Your questions

A. No. Estate agents work for the landlord to achieve the highest price for their client. Joanna Bishop & Partners works for the tenant only and looks to source the right property for the lowest price. Being independent from any of the estate agents ensures that we act with complete impartiality and therefore advise you with your best interests at heart.

A. No. ‘Competing’ implies that we are sharing the same fee. Estate agents are paid by the landlord. Joanna Bishop & Partners is paid by the tenant. Estate agents know that Joanna Bishop & Partners represents the best calibre of retained and committed tenants and hence are motivated to give us advance notice of properties that are coming onto the market.

A. Prime Central London to additionally include areas within South, West & North London.

A. We work regularly with clients who are relocating to London as they plan to send their children to school here. For this reason, we are highly experienced in sourcing properties close to popular schools. We are also able to recommend independent school advisors to help clients decide which school is right for their children.

A. Here is a list of requirements and tips that will help to speed up the process once we have found the right home for you.
1) References will be requested by the estate agent once a property has been pinpointed.
2) Opening a Bank account as early as possible is a useful and in some cases, critical part of the process.
3) Employing your own Inventory Clerk to represent you at check-in and check-out is recommended.
4) Retaining a 3rd Party specialist to set up TV/Internet/Telephone is recommended.

A. Quoted weekly rental prices in the long let market generally do not include utility costs such as council tax, TV license, gas, water & electricity. In the main, these are additional costs for the tenant. Upon agreeing terms on a property, the estate agent will make enquiries as part of the referencing process and the tenant will be charged for this work along with a general administration fee for drafting of the tenancy agreement. Of note too, at the higher end of the market there will be a stamp duty liability. We can advise on most of these likely costs once a property has been located.

A. There are a variety of options with furniture but as a rough rule of thumb, larger family properties tend to be unfurnished, smaller flats furnished. If you are relocating but your furniture is en route and you need a furniture solution, we can introduce you to rental furniture specialists who will rent furniture ranging from a few weeks to longer term hire.