Can anyone recommend a forum or a company in England that handles house rentals for long term. Thanks in advance.

Where are you based? Most agencies that I'm aware of are local to specific areas. If you're in London I can recommend KFH and Jacksons who both find tenants and can also manage the property if necessary.

I am looking for a house in the Horsham area starting in September 2011 that allows pets. something like a 3 bedroom 2 both with a yard and garage for my dogs.

Forgot to mention, something is the country would be nice. I hear rental homes are cheaper out of the city.

Everything is cheaper out of the city If you're looking for a home to move into, a good starting point is: http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent.html which has national rental listings. Any good letting agent will put their properties on there.

You might find that this is a little early to start looking for a September rental. Most leases work on 1-2 months notice so agents might not have a good idea of what will be available until closer to June/July.

Good luck!

I used www.primelocation.com which lets you contact agents should you find a place. It's similar to rightmove and I had no complaints, it's pretty thorough so you won't miss any properties.

Has anyone had luck finding a place prior to getting to the UK? I'm saving up so I can send a few months rent in advance since I won't have a job when I first land.

I'm terrified that no one will rent to me if I don't have a job.

My brother is unemployed at the moment and he got a flat. He had to either pay 6 months rent in advance or have someone sign to assume financial liability in case he didn't pay. My mum signed for him.

I also have a friend who was unemployed and just offered to pay 6 months rent upfront without even mentioning his work situation. The agents took it and didn't bother with the other things they supposedly wanted (references etc).

There are some landlords who refuse to take unemployed people, but there are lots who will.

I have just done the same as your brother. I had to pay the 1 month deposit, the rent in advance and my sister is my guarantor and oh plus £150 for some kind of background check/estate agent fee. This seems to be standard and ranges from £99 to £180 as far as I know.

In the case of my estate agent the rent is 6 weeks in advance not four, I have no idea why.

Oh and Welshie I personally would not rent somewhere without seeing it first, believe me some of those rental properties bear very little resemblance to the photo's.

Haha yeah I'm hoping to head over for two weeks in September to get accomodation sorted so I can actually see places.

Good idea and good luck, you will be fine. '

If you get worried about whether you can do it, come and read up on us on the "Over 50's and 60's" thread........

In Italy you might see a house advertised with a hot tub and indoor swimming pool which would mean you have hot and cold running water to the house, and if it is advertised as a 4 bedroom house it maybe a house with 2 bedrooms partitioned in the middle with a sheet and a house with 2 bathrooms could mean a house with one bathroom in the house and the other at the community center.

Maybe not quite that bad here John, but there is definitely poetic licence going on with the photography!! Out of focus, far away, standing on a chair to make the room look bigger and wider, you get the picture.

That made me LOL!

The same exaggerations are often made with hotel rooms.