Tenant's guide to short lets
To discuss your own short let, please contact Jemma Scott at Knight Frank on 0207 861 5244 or email jemma.scott@knightfrank.com
What is a Short Let?
A short let with Knight Frank is a tenancy with a duration of between 4 weeks and 6 months (less a day) and it is possible to rent any type of property from a studio to a large family house . Renting a property for a short term would offer a more private alternative to a hotel or serviced apartment.
When should I start looking?
The London rental market moves very quickly and as a general rule the earliest you should start looking for your short let property would be 6 weeks prior to the date that you hope to move in. View a selection of Short Lets »
What do you need to know?
To get an idea of the type of property you are looking for, one of our negotiators will ask you questions about the number of bedrooms and bathrooms you require and how many people are in your family/party. Also, we will need to know when you hope to move in and the length of time for which you hope to rent a property. We will ask you about your budget and the area in which you would like to live as well as whether you have any special requirements.
It may be that you don't yet have the answers to all of our questions initially, but any information you can provide will help give us a starting point.
Please be aware that the short let rents quoted on our website are guide prices only. There are a number of occasions when, in the case of very short lets, we might need to quote a slightly higher rent.
What is included in your short let property?
A short let property will be fully furnished and inclusive of all utility bills including gas, water, electricity, water rates, television licence and council tax (with the exception of telephone, internet and satellite/cable television).
Furniture
It is impossible to provide an exact list of all of the furniture that will be provided in any property since our short let properties are so diverse. Your negotiator should inform you of exactly what furniture will be contained within any property you choose to rent.
Furnishings
We will ensure that your Landlord provides you with two changes of bed linen, two changes of bath towels and a kitchen set that will enable you to arrive at the property and begin cooking meals. Additionally, we’ll ensure that you have certain household utility items such as an iron and ironing board and a recreation items, such as a television.
What services do you need to provide for yourself?
If you require telephone, internet or satellite/cable television, you will need to organise these services yourself as soon as possible before the tenancy begins.
Telephone
The Landlord will provide an active telephone line into the property. However,you may not be able to make/receive calls until you set up a contract with a telephone company2. Should you wish to make calls or activate the internet you will need to set up your own account. You can do this directly with British Telecom (BT 0800 800 150 or +44 179 359 8718 from abroad). If you set up a telephone contract, you should be aware that this will usually be a 12 month contract and you might face a penalty charge for cancelling the contract. Telephone providers vary and will charge according to the package you organise.
Broadband
Due to the length of time (sometimes up to 6 weeks) it can take to obtain a Broadband connection we recommend that you use a mobile solution. See for various suggestions. Internet/Broadband providers vary and will charge according to the package you organise.
Satellite/cable/freeview box
Whilst a television is provided with the property, satellite, cable or a freeview box are not necessarily included in a short let. If you require cable or satellite television, you will need to set up a contract, but you will also ask the Landlord’s permission as some buildings are listed and do not allow cable or satellite to be installed. A Freeview box can be bought from most electrical retailers.
Parking
If a garage is included with your short let property, you will be able to park a car, but you will not otherwise be able to obtain a parking permit.
I’ve seen a property I’d like to rent, what should I do now?
Once you have made your decision, we will need to put an offer forward to the Landlord as quickly as possible.
Your offer should outline the terms under which you wish to take the property; your contact at Knight Frank will talk you through all the options and put this forward.
Once terms are agreed you will need to provide the following information (quickly!) in order to secure the property:
- Identification – a Passport or Driving Licence along with a copy of the card you will be paying with
- Administration fees - this will cover agents charges for preparing the tenancy paperwork and will comprise £200 + VAT
- Tenancy Agreement / Contract – both you and the Landlord will need to sign the Tenancy Agreement prior to tenancy commencement in the presence of a witness
- Deposit - It is standard to pay a 4 week rental deposit (larger properties may require a larger deposit) which will be held by the agent throughout the term of the tenancy. Please note these must be showing as cleared funds prior to the commencement of the Tenancy.
- Rental- The full rental must be paid in advance and must be shown as cleared funds prior to the start of the Tenancy.
- Cleaning – The property will be provided professionally cleaned at the start of the tenancy. Please note that as the tenant you will be responsible for the cost of the end of tenancy clean.
- Independent Inventory - The condition and the contents of the property will be checked at the start and end of the Tenancy by an independent inventory clerk. It is usual for the Landlord to pay at the start of the tenancy and the Tenant to pay at the end of the tenancy. Charges start at approximately £125/150 for each check depending on the size of the property.
Viewings
It is likely the Landlord will continue to market the property for future rentals or sales during your stay and a viewings clause allowing access is usually written into the Tenancy Agreement. Viewings usually take place during business hours and are not designed to be disruptive. Agents will try to give you as much warning as possible before any viewing.
Ongoing tenancy
If you do move into a Knight Frank short let property, your property will be managed by a Knight Frank property manager and you will be given a telephone number and the name of one individual to contact if you have any problems with the property in the course of the tenancy.
- It is important to note that restrictions from certain London Boroughs or developments do not allow us to facilitate the renting of properties for terms of less than 90 days, but we will discuss this matter with you to see if we can find a solution.
- Landlord provision varies slightly. Some Landlords will not permit outgoing calls to be made from their telephone lines.