London Living Services Hub

A handyman in London typically charges between £30 and £50 per hour, with a minimum call-out of one to two hours. Larger or specialist jobs — such as structural repairs or full flat refurbishments — are usually quoted as a fixed day rate of £200 to £350.

Painting a two-bedroom flat in London typically costs between £1,500 and £3,000 including walls, ceilings and woodwork. Costs rise with ceiling height, ornate period detailing, and the quality of paint specified.

A standard two-bedroom flat takes two to five working days for a professional team, depending on the number of coats, the condition of the existing surfaces, and whether doors and skirting require preparation and repainting.

An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) for a typical London flat costs between £150 and £250. Remedial works identified in the report are quoted separately, and the certificate is valid for five years.

A boiler should be serviced once a year by a Gas Safe registered engineer to keep it safe, efficient, and within warranty. A standard boiler service in London costs £80 to £120, and is also a requirement of most landlord insurance policies.

Residential conveyancing in London typically takes 8 to 12 weeks from offer acceptance to completion. Leasehold purchases, chains, and new-build transactions can extend this to 12–16 weeks. Searches and lender processing are the most common causes of delay.

A Section 21 no-fault eviction requires two months' notice to the tenant, after which a possession order can be sought from the court. The full process typically takes three to six months, and longer if a court hearing is contested or enforcement by bailiffs is required.

For a London property you will typically need a minimum deposit of 5% to 10% of the purchase price, although the most competitive mortgage rates are available at 25% or more. On a £500,000 flat, a 10% deposit means £50,000, plus stamp duty, legal fees and moving costs.

Landlord insurance in London typically costs £150 to £300 per year for buildings cover, with contents and rent-guarantee add-ons increasing the premium. Higher-risk postcodes, flats above commercial premises, and HMO properties are quoted higher.

A professionally installed, monitored alarm system in London costs £300 to £600 for installation, plus a £25 to £45 monthly monitoring subscription. Manned guarding and access-control systems are quoted per site based on hours and staffing requirements.

A two-bedroom flat move within London typically costs £500 to £1,200, depending on distance, volume, access, and whether packing and disassembly services are required. Premium white-glove and fine-art moves are quoted higher.

A four-camera home CCTV system in London costs £400 to £1,500 installed, with remote-viewing smart systems at the upper end. Ongoing cloud storage and professional monitoring are typically £10 to £30 per month.

A full-time nanny in London typically earns £40,000 to £60,000 gross per year, or £15 to £20 net per hour for part-time care. Additional costs include tax, National Insurance, and any agency placement fees.

A full deep clean of a two-bedroom London flat costs £150 to £400, depending on condition, appliances included, and whether carpet or oven cleaning is required. End-of-tenancy cleans are priced similarly and are often a deposit condition.

Architect fees for a London home extension are typically 7% to 12% of the build cost, or £3,000 to £8,000 for drawings and planning submission on a typical single-storey extension. Full project management services cost more.

An interior designer in London charges £50 to £150 per hour, or a fixed fee of £2,000 to £10,000 per room for full design, sourcing, and styling. Premium practices with procurement and project management charge a percentage of the overall budget.

Professional garden landscaping in London typically costs £3,000 to £15,000, depending on size, hard landscaping, planting, and drainage. Small courtyard or terrace makeovers start lower, while full garden redesigns with lighting and irrigation cost more.

A RICS Home Survey in London costs £400 to £1,500 depending on the survey level and property size. A Level 2 HomeBuyer Report is £400–£700, while a full Level 3 Building Survey on a larger period property is £800–£1,500.

An emergency locksmith call-out in London costs £70 to £150 depending on the time of day, with lock replacement or security upgrades quoted separately. Always confirm the total price before the work begins to avoid unexpected charges.

Skip hire in London costs £150 to £400 depending on size (4 to 12 yards) and whether a permit is required for placement on a public road. A licensed waste-clearance team for a house clearance is typically £250 to £600.

Selling fees for a London property are typically 1% to 3% plus VAT of the sale price, with high-street agents often charging a fixed fee. On a £700,000 sale at 1.5% plus VAT, expect to pay around £12,600 including VAT.