London is one of the world’s best-loved cities. Visitors from all over the world are drawn to its long and storied history and its vibrant cultural scene. Residents, on the other hand, love London for its exciting career opportunities, fast-paced lifestyle, and the unique sense of community in every London borough. Verified residents of some of London’s newest property developments have provided HomeViews with their perspective on living in the capital. Accordingly, we have compiled their reviews to create this list of the best 1-bedroom flats to rent in London.
1-bed flats to rent in London: 10 best developments as rated by residents
Let’s take a look at the list of the top 10 1-bed flats to rent in London, according to the reviews of verified residents. Residents rate their buildings on everything from design and facilities, to the management team, services, location and value for money, to provide a comprehensive overview of each new build development. Take a look at the list to see the very best rental-only developments London has to offer.
*PLEASE NOTE these rankings take into account how recently reviews have been submitted, so may not match the overall star ratings shown. More recent reviews are given a greater weighting to reflect current building performance.
Living in London
Every region and borough of London provides a different experience for residents. The city has something for every taste, culture and budget. Whether you’re young or old, looking for an exciting, fast-paced lifestyle or seeking a more relaxed way of life, there are areas to suit your needs.
Greater London covers some 615 square miles, so it’s easier to think about the city as distinct areas rather than a homogeneous whole. There are fashionable high streets in Chelsea and St. John’s Wood, as well as thriving, regenerated former industrial centres around East London. The leafy suburbs of Richmond, Barnes and Hampstead contrast with the modern high-rise developments of Nine Elms and the Docklands. The village atmospheres of Dulwich, Chiswick and Notting Hill’s Portobello Road provide a different experience to the constant buzz of Soho and the West End.
The city is connected by one of the world’s finest public transport systems. Central London is easily accessible from its suburbs, while you can navigate around the city using a choice of the underground, bus services and overground rail.
One of the newest property trends in London is the London is for purpose-built rental buildings, or ‘Build to Rent’. These new buildings are providing fresh options for people looking to settle in the city.
Build to Rent vs. traditional rental sector
Build to rent developments are purpose-built to rent, rather than sell. Usually, new-build apartment blocks, build to rent developments offering an alternative to the traditional private rental sector, with numerous perks for residents that aren’t usually available to private renters. This style of rental is becoming increasingly popular, and now represents many of the best 1-bed flats to rent in London.
Rental-only apartment developments can offer excellent perks too. These include fully-furnished apartments with modern styling, on-site management teams and communal areas for working and socialising. Some packages include perks like health club and spa facilities or 24-hour concierge services.
Build to rent properties can offer the security of longer-term tenancies, while flexible, shorter tenancies can also available. Some developments offer tenancy terms of up to five years. One of the main attractions of build to rent developments, according to the reviews of verified residents on HomeViews, is their sense of community.
Choosing a build to rent apartment does typically work out slightly more expensive than traditional private rental properties. However, packages available to build to rent tenants tend to include a number of extras unavailable to other private renters.
London rentals
Rental prices in London differ according to the area of the development and the type of property. HomeViews produced a definitive guide to rental prices in London, using London.Gov’s London Rental Map. The list ranks the average rental price in each London borough.
Kensington and Chelsea takes top spot as the most expensive London borough. A two-bedroom apartment costs on average £2,817 per month in this fashionable and upmarket part of the city. According to the rankings, the most affordable borough is Sutton. A two-bedroom apartment in Sutton costs an average of £1,200 per month. Take a look at our guide to find out more about the rental prices of each London borough.
If you’re looking to move to London and are wondering which areas to consider, head to our dedicated area guides. Each guide has information about living in the area, along with details of the best new developments for renters.
Find the area guides by visiting our homepage, scrolling down to the ‘Explore by area’ section and selecting ‘Greater London’. From there, you can find out more about life in each of London’s distinctive areas.
HomeViews provides verified resident reviews of the UK’s housing developments. We’re working with developers, house builders, operators, housing associations and the Government to recognise high performers and help improve standards in the built environment.
