Which area is best for you?
Whether you are after leafy parks, vibrant nightlife or international cuisine, London has it all.
We recommend that you research the different areas to find your perfect fit.
To help you get started we have identified some of the most popular areas for our students to live. We have calculated the median rent per week, as well as travel options to South Kensington campus in order to help you choose an area which best suits your needs.
Living expenses will vary considerably according to your personal circumstances and lifestyle.
The College’s Money Management pages provide a rough guide of what you could expect to pay for essentials such as accommodation, food, bills, travel and leisure activities: bit.ly/ic-LivingCosts
Rent prices vary from area to area and is cheaper in areas further away from the centre of London. The map above gives you an idea of rent costs across London. The amounts above are average rent prices for a one bed flat per week.
Average price per week Under £301 £331 £392 £433 £501+ COST OF LIVING
DISCLAIMER The figures in this area guide are accurate as of August 2022 and are sourced from the following: London rent figures: www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/housing-and-land/renting/london-rents-map Travel times: Google Maps, distance from the tube/train station of each area to South Kensington campus. Student numbers: Imperial College London Registry. Bakerloo Central Circle District Elizabeth Hammersmith & City Jubilee Metropolitan Northern Piccadilly Victoria Waterloo & City London Overground National Rail Tube line key: W South Kensington Campus Charing Cross Campus Hammersmith and White City Campus St Mary’s Campus Royal Brompton Campus Chelsea and Westmister Campus Z2 Travel time by train/tube Travel time by bus Travel time by bike Transport for London fare zone £402-462 £507-567 £705-765 1714 Imperial students living here Travel times in minutes 0 0 3 7 Average rent pw studio bed 2 bed Z1 SOUTH KENSINGTON, SW7 West London Kensington and Chelsea £245-305 £332-392 £428-488 1012 Imperial students living here Travel times in minutes 18 28 17 47 Average rent pw studio 1 bed 2 bed Z2 HAMMERSMITH, W6 West London Hammersmith and Fulham £275-335 £347-407 £450-510 811 Imperial students living here Travel times in minutes 18 25 15 45 Average rent pw studio 1 bed 2 bed Z2 FULHAM, SW6 South West London Hammersmith and Fulham £276-336 £350-410 £439-499 740 Imperial students living here Travel times in minutes 15 28 13 32 Average rent pw studio 1 bed 2 bed Z2 WEST KENSINGTON, W14 West London Hammersmith and Fulham £351-411 £433-493 £581-641 733 Imperial students living here Travel times in minutes 11 20 7 20 Average rent pw studio 1 bed 2 bed Z1/2 EARLS COURT, SW5 West London Kensington and Chelsea £263-323 £471-531 £673-733 395 Imperial students living here Travel times in minutes 10 11 8 16 Average rent pw studio 1 bed 2 bed Z1 KENSINGTON, W8 West London Kensington and Chelsea £281-341 £418-478 £604-664 561 Imperial students living here Travel times in minutes 18 30 10 26 Average rent pw studio bed 2 bed Z1 PADDINGTON, W2 West London Westminster £327-387 £425-485 £560-620 243 Imperial students living here Travel times in minutes 15 23 9 26 Average rent pw studio bed 2 bed Z2 WEST BROMPTON, SW10 West London Kensington and Chelsea £259-319 £312-372 £392-452 840 Imperial students living here Travel times in minutes 23 22 17 45 Average rent pw studio 1 bed 2 bed Z2 SHEPHERD’S BUSH, W12 West London Hammersmith and Fulham £321-381 £464-524 £713-773 211 Imperial students living here Travel times in minutes 0 19 8 20 Average rent pw studio bed 2 bed Z1 CHELSEA, SW3 West London Kensington and Chelsea £270-330 £347-407 £448-508 704 Imperial students living here Travel times in minutes 25 30 19 48 Average rent pw studio bed 2 bed Z2 BATTERSEA, SW11 South London Wandsworth £330-390 £459-529 £575-635 123 Imperial students living here Travel times in minutes 13 20 10 25 Average rent pw studio 1 bed 2 bed Z1/2 NOTTING HILL, W11 Central London Kensington and Chelsea £306-366 £392-452 £494-554 134 Imperial students living here Travel times in minutes 25 41 25 60+ Average rent pw studio bed 2 bed Z1 WATERLOO, SE1 Central London Lambeth £265-325 £332-392 £407-467 116 Imperial students living here Travel times in minutes 24 55 26 60+ Average rent pw studio 1 bed 2 bed Z2/3 PUTNEY, SW15 South West London Wandsworth £324-384 £381-441 £570-630 101 Imperial students living here Travel times in minutes 31 55 30 60+ Average rent pw studio bed 2 bed Z2 CAMDEN, NW1 North London Camden £226-286 £301-361 £369-429 357 Imperial students living here Travel times in minutes 21 65 32 60+ Average rent pw studio 1 bed 2 bed Z3 ACTON TOWN, W3 Central London Ealing
Where to look
Imperial Home Solutions
Search properties available with private landlords and look out for rooms and flatshares listed by Imperial students on the dedicated message board.
imperialhomesolutions.co.uk
Student noticeboards
Check with your hall, Students’ Union and departments for notices.
Also look for posts from other Imperial students on College networking pages.
RENT GUARANTOR SCHEME
When to start looking
General websites and forums
Look out for properties on:
• studentrooms.co.uk
• spareroom.co.uk
Estate Agents
They advertise properties through their own agencies, or they will place adverts on property listing websites such as:
• findaproperty.com
• rightmove.co.uk
• zoopla.co.uk
Are you looking to rent private accommodation and need a UK guarantor? Imperial can help you out.
What is a guarantor?
