House hunting in London!

I learned a few things while I was looking for an apartment in London. I was one of the fortunate ones to have fallen in love at the first sight! I took the first apartment I saw. Therefore, my knowledge is limited. However, whatever I have, I am sharing it.
Be aware that I take no responsibility if you suffer negative repercussions due to following my advice. You are a smart person – and you know better than trusting me! ;)

1.
While looking for the house
1. Keep away from those who charge money for getting you an apartment. It is usually the landlord who pays it. You can find enough people who will help you out for costs limited to agreement, inventory taking and other minor costs of few hundred pounds
2. Go for reputed agents with established offices in brick and mortar located in London city – preferably many
3. If you see a pretty picture on the internet, be ready to be disappointed. Price is a fair indicator of quality
4. Try to get a managed property It makes life easier. They will have their electricity, plumbing and other staff
5. If you work 14 hours a day, get a place next to your work. You can always cab it to cool places when you get time to go there. Mostly you'll just come home and crash Why waste time in commute?
6. Try to get some sunlight. As you know, sunlight is necessary for metabolism
7. Get a place with a porter Life becomes so much better!
2.
While entering the house
1. Bargain hard Start with 15-20% rent reduction. I know a lot of people who achieved that
2. Get an agreement break clause inserted in your agreement. I know a gentleman who had to pay £6,000 to get out of an apartment he couldn't live in. I got one inserted in my agreement for ability to get out after 6 months with one month's notice. I think you can negotiate it better
3. Don't trust the inventory taken by professional inventory takers. They had missed a rotten bathroom floor and sever scratch marks in my apartment. Fortunately, I got a brainwave and I took photographs of everything as soon as I entered, and emailed the managing agency the same day. This has helped me avoid not only future disputes, but convince them to fix problems today
4. Be there when they are cleaning the house. You don't want to deal with later
5. Check out all the electrical equipment! All you need to do is to switch it on
6. Make sure that the landlord has given you manuals for every piece of equipment that requires a manual in the house
7. Make sure the furniture is not broken, and unless you are a cat, lighting is working
3.
After you have entered the house
1. You have to get a license to own a TV here!! Talk about license permit Raj! However, you can call up the TV licensing authority and tell them you don't intend to use TV if you don't intend to.
2. Internet takes a while to get connected (months?) Get a USB based wireless in the interiml It works pretty well!
3.
Some of the expenses I ran into after I entered the apartment
1. New BT line (installation charge £100) required to get an internet
2. Higher unit cost electricity charges (to which the apartment was defaulted after the last tenant left)
3. Internet installation (TBD – I expect only monthly charges)
4. Council tax (£1,000 per year)
5. Steam cleaning of carpet, sofa and curtains (TBD)