Some of the best tenants in south-west London have never lived in the UK before. Relocating professionals, families on international assignments, people coming home after years abroad. They’re often well paid, planning to stay for years, and ready to commit.
They’re also the tenants the system loses most easily. We know, because we were them: a family of five moving from Canada, with good jobs, documents ready and a clear move date, and still struggling to get a viewing. Here’s what we learned about making your home the one they choose.
1. No UK credit history doesn’t mean high risk
A new arrival has no UK credit file, so automated referencing can flag them before anyone’s looked at the actual person. Ask your agent to look at the whole picture instead: an employment contract or offer letter, payslips, bank statements, a reference from their previous landlord abroad, and often an employer or relocation package behind them.
It matters more now. Since 1 May 2026, the Renters’ Rights Act stops landlords demanding rent before the tenancy agreement is signed, and limits what’s due before move-in to one month’s rent. The old trick of asking for six months up front is gone, so good referencing is how you manage risk.
2. They’re choosing your home from another country
Expat renters often decide before they’ve ever set foot in the property. If your listing can’t be judged from a phone screen in Toronto or Dubai, it won’t make the shortlist. What helps most:
- A video walkthrough, so they can see how rooms connect and how much light comes in.
- An accurate floorplan with measurements, ideally in square feet and square metres.
- Virtual viewings on request, at a time that works across time zones.
This is the single biggest reason we film every home we let.
3. They arrive with suitcases
Someone who’s just flown in can’t easily furnish a home in their first week. Furnished or part-furnished homes appeal strongly to relocating tenants, and even an unfurnished home is more attractive with white goods, curtains or blinds, and decent lighting already in place. A short welcome guide (bin days, how the boiler works, which supplier is on the meter, the nearest GP) goes a long way.
4. Spell out the costs and the jargon
“Council tax band C, pcm, holding deposit, EPC rating D” is gibberish to someone who’s never rented here. Clear listings get more serious enquiries. Include the council tax band, a rough idea of bills, the EPC rating, and exactly what’s included. The fewer questions a tenant has to ask, the faster they say yes.
5. Speed and flexibility win
Relocating tenants are usually working to a fixed start date and a long list of other deadlines: schools, visas, shipping. They’ll take the first good home that responds. Same-day replies, a little flexibility on move-in dates, and an agent who answers questions properly can be the difference between letting your home this week and next month.
Getting it right, fairly
A quick but important note: every tenant needs a Right to Rent check, and the checks must be done the same way for everyone. Landlords can’t turn people away because of their nationality. Welcoming international tenants is good business, and doing it fairly is the law.
We built our lettings service around everything we experienced as tenants: filmed tours, same-day replies, and proper support for people relocating from abroad. If you’re letting a home in Wandsworth, Putney, Battersea or Wimbledon, here’s how we work with landlords, and you can download our free Renters’ Rights Act guide.
For the tenant’s side of the story, read our guide to the strange words you’ll meet renting in London.