renting with ffields
Renting Property In Pimlico, Victoria, Westminster, Knightsbridge, Mayfair, Belgravia
Renting Property In Pimlico, Victoria,
Westminster, Knightsbridge, Mayfair, Belgravia
West Kensington is an area of west London primarily located within the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, encompassing some western areas of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, located 3.6 miles (5.5 km) west of Charing Cross. West Kensington, the London postal area of W14 is roughly defined as the area between Brook Green & Hammersmith Road to the west, Fulham to the south, Shepherd's Bush to the north and Kensington to the east.
It is best known as home to the Olympia Exhibition Centre and the Queen's Club at Barons Court.
Location in Context
Neighbouring Areas
North-West:
Brook Green
North:
North-East:
West:
West Kensington
East:
South-West:
South:
South-East:
Residential
West Kensington is primarily a residential area consisting mainly of Victorian terraced houses, many of which are subdivided into flats. There are excellent examples of Victorian architecture, with several houses and some entire streets listed - including the imposing mansion blocks of Fitzgeorge Avenue (off North End Road) and the mansion blocks around Avonmore Road including, Glyn Mansions (Built 1897), Avonmore Mansions and Avonmore Gardens (Built 1893) which is located next to the new Kensington Village development. There are also a number of ex-local and local authority buildings around the North End Road, including the recently renovated Lytton Estate. Many of these buildings have been sold off to first-time buyers and young professionals. A more recent private development, St Paul's Court, was built in 1980 on the former site of St Paul's School.
Businesses & Schools
Business is mostly limited to small shops, offices and restaurants, with the Olympia Exhibition Centre nearby. Indeed, it is the mix of local shops that give the place its character. There are also several pubs and hotels, including The Albion public house which is reputedly haunted. The Carnival Store is a famous fancy dress and costume shop located in the same premises and family owned for the past 40 years. There is also easy access to High Street Kensington. The area has a branch of Barclays Bank and Avonmore Road has become home to Kensington Village, a new development of high-specification office buildings. West Kensington is also home to the St James Independent School for Junior Boys and Girls and St James Independent School for Senior Girls.
Transport
West Kensington is remarkably well serviced by public transport, owing to its central location between Fulham, Hammersmith and Kensington.
▪Tube: Four separate Tube lines are within a 5 to 15 minute walk of West Kensington - District Line from West Kensington Station, Piccadilly Line from Barons Court/Earl's Court, Circle and District Line from High Street Kensington and Hammersmith and City Line from Hammersmith tube station.
▪Overground: The London Overground is available from Kensington (Olympia) station.
▪Bus: Several Bus routes are available in the area including the 28. Along Hammersmith Road, there are numerous buses linking the area to Paddington, Hammersmith, Chiswick, Notting Hill, Oxford Street, Aldwych, King's Cross and Trafalgar Square. The N9 bus also runs from Olympia to Heathrow via Isleworth and West Middlesex Hospital.
▪Road: West Kensington is also conveniently located close to the A4 (West Cromwell Road) with links to the West and Heathrow and High Street Kensington with links to the Central London/West End.
Nearest Tube Stations
▪Earl's Court (Exhibition Entrance)
Nearest Locations & Places of Interest
▪Queen's Club - home to The Queen's Club Championships
▪Sotheby's central London sales room is located at the Olympia
▪Blythe House Archive & Library Reading Room (Victoria & Albert Museum)
▪North End Road Market
▪Earls Court Exhibition Centre
Famous residents
▪Peg Entwistle; noted Broadway actress whose 1932 suicide from atop the Hollywood Sign forever tagged her as "The Hollywood Sign Girl" had her earliest childhood at 53 Comeragh Road in West Kensington.
▪Mahatma Gandhi lived in West Kensington for a year while a student.
▪Edward Elgar lived for some years in 51 Avonmore Road.
▪Tom Felton was born here
▪James MacLaren designed 22 and 22A Avonmore Road for sculptor HR Pinkes.
▪Estelle the West London rapper was born and raised in West Kensington; her song "1980" was written about her experiences growing up in the area.
▪Henry Rider Haggard lived for several years in Gunterstone Road, West Kensington, and wrote "King Solomon's Mines" and "She" while living there.
