C7.9 Common Rental Terminology

What does PCM mean when you occasionally see it in UK rental listings?

PCM is actually an abbreviation of an English full name—any words starting with P, C, and M can be abbreviated this way. However, in UK rentals, PCM stands for Per Calendar Month, which means "per calendar month" in Chinese.

There is a slight difference between "Per Calendar Month" (calendar month) and "Per Month" (per month). A calendar month refers to the months specified on the calendar, such as January, February, March, etc. Meanwhile, "per month" can mean a 30-day period starting from a specific date—for example, from January 11th to February 11th as one month, then February 11th to March 11th as the next, and so on.

The Chinese meaning of the word "cyberchondriac" in the picture is "an internet hypochondriac"—someone who uses medical knowledge or answers searched online to judge their own symptoms. In severe cases, they may even firmly believe online content, leading them to question professional doctors’ diagnoses in real life

一、主要事项

英文	中文
Letting / Estate Agent	租赁中介	代表房东处理租房事宜。 例句： "I found this flat through a letting agent."
Landlord / Landlady	房东	房产所有者。
Tenant	租客	例句： "All tenants must   sign the contract."
Guarantor	担保人	通常是为学生或收入不足者提供担保的英国本地居民。
HMO (House in Multiple Occupation)	合租房	指至少3个非同一家庭的租客合住的物业，法规更严。
Studio	开间	卧室、客厅、厨房在同一开放空间的公寓。
Flat (Apartment)	公寓	英国更常用 Flat。
House Share	合租房屋	租用一所房子里的一个房间，共用公共区域。

二、 费用与财务

英文	中文含义	说明与例句
Rent	租金	例句： "The rent is   £800 PCM (Per Calendar Month)."
Deposit	押金	通常为4-5周租金。依法必须存入保护计划。
Holding Deposit	订金	为预留房子支付的定金（通常为一周租金）。
Bills	账单	总称，包括水电网等。 例句： "Is the price bills included?"
Council Tax	市政税	由住户缴纳的地方税，全日制学生可免。
Utilities	水电燃气费	指水、电、燃气。
Tenancy Deposit Scheme	押金保护计划	法律要求，保护租客押金的第三方机构。

三、 房屋设施与状态

英文	中文含义	说明与例句
Furnished	带家具	通常包含床、沙发、桌椅、衣柜等基本家具。
Unfurnished	不带家具	在英国，通常包含冰箱、洗衣机等大型电器。
Part-furnished	部分带家具	只提供基本几件家具。
Double Glazing	双层玻璃	非常重要！关系到保暖和隔音。
Central Heating	中央供暖	例句： "Does the property   have gas central heating?"
EPC (Energy Performance Certificate)	能效证书	法律规定必须有，评估房屋能耗。
Inventory	物品清单	入住时最重要文件， 详细记录房屋状况和所有物品，附有照片。

四、 合同与法律

英文	中文含义	说明与例句
Contract / Tenancy Agreement	租房合同	务必仔细阅读。
AST (Assured Shorthold Tenancy)	最常见合同类型	assured shorthold tenancy，保障短期租赁。
Fixed Term	固定租期	通常为6或12个月。
Break Clause	中止条款	允许在固定租期结束前提前解约的条款。 例句： "Is there a 6-month break clause?"
Notice Period	通知期	计划搬离时需提前通知的时间（如1个月）。
Reference Check	背景审查	中介会检查你的信用记录、前房东评价等。

 

英国租房时常见的词语意思

Accredited landlord – a member of a scheme that trains and supports landlords to understand the law and treat tenants fairly.

Appliances – things like cookers, fridges, freezers, vacuum cleaners or irons.

Assured shorthold tenancy – when you rent a property:
● that is private (not a business)
● that is your main home
● where the landlord doesn't live.

Carbon monoxide – a dangerous gas that gas boilers, open fires or log burners give off if they are not working properly.

Code of practice – a guide that says how people who do a certain job should behave and keep to the law.

Deposit – when you pay money to promise to do something. For example, to rent a flat or keep to the tenancy agreement. You usually get this back.

Deposit protection scheme – the way that your landlord must make sure your deposit money is safe and ready to give back when your tenancy ends.

Energy Performance Certificate – a report that says how much it costs to heat and run a house.

Fixtures and fittings - Fixtures are things like cupboards that are attached. Fittings are hung up like pictures or mirrors and might not be included in a rented home.

Guarantor - someone who agrees to pay the rent and for any damage if you do not pay.

Holding deposit – money you pay the landlord to hold the property for you and not rent it to anyone else, which you can then get back.

Insurance – when you pay money to a company who pay to replace things that are lost, stolen or damaged.

Landlord – the person who owns the room, flat or house.

Letting agent - letting agents work for the landlord and collect rent and other money from you.

Licence – permission to do something as long as you keep to any rules or laws and behave properly.

Lodger – someone who pays to live in your home with you.

Give notice – tell someone officially a date you want to do something.

Property – something that belongs to a person. The landlord's property is the house, flat or room that you rent.

Redress scheme - an organisation that can sort out problems between you and the letting agent or landlord.

Responsibilities - things you must do.

Rights – things that must happen for you.

Rolling tenancy – a tenancy that does not end on a set date.

Scam – when someone cheats you out of money.

Smart meter – a meter that records how much electricity you use and sends it straight to the company, they can help you save money.

Section 21 – a notice from your landlord that they want you to leave by a set date.

Tenancy – an agreement between the landlord who owns the room, flat or house and the tenant who rents it.

Tenant – the person who rents the room, flat or house.