What are some lesser known things to look out for when looking for an apartment?

Ok so I apologise in advance because I think you may be disappointed by British housing 😂 our historically mild climate has made us very shit at building houses. For some reason we just sort of accept it.  Some issues with the worst housing are damp / mould and bad insulation - so they are very cold. This is particularly common in houses or houses converted into flats. You can ask specifically about any issues and also ask for the buildings “energy rating” (this should be included on the advert) - that’s quite a good indicator for how cold / damp it will be. More modern blocks of flats are warmer, dryer and often have more security. But do be careful of service charges in flat blocks - these can be extortionate and often aren’t included in the rent. Specifically ask for details of any planned increases in chargers or upcoming works. Red flags for service charge hikes are if they need to change their cladding and if they have a pool or gym. Also ask what council tax band you will be in so you can take that into account. Depending on how long you are staying your address also dictates what school your child will go to so worth a quick check that there are good ones in your catchment (estate agents will tell you this if you ask then you can google the school and look for the ofsted rating). You can also ask the estate agent if there have been previous noise complaints from current tenants and you can look up crime stats by area (even street). If at all possible I would look to do a short term apartment rental for a month or two before committing but appreciate moving twice could be a real headache.  Try expat communities for advice too!