▪Marcus Garvey, Pan Africanist, founder of the Black Star Line shipping company and the UNIA, lived and died in West Kensington.
▪Sir Edward Burne-Jones, acclaimed Victorian architect, resided at the Grange, North End Crescent in West Ken.
▪Sir Stirling Moss, Formula 1 Champion was born in West Kensington - Sep 17th 1929.
▪William Butler Yeats lived in Edith Villas with his family in 1867.
▪James Hunt Formula 1 Champion lived in Normand Mews between 1980 and 1982.
▪Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman 's Long Way Down office was based on Avonmore Road, West Ken.
▪Konnie Huq owns property in the area.
▪Billionaire David Reuben has lived at the same West Kensington house for the past 20 years.
Sociology & Rejuvenation
West Kensington has a major advantage in its location. An influx of spill-over wealth from Kensington (W8) means that the area has already experienced change including the opening of more speciality shops, eateries and gastropubs.
West Kensington is also becoming more cosmopolitan, with significant local population diversity. There is a significiant population of Americans, Arabs, Australians & New Zealanders together with Irish other mainland Europeans - Italian, Spanish. There area also has a large student population, given its close proximity to South Kensington, Hammersmith and other Central London Universities.
West Kensington straddles the border between the boroughs of Fulham/Hammersmith and Kensington/Chelsea. Although it is true that the area has not experienced the same level of investment and rejuvenation as its neighbours Earl’s Court and Fulham, new building and renovation work is ongoing.
People generally opt for West Kensington over neighbouring areas due to the lower comparative property prices and relative grandeur of the properties.
Trivia
Heather Graham and Mia Kirshner play upper-middle-class dilettantes from West Kensington in the 2008 movie Buy Borrow Steal.
The "Famous Three Kings" pub was the venue of Joy Division’s last London gig.
In the movie Trainspotting, the flat that Renton shows the young couple around when he gets the job as an estate agent and ultimately stashes Begbie and Sickboy in is 78A North End Road, opposite West Ken tube station.
W14 has become the first London postcode to not have a post office - however talks are in place for a branch to open within the Barons Court library.
An Overview of Renting Residential Property
Click here for our latest property lettings list, or click here to subscribe to receive automatic emails of properties to rent that may match your requirements.
Residential property ownership is the biggest capital outlay most people ever make. For people who have made this commitment and find themselves, for numerous reasons, in a position where their property is vacant for a period of time, or who have residential property and wish to have an income from it, then letting out their property can be, if managed correctly, a very useful source of income.
Our Renting Service
We aim to make sure that residential property letting maximises benefits to both parties in a worry free relationship.
As an independent lettings agency we can provide the type of personal service that this warrants.
We treat every property as if it were our own home, by amongst many other things:
• Matching suitable properties to tenants and vice-versa.
• Manoeuvre through complex legislation affecting property renting and letting.
• Deal immediately with any unforeseeable events which always occur - before, during and after occupation.
• Make regular visits to check on the state of the rental property.
• Negotiate terms of tenancy, ensuring any special requirements (e.g. pets) are agreed by all parties prior to rental contracts being signed
Above all, our rentals service is based around one principle:-
"We treat our tenants as if it were we ourselves renting a home, and our properties as if they were our own home"
What do I need to budget for apart from rent?
You'll probably need a deposit of between 4-6 weeks rent. You may also be asked to give a holding deposit once you confirm your wish to rent a certain property. This would normally be deducted from the first rental payment. You may also have to pay an administration charge.
Who pays for utilities - is it included in the rent?
Normally the tenant takes over the utilities on moving into the property. The only exception to this the water. Unless it metered a lot of letting agents advise their landlord clients to pay for this.
Who should fix items that need repairing in the property?
The landlord should fix any appliances that need repairing. However tenants are responsible for breakages. A tenant should report repairs as soon as they become aware
No. Your privacy is respected. If you rent through an agent it is not usual that either the landlord or letting agent will try to gain access to the property outside pre agreed times. For example, the agent will want to inspect the property at least 2 times during the tenancy. They should give you reasonable notice of this. This area is normally covered in the tenancy agreement signed by you and agent.