A guarantor is someone willing to be responsible for payment of your rent or damage if you don’t pay it. If you do not have a UK-based guarantor, the agent or the landlord could ask you to pay more rent in advance.
Typically, the majority of private accommodation in London is only advertised one to two months before it is available.
A few agencies specialise in student lets and may advertise earlier in the year, with a start date in September.
However, if you are looking on the open market, estate agents won’t know what properties are available for September/ October until June, July or August. If you start looking earlier than this, you may be expected to pay rent on a property you aren’t ready to move in to.
Whilst some private halls allow you to reserve a room allyear round, many only release their availability for the next academic year in January.
Whatever accommodation type you choose, don’t feel pressured to make a quick decision. Before agreeing to any tenancy, check our contract course to make sure you know what you’re signing up for.
You will need a reference in order to let a property. Most students have yet to build up a credit history to provide the kind of references required by agents.
The scheme is managed by the Student Accommodation Office. Visit our website to check if you are eligible and read our full terms and conditions. bit.ly/ic-rent-guarantee
House viewing guide Search timeline ONE & TWO BEDROOM APARTMENTS TO RENT AT ONE WEST POINT owp.myawol.co.uk 020 3838 8663 6 Portal Way, North Acton, W3 6RU Student Discount 24 Hour Concierge Outdoor Space CGI Connectivity Study Spaces On-site Gym EXTRAORDINARY STUDENT LIVING AT VEGA AND THE LYRA, LONDON Next to tube stations Safe & secure Games areas Find out more at downingstudents.com More than just a place to stay, our studios and shared apartments include large beds, stylish furniture and plenty of space to study or just to relax. All bills included DISCOVER A selection of studio, 1, 2, 3 & 4 bedroom apartments for rent across London. All fully furnished, privately managed and available now. Get in touch to find out more and arrange a viewing. 020 7408 5155 residentialland.com SCAN ME WE ARE EXPERTS IN PROVIDING EXCELLENT STUDENT ACCOMMODATION FOR OVER 24 YEARS SUPPORTED BY A FULL COMPLEMENT OF STAFF. WALKING DISTANCE TO IMPERIAL COLLEGE Tailored & Flexible contract terms Free high-speed UniFi 5 Wi-Fi After-hours live email support SHORT OR LONG LET NO ADMINISTRATION OR VIEWING FEES 020 7373 3348 078 4122 2222 www.rrproperties.co.uk No Guarantor Great Social Spaces Bills Included Flexible Contracts FIND YOUR HOME AWAY FROM HOME Area Guide 2023 Student Accommodation Office College accommodation Applications and queries • Guidance for living in halls • Medical and wellbeing support Private accommodation Support through all stages of your private housing journey Contract checking service • Rent Guarantor Scheme • Imperial Home Solutions accommodation@imperial.ac.uk www.imperial.ac.uk/accommodation ImperialAccomm Imperial Home Solutions An exclusive property search service only for Imperial students • Search properties with private landlords, Estate Agents and Private Halls providers • Engage with the community message board to look for flatmates • Create property favourites and housing alerts www.imperialhomesolutions.co.uk We’ve put together six, short online guides that cover everything you need to know about your private housing journey. Private Housing Masterclass 1. BEFORE THE SEARCH • Finding flatmates • Setting budgets • Choosing an area 3. CONTRACTS • Contract checking • Legal obligations 5. DURING THE TENANCY • Repairs • Harassment 2. VIEWING PROPERTIES • Viewing checklists • Questions to ask • Fees and deposits 4. MOVING IN • Inventories • Bills 6. MOVING OUT • Departure checklist • Deposit disputes bit.ly/private-housing-masterclass TOP TIP Take me with you to viewings and make notes! Key Areas Properties I’ve viewed Key Areas Properties I’ve viewed Safety 1 2 3 Cleaning 1 2 3 Are working smoke detectors and fire blankets fitted? Is the house clean? If there was a fire in the main hallway, could you still escape? Will you be provided with equipment to keep it clean? Can you open all exit doors from the inside? Is the house free from signs of pests/rodents (such as droppings)? Are all the gas/electric appliances safety tested? Plumbing Does the cooker work? Do all the taps work? Is the heating in the house adequate? Even the hot water tap? Security Do the sinks drain? Are external doors fitted with strong, secure locks? Is the toilet leak-free? Are ground floor windows lockable? Does the shower work properly? Are ground floor curtains thick enough to not be seen through? Are there enough bathrooms for the number of housemates? Location Furniture Is transport to and from College (including by foot) accessible? Has the house got enough furniture for the number of housemates sharing? Are there shops and services nearby? Is there enough space in the kitchen to store food? Outside Is all the furniture in good condition? Does the roof look in good condition? Is the furniture fire resistant? Are the gutters/walls free from plants growing inside? Landlord Services Are the drains clear? Does the landlord provide window cleaning? Are the wooden window frames or fences safe and free from rot? Does the landlord include anything else as part of the rent (water bills/internet etc)? Does the landlord provide lawn cutting? JANUARY, FEBRUARY Start speaking to your friends about whether you want to live together. Think about where you want to live and what budget you have. If you want to live in Private Halls now is the time to make enquiries. MARCH, APRIL, MAY Attend our annual Housing Events. Meet local housing providers, speak with experts and learn about house-hunting dos and don’ts. Landlords begin to advertise properties and take advanced bookings. SEPTEMBER Left it to last minute? Don’t panic and agree to a property that wont suit your needs. It may be worth getting short-term accommodation to ease your search. SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER MOVE IN! Relax and enjoy your new home.
JULY, AUGUST
JUNE,
This is a good time to look at housing providers; they will have a better idea of what will be available in September and October.
