How are different houses described in England?

London’s residential landscape is becoming a skyscape amid the construction of new-build apartment blocks this century. Despite their grand stature, these modern developments don’t dominate the residential scene. From Victorian, Edwardian and interwar period properties to contemporary constructions, houses – many of which have been converted into flats – still define London’s housing stock.

When you start your London property search, you will discover that the swathe of houses for rent is divided into three categories depending on their construction: terraced, semi-detached and detached. To avoid any confusion when you research potential properties, here’s a quick explanation of each:

What you’ll learn in this quick guide

• The differences between terraced, semi-detached and detached houses.
• Typical areas each type of housing can be found.
• FAQ’s about the Simply London home search service.

Terraced house

A terraced house refers to a style of housing where individual homes are built in a continuous row. It shares side walls (known as party walls) with the houses on either side, while an end-of-terrace house typically shares one party wall. This design maximises the use of space, making it a common design in densely populated urban areas.

Common features:

• All the houses on the terrace look similar or identical, creating a uniform street appearance.
• A narrow front, making them compact.
• Two to four storeys tall, with living spaces and bedrooms spread across different floors.
• Small back gardens or yards, and sometimes small front yards.

This type of housing became popular during the Industrial Revolution in Britain, as it allowed for efficient housing construction in expanding cities. Terraced houses remain a prevalent and iconic feature of London’s architecture – from small Victorian two-up two-down terraced houses in traditional working-class areas of East London to grand Georgian terraces around Canonbury and Barnsbury in north London.

Semi-detached house

A semi-detached house is a single building that’s divided into two separate homes, sharing a party wall on one side and free-standing on the other. These two homes are typically mirror images of each other in design and layout, though they can vary in appearance.

This type of housing is common in suburban areas and more affordable than fully detached houses, while still providing some of the privacy and space advantages of a standalone property. Each home typically has a garden or backyard, driveway, entrance and sometimes a garage.

Semi-detached houses tend to be more common in the outer boroughs of London, beyond travel Zone 3, where there is more space for larger homes and gardens.

Detached house

A detached house is a standalone property that does not share any walls with neighbouring houses and is usually set within its own plot of land, offering more privacy compared to semi-detached or terraced houses.

Because they are large independent structures, often with private gardens, a driveway and a garage, detached houses tend to be more expensive. These spacious properties are typically found in affluent suburban areas, such as the London Borough of Richmond Upon Thames which has the most houses with four bedrooms or above in London.

How Simply London can help

• Get recommendations for the best London neighbourhoods for you.
• Get matched with homes that suit your needs and budget.
• Not able to view properties in person? We’ll arrange video tours and even inspect the property on your behalf.
• Pet-friendly home searches available.
• Easy contracts: we negotiate your contract and guide you through your rental agreement.
• Service delivered by a dedicated London-based Property Expert.

Speak with one of our experts today!

We’ve helped so many people relocate and settle into their new home in London, find out what some of them have to say about our services here.

FAQ’s about the home search service

• Do you have access to off-market properties? We sometimes do, but most rental properties are advertised online and publicly. We can sometimes access rental properties shortly before they are advertised, if we have already started a search for a client, and the estate agent knows what we are looking for on behalf of our client.
• What is your added value compared to searching on Rightmove and Zoopla? We benefit from the relationships we have built with the largest estate agents in London. In a very competitive market, with several tenants interested in the same property, this can give our clients a major advantage in securing the home of their choice.
• What happens if we don’t find anything that we like? It does happen – after a whole series of viewings, nothing suitable has appeared, or, even worse, the offer on the property of your choice has been rejected. Since our home search fees are fixed, we cannot offer an unlimited search. However, we are usually happy to set up a few additional viewings for you, within the original search criteria.

Article updated 6th November 2024