Accommodation

Temporary accommodation

When you first land in London it can be difficult to have your permanent accommodation sorted out before you’re physically in the city. Flats go quickly and it’s hard to coordinate with potential flatmates or landlords by email or phone, especially if there’s a time difference involved. To minimise headaches, it’s a great idea to get a short-term place to crash before finding a long-term flat.

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Staying with friends

If you have friends in the city already, staying with them can be really useful. Friends who live in London already know how the city works and can help you find your feet.

HousingAnywhere

If you'd like to arrive in London with accommodation sorted, HousingAnywhere is Europe’s largest rental platform that helps people securely book accommodation online for the short-mid and long term.

Booking rental accommodation in London via HousingAnywhere is a safe option when booking a room, studio, or apartment from abroad. Your rent and deposit are protected and fully refundable until 48 hours after your move-in so if you decide the place isn't to your liking, you get your money back.

All landlords are verified and you can speak directly with them to get answers to specific questions, and safely exchange documents, such as rental contracts.

Listings on HousingAnywhere have minimum stays anywhere from 1 to 9 months so be sure to check when booking.

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Airbnb

With the facilities of a home, Airbnb is a comfortable option for short term accommodation but can get very expensive quickly as most Airbnbs in London are designed for holiday rentals.

However, some Airbnbs will accept longer (short term) stays and even offer a discount. If the Airbnb host offers a discount on longer stays, the details will show in the price breakdown.
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Hostels

If you want temporary accommodation on a budget, consider getting a bed in a hostel. This likely will be the cheapest option, and a great way to get to know the city and make new friends. Hostelworld helps you to find the best hostel for your dates and budget.
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Sublets

It’s also pretty straightforward to sublet someone else’s flat or room for the short term. Perhaps they’ve taken a new job and are moving elsewhere, or moving in with a partner. This is the perfect opportunity for you to move in while you look for something more permanent. You can find sublets on Facebook groups like London Warehouse Sublets.

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