Flats or Houses to rent or buy in the City of London

For specific information on this borough, or to contact individual departments please click here to visit their website.

City of London: http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

In General:
The London boroughs are administrative centres responsible for collecting local taxes (Council Tax and Business Rates) and then spending the funds received on local services. They are run by Borough Councils who are elected by borough residents on a four year cycle. The totals that they spend will depend on the rates of tax that they levy plus funds allocated from central government and other sources.

While many of the services (schools, roads, planning, rubbish collection and social services) are standard, levels of provision will vary according to the overall political will as expressed by the voters.

Your tax liability (as a resident) will be based on the council tax band of your home. These bands are set by Valuation Officers and there is scope for appeal. The rate bands are then used to determine the amounts of tax levied. So, while the bands will remain largely constant the levels of tax can go up and, in theory, down.

You may claim discounts or exemptions based on your circumstances. For example, as the only adult in a property you can get a 25% reduction on your bill. Other reductions are available for qualifying second adults and Council Tax Benefit claimants.

There is more information available at the HM Customs & Excise website.

The heart of the capital and one of the biggest financial centres in the world, the City of London may not spring to mind first when in search of a London home. The city is still primarily commercial, stocked with tall glass fronted buildings from every side and shops and bars that bustle with the nine-to-five yet lie deserted at the weekend. In reality the city has undergone a renaissance in its role as a residential borough over the past decade. Office blocks and warehouses have been converted into smart new apartments as developers respond to government pressure to build on previously used inner city sites. Popular with busy city workers eager to avoid the hassle of a long commute, the city's role as a home seems assured for the future.