to pay for your check-out cleaning service, deposits for each set of keys and rental fee. Your Account Manager will calculate and inform you of the amount of your rent that you need to pay in advance.
How much notice do I have to give?
Your notice terms are explained in full in the contract that you will sign for your accommodation. If you are renting a room in one of our professional house shares you will need to give 2 weeks' notice. If you are renting one of our studios or flats you only need to give 1 week's notice.
How do I end my contract?
Your contract will have full details of how to end your contract. If you need to end your contract earlier than you originally planned, your Account Manager will be able to guide you through this and tell you what you need to do.
What do I do if I'm not getting along with my flatmates?
If you are renting a room in one of our professional house shares we're sure you will find it an enjoyable and sociable experience. It's very rare that any of our tenants complains of any problems with their flatmates, but if this ever does happen during your stay your Account Manager will be here to listen to your concerns and offer advice, and assistence if necessary.
What if I want to change room?
If you would like to move from one of our rooms, studios or flats to any others in our portfolio that is available just let us know, we can arrange this for you. Your Account Manager will be able to assist you with your move and explain everything you need to do at each step of the move.
Are my belongings protected by insurance?
You will need to make your own arrangements and check with your insurance provider to ensure your belongings are covered. All of our properties are secure and individual rooms in our professional house shares are lockable. If you want to be sure, we can also recommend room insurance from our partner Barclays for you.
What do I do if something breaks?
If one of the items or fixtures included as part of your accommodation should break during your stay or stop working, you should inform your Account Manager who will be able to inform and coordinate our maintenance team in order to replace it or get it working again for you.
If your personal property is damaged during your stay in one of our properties you should refer to the terms of your insurance policy.
Why should I keep communal areas tidy?
Our professional shared houses and some of our sets of studio flats have communal areas in the building which are shared by the people living there. All tenants have a duty to help keep them clean and tidy so they are safe and pleasant for everyone to use. We do provide a regular cleaning service but your contract does require that you help keep all areas clean and tidy at all times in the interests of safety and hygiene.
Who is responsible for keeping the house clean?
All our properties are cleaned professionally on a regular basis and this is an included service when you rent with us. Cleaning is done on a weekly basis and deep cleans are also performed each year. In between these times we do expect all of our guests to help keep properties clean, this is very important for health and hygiene as well as showing consideration to the people around you. If you experience any problems in this regard during your stay, please inform your Account Manager who will be able to provide assistance to resolve the issue.
LondonUP Advice on Sharing Home
If you are thinking about moving in to a shared flat or house you might find it useful to consider a few things such as:
Accommodation in London is known for being quite expensive, so lots of people share. Sharing a house or a flat is a great way to keep costs down, you will find you can pay lower rent and you share the cost of council tax and bills too. You might even be able to save more money by buying some things together with your housemates and getting reductions on food orders and taking advantage of group promotions.
As a house sharer you have to remember that there are other people living with you and you need to respect their space and keep noise down but of course this works both ways and even when someone does do something that upsets someone else, making up to each other can be a great excuse to share a treat together as a peace offering!
When you are sharing your home you can never be lonely, you will always have someone else there which is great if you have come from abroad, it can help you not to feel homesick especially if you are sharing with people from your own country. But if you are sharing with others it's also a great way to practice your English and make the most that way out of living in London.
You might find that sharing with other people offers too many opportunities to have fun and enjoy yourself, there will always be occasions to celebrate and friends tempting you to go out and explore the bars, pubs and restaurants and clubs of London so you will have to make sure you budget for this or practice your best excuses!
Sharing your home means that there will often be someone in the house, because people have different schedules and that means that the house and all your things in it can be more secure which is very important when you are living in a large city. It can be reassuring to know that there is often someone at home, you can all look after each other in this way.
Getting everyone to live in peace with the morning routine can seem like a potential problem but what you can learn from it can help you with time management and bargaining with other people, which are both essential life skills that you will find very useful in other areas too. You may enjoy trading compromises with your housemates too.
When you share accommodation you can also share experiences and responsibilities. It won't always be your turn to put out the bins, and if you get into a problem when you are in London you could be sharing with someone who knows how to fix it, where to go to find work or how to use the transport network for example. You don't just share a front door, you can share other practical things too.
When you move into a shared house you might find you have to adjust a bit to the other people you are sharing with, because you will be meeting new people who have different backgrounds and different ways to see things so you will all need to get used to each other. This is often one of the most exciting and rewarding parts of sharing and it's something that happens everywhere in the world's biggest and best cities, it's what most people love above everything in London, everyone is respected and tolerated.
