Removals · Guide
Moving to London: a practical guide
Finding a home in London can leave you with a lot to weigh up, especially if you don’t know the city well yet. The rent is one part of it, but so are the journey to work and the space you’ll have for your belongings. Here’s some practical help with choosing a place, working out your budget and getting the move organised.
Work out your London budget
Compare the full cost of living at each address, rather than rent or mortgage payments alone. A place with a lower monthly payment may involve a more expensive journey to work, while a furnished home may save you buying furniture you do not already own.
Keep two totals: the money you need to make the move happen, and the amount you expect to spend each month afterwards. Use current property listings, provider quotes and your own spending as the starting point.
| Cost | How to work it out |
|---|---|
| New-home payments | Ask for a written breakdown of the payments due and their dates. Buyers should use the figures provided by their solicitor and lender; renters should check the proposed agreement. |
| The removal | Get a quote based on your belongings, both addresses, access and moving date. Include any agreed extras so you can compare the total. |
| Overlapping costs | Check when payments end at your old home and begin at the new one. Allow for any gap before money you are expecting back becomes available. |
| Bills and council tax | Confirm which bills are included, then check the remaining costs with providers and the relevant council for that property. |
| Regular travel | Price the journeys you will actually make, including the days you travel to work and any station parking or connecting services. |
| Everyday spending and purchases | Include food, childcare and your existing commitments, plus anything the new home needs straight away, such as a bed or curtains. |
If you are renting, use the current GOV.UK private-renting guidance when checking the agreement.
Choosing an area that works for you
Start with the journeys you will make most often, then look for homes that fit your budget along those routes. Being close to a station helps only if its services take you where you need to go.
Use TfL’s journey planner with the actual addresses and your usual arrival or departure time. Include the walk at either end and any changes. You can also select walking, cycling and accessibility preferences.
- For work or study: compare the complete journey, including an early start or late finish if that is part of your routine.
- For a family: check the practical trips to childcare, schools and people who help you. Confirm admissions arrangements with the relevant authority rather than assuming a nearby school has a place.
- For working at home: think about usable desk space, noise and broadband availability at the exact address.
- For everyday life: walk to the shops and other places you will use. Visit at a different time of day if you can.
Moving to central London
If being central is important to you, compare the particular homes on offer with places a little further out on a useful transport route. Look at space, total monthly spending and the journeys involved. “Central” on a listing is less useful than knowing how the address fits your week.
For a car, check the building’s parking arrangements and TfL’s current vehicle and driving-charge information. Do the same for a hired vehicle if you are thinking of moving your belongings yourself.
What to check when viewing a property
Take a few measurements and notes while you are there. It is easier to decide what furniture to bring when you know the room sizes, the storage available and how larger pieces will get inside.
In a shared home, also agree what space is yours and where your belongings can go. A room that fits a bed and desk may not have space for every piece you have now. Make those decisions before packing, with our moving house checklist to keep the wider jobs in order.
Arranging your London removal
Your moving partner needs to know what is coming, where it is going and how access works at both ends. Porta’s House Removals London service connects you with a vetted independent moving partner and provides a fixed custom quote for the move you describe.
Confirm the handover arrangements
Find out who has the keys and when you can collect them. Tell Porta if the date or access time is still uncertain, especially if the move depends on a property sale completing.
List the belongings you are taking
Include the furniture, an estimate of the boxes and anything in storage areas. Mention fragile or unusually large pieces, including furniture that may need to come apart to fit through the entrance.
Share the access details
Give the floor, lift arrangements and likely carrying distance. Photos of an awkward entrance or stair turn help explain it. Confirm the parking or loading plan and any building booking with the moving partner.
If you are moving into a room or only taking some furniture, Small Removals London may be a better fit. Choose according to the load you have, rather than the number of bedrooms at the new address.
Parking and loading at the new address
Check the exact road or private loading area before moving day. Ask the building manager where deliveries take place and use the local council finder to reach the right authority for council-controlled parking.
On a TfL red route, follow TfL’s loading rules. The signs set out when loading is allowed and any time limit. A loading bay cannot simply be used to wait while you collect the keys.
Your London move checklist
Keep a short list of the arrangements that depend on other people. Packing can continue around them, but keys, building access and loading permissions need to be confirmed in time.
- Once the address is agreed: confirm the move details, ask about building access and start any required parking arrangements.
- Before moving day: recheck the key collection, save contact numbers and keep any booking confirmations where you can reach them.
- Before you leave: keep your keys, phone charger, paperwork, medication and first-night essentials with you.
- When you arrive: check the property and inventory, record relevant meter readings and show the moving partner where things should go.
Leave enough time for unloading and getting the essentials ready. Our guide to how long moving day takes explains the parts of the day that can affect the schedule.
Settling into your new London home
Get the bed and bathroom ready first, then unpack what you need for the next morning. You can deal with the boxes of books once you have somewhere to sleep and can find a clean towel.
Sort out the address changes and household accounts, including council tax and utilities. If you need a new GP, follow the NHS registration guidance. Let your existing providers know you have moved too.
Try your regular journey before you have to make it in a hurry. Then take a walk around the neighbourhood: finding the food shop, a park or somewhere you would like to spend an evening helps turn an unfamiliar address into a place you know. If you have moved alone, a regular class, club or local activity can give you a reason to see the same people again.
Moving to London from abroad
There will be extra arrangements before your household move. Please use GOV.UK’s visa checker for your circumstances and its guidance on bringing personal belongings to the UK. Check bank-account and mobile-service requirements with the providers you choose, and arrange any international transport separately from a UK house-removals enquiry.