Finding Our Dream Apartment in London

Why We Decided to Move Apartments

Living in a built-to-rent tower was never our dream. When we arrived in London with our three pets, we found ourselves in a bit of a bind—our Airbnb rental was about to expire, and we needed to figure something out.

Our tower has been a lifesaver! We genuinely like the neighborhood and the apartment itself, but there are a few downsides:

💞 The rent is currently a bit higher than we would like. Much of that cost comes from living in a tower with amenities that we’re willing to forgo.

💞 We’re on a pretty busy street, right by the underground station. There are many advantages, but also some downsides: there’s a lot of litter, loud police and ambulance sirens, and late-night disturbances from conflicts among homeless individuals. Oh, how I wish I could teach them some decorum!

💞 We want to upgrade from a one-bedroom to a two-bedroom apartment to have a separate room for a home office.

💞 And if we're dreaming, we’d love an old Victorian or Georgian building.

Now about the move itself. We’ve lived in our current apartment for a year and have the right to leave with two months' notice. Finding a new place that meets our criteria will take some time, especially since having three pets and avoiding carpets cuts down about 70-80% of options available on the market.

We already have a good understanding of London and know which neighborhoods we prefer! That’s a big plus. Our current area isn’t bad, but we’d like to move further north toward Hampstead and Highgate, where we spend a lot of our time.

It sounds like we’re asking for a lot, but we actually managed to find our dream apartment on the first viewing!

This apartment is located in the neo-Georgian Heathcroft complex from the 1920s. This building is listed as part of England's National Heritage, alongside landmarks like the London Coliseum and the Battersea Power Station.

This architectural style is one of my favorites here—charming, low-rise red-brick buildings surrounded by green lawns and gardens. The apartment has three rooms, no carpets, and beautiful wooden herringbone floors. The kitchen and bathroom could use some updating and have a bit of mold. There must be some downsides, right?

It was our first viewing where we had to jostle with other potential renters. My husband and I exchanged looks and decided without much discussion to tell the realtor we were interested.

And here’s the best part! This apartment is £500 cheaper than our current place (including all additional costs like utilities and council tax).

However, here’s the catch. On the day of the viewing, there were only two offers submitted, including ours. Unfortunately, the landlord chose another couple because they only have one dog, whereas we have three. So, not only are we competing with pet-free applicants, but also with those who have fewer pets!

All in all, we’re bracing ourselves for a long and grueling search!