Marsh & Parsons

Area Profile - Brook Green Lettings

What's for rent in Brook Green?

Marsh & Parsons is one of the premier lettings agents in the Brook Green and Hammersmith areas of West London. Headed by Lettings Manager Anna Morley, the Marsh & Parsons' Brook Green office offers studios, one bedroom flats and family homes to rent with prices starting from £250 a week and rising to £5,000 a week for a luxurious home on the river at Chiswick Mall.

Marsh & Parsons covers not only Brook Green and Hammersmith, but has property to let in Shepherd's Bush, Chiswick, Barons Court, Kensington Olympia, Brackenbury and the up and coming area of White City. "We have a lot of expat tenants from France, Italy and Spain," says Anna, who has been an estate agent in the area for more than six years. "They are attracted by the local schools. Most of them are on contract with City firms and they like the excellent transport links in the area."

"Hammersmith has the highest concentration of public schools in the capital, including St Paul's, Godolphine and Latymer, as well the hugely popular French Lycee," says Anna. "There are also excellent state and faith schools nearby, such as St Mary's Roman Catholic primary, St Peter's primary and Brackenbury Primary School, which was described by Ofsted inspectors as having outstanding features."

For boutiques, there's Oliver Bonas on Shepherds Bush Road W6, which sells candles, clocks, clothes and jewellery; Innes & Innes on Blythe Road W14 is a stunning interiors shop; and Shepherds Bush Market W12 has been selling everything from fish to fabrics since 1914.

The transport links are superb, with the A4 and M4 taking drivers West to Heathrow or East into central London. Bus links are also first-class, but it is the three Tube lines that run from Hammersmith – the Piccadilly, District and Hammersmith & City – that are a big draw for commuters. Mainline trains and the Central Line also run from Kensington Olympia and Shepherds Bush respectively.

The range of property to let is as diverse as the people who live here – from French expats with children at the Lycee to wealthy families living in the big houses on the Green and the palatial riverside properties at Chiswick Mall.

As one of the premier estate agents letting homes in the W6 and W14 areas, Marsh & Parsons prides itself on its local know how. From the best schools in the area to the finest boutiques, bars and restaurants and the cost of a resident's parking permit, estate agents at Marsh & Parsons have their finger firmly on the local pulse.

So, what will you get for your money in Brook Green?

For tenants looking for a home in a portered mansion block, such as Latymer Court W14, a one-bedroom flat will cost from £200 a week and a two-bedroom apartment ranges from £300 to £400, but rents have risen dramatically in the past 12 months as more people discover the benefits of life in this corner of West London. Houses on the river or on the green at Brook Green Village will cost from £2,000 a week and beyond.

The office also has flats and houses to let in Shepherds Bush W12 which are extremely popular with young sharers.

"They can expect to pay between £550 and £600 a week for a four-bedroom house near Loftus Road W12, the home of Queen's Park Rangers football club," says Anna.

Estate agents working for the office speak many languages and Marsh & Parsons advertises extensively in French speaking publications. "When we recruit staff we are actively looking for people who can speak other languages besides English," says Anna.

What else can you expect from Brook Green?

The area has changed dramatically in the past decade and where there were once shabby shopping parades, there are now smart boutiques, pavement cafés and bistros. Nearby, White City is being transformed into one of the largest and classiest shopping centres in Europe with high-class retailers, such as Chanel, taking space there. The political landscape has changed, too. The area was once a Labour stronghold, but the influx of wealthy families – particularly those working in the City – has swung the vote in favour of the Conservatives. The area also has its fair share of big employers, including Coca-Cola, Disney, Innocent Smoothies, Bectel and the Youngs Brewery.

There's plenty to do outside working hours and the area is blessed with some of the best venues in London, including Shepherds Bush Empire, Hammersmith Palais and the Lyric Theatre. There are several gyms, cycle routes along the river and Grand Union Canal, miles of walks along the Thames Path National Trail and boats for hire on the river. If all that's making you thirsty there are plenty of popular pubs – Dick Turpin was a regular at The Queen's Head, which has a wonderful beer garden and first-class food. For more formal dining, there is Chez Kristof on Hammersmith Grove, Snows on the Green on Shepherds Bush Road and Pope's Eye Steak House on Blythe Road W14, which serves the biggest and juiciest steaks you'll ever set eyes on.

The Uxbridge Road W12 is also changing for the better and has been likened to Portobello Road 20 years ago, with smart coffee shops, bars and independent boutiques.

Borough: Hammersmith and Fulham.

Best thing: Easy to get into town, easy to get out.