Zoopla users will also have access to 50,000 potential flatmates who are registered with EasyRoommate, and for those who use the Zoopla website, they’re now able to register with EasyRoommate for free and look for rooms to rent in a flat or house share.

James Johnson, of bicycle auction website Going Going Bike, agrees on the inconvenience of bike-unfriendly accommodation: “It’s a real shame when you can’t store your bike in your flat. We find this leads a lot of people to sell their second hand bikes on our site rather than risk leaving them outside at night. Going Going Bike encourages all landlords to allow tenants to bring their bikes into flats, it’s only a bit of mud!”

Following the survey, which saw 53% of those living in a London flatshare in want of bike storage on the property, EasyRoommate has introduced options that allow flat-seekers to choose properties with bicycle storage and for landlords to advertise that their properties already have bike storage. In the two months following this introduction, 21% of London landlords have responded to the demand from cyclist tenants for storage, leaving London now 2% above the national average but still 9% lower than Liverpool, the city with highest cycle-friendly accommodation house and flat-shares.

In London, central areas like Islington, Camden and Southwark have the highest demand for cycle-friendly accommodation at 33%, 28% and 27% respectively because of the easier cycling distance from here into central London and the City. Cycling from zone one areas like these can save £100 a month on season tickets, not to mention time in avoiding delays on the tube and traffic during rush hour.

Liverpool on the other hand is the most bike-friendly city in England and Wales, while Leicester has the most landlords (at 17%) who offer bike storage at their properties. Cambridge and Oxford were the most unsafe cities in England and Wales, with more accidents per population head than anywhere else, although this is likely to reflect the larger cyclist populations.

With the introduction of London’s Cycle Hire Scheme earlier this year, it’ll hopefully encourage bike use in London and a rise of cycle-friendly house shares in the future.

She wanted to move to another flatshare that was more spacious and closer to work.

• How long have you been living in the UK? It’s been 5 years I live in London now. I work in the same restaurant since the beginning, I’m now a manager!
• Why did you come and live here? I’m from Marseilles, so I’m definitely a city person! I wanted to improve my english level and discover new experiences and new trends here in London!
• Why did you choose the flatshare option for your accommodation? When I came in UK I didn’t know anyone. I think flatsharing was a good option to be aware of the british way of life, to meet native speakers and make some good friends! In addition to that, London is a quite expensive city, it was a good means to save money!
• According to your previous experiences, which advice would you give to someone who wants to start flatsharing? First, don’t be afraid of living with people from other countries if you don’t speak their language: it will be a perfect start to speak english everyday! Second, try to have a strict organisation with your flatmates to pay the bills and common spendings! Then, never take the initiative to bleach your laundry when your flatmate’s favourite dress still remains into the washing machine…
• Where did you find all the tips to live in England?
  I visited a website called expat-etudiant.fr. I found very interesting tips about the way of life, but also flatsharing, jobs, and many useful general information!

Video: Flat hunting by Daisy Steiner (Jessica Hynes) in Spaced, british comedy.

What are you looking for? from Easyroommate on Vimeo.