I’m moving over to London from overseas and currently looking for a short-term let (like 3-5 weeks) to complete all the interviewing processes and start with a London-based employer. Obviously, I don’t have a credit history in the UK nor a high-$$$ contract yet (but have enough funds to back my stay for quite a while, much longer than a month).
In such a case of the short fixed term, do I need to provide any specific documents or references to pass the renting formalities, or it’d be secure enough to make an upfront payment (along with the deposit)?
To rent a ‘holiday let’ / ‘short let’ you don’t need anything except the correct visa (if any needed) to enter the country.
If you offer to pay the short let contract entirely up front, then most B&B / guesthouse will happily accept you.
If wanting to stay longer you will need reference check (good credit score) and more important - Right to Rent papers - or it will be illegal for the landlord to rent to you.
I’d also add that, if applying to rent your long-term home without a regular income from a job, then it would be advisable to let landlords know as early as possible that you have savings which you can use to pay the rent.
Otherwise, if you fail the tenant referencing, they may assume you won’t be able to afford the property.
Here’s our guide on Right to Rent, too, in case that’s helpful: