Moving to UK from India - rental advice needed

Tenant Discussion
1

Hello.

I am moving to the UK by the end of August as part of an intra company transfer. This will be my first time in the UK and naturally I’m pretty excited at the opportunity.

I am on the lookout for a studio/one bedroom home in and around the Croydon area. I don’t have any experience with the letting process in the UK, and hence have a few questions for which I hope I can get answers from the friendly folks here.

  1. Can I enter into a rental agreement with a landlord on OpenRent before I enter the UK by submitting copies of my passport, visa and a letter from my employer?
  2. Since I do not have a UK phone number yet, how do I complete the verification process here on OpenRent?
  3. How do I pay the rent and deposit from outside the UK?
  4. What would be rent for a furnished studio/1 bed house/flat in and around UK?
  5. Any suggestions on neighborhoods around Croydon?

Sincerely appreciate any response.