Property FAQ’s

Understanding the terms used for different rental properties in the UK especially for those visiting London for the first time can be tricky. Below are some definitions and explanation of what they mean.

Room share
A roomshare is where two or more people share one large room with multiple beds. In the UK and especially in London where there is a high demand for properties this is probably the cheapest type of accommodation to live for people on a budget. This type of accommodation is suitable for students, tourist or young people visiting London for up to 3 months. If you are looking for a budget accommodation and looking to meet new people from all over Europe and the rest of the world in London then roomshare in a house, flat or even hostel would be an option to consider.

Flat share
A flatshare is the name given to a flat that is shared. This could be a 1/2/3/4/5 bedroom flat. The common reason for considering a flatshare is cost as the rent of the whole flat can then be split between the sharers. A flatmate is a person with whom one shares a flat. Typically flatshares are for professionals but include students living in cities where accommodation is expensive, or where the occupants prefer to live with others and share communal amenities. With a flatshare you will need to share the facilities in the flat with other flatmates.

House share
A House share is where a building has several rooms which can be rented individually by the tenants or house mates. This is mostly common to young people, tourist, students and people on a tight budget. There is a vast amount of quality house share in London area. If you are looking for a budget accommodation then house sharing would be an option to consider. With house share, you will have to share facilities but there are certain rooms which have some facilities en-suite but such rooms are usually more expensive.

Single Room
A single room in the UK is generally defined by the type of bed that is in the room. So for example, a single room could be a medium size room with a single bed. If this same room were to have a double bed in it, then I could be called a double room. Single rooms are for single person occupancy only

Double Room
A double room could be anywhere from a medium to a large size room. Again, the term double room is determined by the size of the bed in the room. If a double bed was placed in a medium size room then the room would be classed a double room. A double room would usually accommodate two people to sleep i.e. a couple.

Bed Sit
A bedsit is a room in a flat or house where you have a kitchenette in the room for cooking. Usually the bathroom would be shared with one or two other bed-sitters. This is another budget alternative to flat or house sharing.

Semi- Studio Flat
A semi-studio is similar to a bedsit in that it has all facilities like kitchen, and bathroom self-contained but not the toilet, which is usually shared with one other person. This is sometimes a cheaper alternative to a full studio flat.

Studio Flat
A studio flat is a self contained flat. It could be a single stdio in which case it is only suitable for single occupancy or double studio in which case two people can occupy the studio. The facilities like kitchen, bathroom etc are usually not shared with anyone else. The kitchen is usually open-plan but there are also studio flats with separate kitchen but this would usually be reflected in their higher prices.

Flats
A flat could be anything from 1 to 5 bedrooms. There is usually a separate lounge/living room which is shared by all occupants. Renting a flat in London could be expensive but is quite common for students’ visitors or tourist. Sometimes 4 or five friends come together to rent a flat in order to save cost. If you have some good and reliable friends then renting a flat is an option to consider. But be aware that should any of the flatmate leave before the end of the lease the rest would have to come up with the full rental amount. Also you have to be aware that you sometimes need the approval of he landlord to replace a flatmate.