Does it matter which letting agent I rent through?
Yes and no. To ensure you receive a professional service its best to choose an agent who is a member of ARLA. They ensure that the let is handled properly. An ARLA agent works to professional standards that work well for both landlord and tenant. For example, the tenant renting by an ARLA agent can expect that the landlord carry out safety checks e.g. gas, electricity etc. The correct tenancy agreement will be used, ensuring that responsibilities are clearly set down and privacy of the tenant is adequate. An ARLA agent will also have proper procedures for reporting and dealing with repairs.
Most lets are for 12 months. However some letting agents are now offering shorter periods of between 6 and 3 months. Shorter lets are harder to find.
If I want to leave can I give notice at any time during the tenancy?
If you give notice earlier you'll be liable to pay the rent until the end of the tenancy. However, when drawing up agreements you could negotiate a break clause entitling you to give notice after 6 months. This would mean you'd be liable for the rent for the notice period of 2 months - releasing you from the remaining 4 months on a 12 month tenancy.
Can I stop paying rent if the landlord does not carry out repairs needed?
This is a dangerous tactic because you would be in breach of the tenancy agreement and the landlord could take you to court. However, it would be worth taking advice if an important repair needed such as a broken shower or washing machine is not dealt with. A tenant should not stop paying the rent they are satisfied that it is due to the landlord and not delay on the part of the agent or contractors. Some agents ask for repairs to be reported in writing - this avoids ambiguity.
When do I get my deposit back?
Usually after the property has been inspected at the end of the tenancy. If there are any damages the tenant and landlord will have to agree what sum is deductible. There is no set law on when deposits have to be returned. We encourage landlords to make the process as fair as possible by having a professional inventory carried out by us. A report is prepared at the beginning of the tenancy recording the condition of the property interior, and then again at the end of the tenancy.
What type of agreement is used? Can I add things I want agreed?
An assured shorthold tenancy is used for a 6 to 12 month let. This is normally a standard contract between landlord and tenant. If you agree that landlord will provide extras such as furnishings like a bed you should ask that a rider be attached to the agreement to this effect. The landlord is not obliged to carry out promises so the rider is advisable.
Who do I deal with - the letting agent or landlord?
The letting agent will deal with the property viewings, references, agreements and getting you moved in. From that point on contact depends on whether the landlord pays ffields to manage their property. If the property is managed you will normally report any repairs or queries to ffields - otherwise you will deal with the landlord direct.
Renting Property In Pimlico, Victoria, Westminster, Knightsbridge, Mayfair, Belgravia
For background information to help you make the right property rental decisions please follow the links below
Services for renting and letting property, property management and property investments
Houses, flats, studios and apartments to rent in Pimlico, Victoria, Westminster, Knightsbridge, Mayfair, Belgravia
Click here to search houses, flats, apartments and studios in Pimlico / renting a property in Pimlico / our property rental service
Flat hunting basics / determine accommodation needs / inspect property / tenancy agreement questions
Rent / deposits / references / timescales
Tenants rental obligations / rental rights
Rental insurance / building contents insurance
Tenants questions
Property Rentals in Pimlico, Victoria, Westminster,
Knightsbridge, Mayfair, Belgravia
To plan your personal finance - the first question is with expert help to work out how much you can afford.
Searching for property can be daunting, so why not use our interactive agent to keep you up to date with changes in the market and fresh properties coming to the market.
Once you have found a property you may need help in agreeing all the terms to secure the deal. There may be a chain involved, or survey difficulties. We are there to help you through this stage. Liaison with your legal adviser will also be crucial.
Houses, flats, studios and apartments to let and rent in Pimlico, Victoria, Westminster, Knightsbridge, Mayfair, Belgravia
Energy Performance Certificates EPC
T: +44 (0)20 7978 0144
F: +44 (0)20 7978 0134
Penhurst House,
352-356 Battersea Park Road,
London
SW11 3BY
Pimlico Lettings and Property Management Agents
London SW1 Properties To Rent From ffields
Renting I Letting I Short Lets |Property Management | Block Management |London Property Investments I Commercial I About Us I News| Video | Blog | Photos |Podcast |Contact Us | Local Information | London Information |A - Z
