Brian Page takes a look at some spacious family homes for rent in York and the surrounding area.

Now, to my mind, if you are going to rent a family home it should be just like buying one – it should have all the things you really want, including lots of space so that (so-called) grown-ups never have to meet their kith and kin if they don’t want to.

And yet have nice spaces for all the family to get together when they actually feel like talking to one another.

And here’s one that really fits the bill. It is on the books of Letters of Distinction, a grand, sprawling place in Bishopthorpe Road, York. The agents call it ‘deceptively spacious’ although, as far as I can see there is nothing deceptive about the huge amount of space on offer.

It is a newly refurbished four double bedroomed Victorian town house which has a recently fitted kitchen with integrated fridge/freezer, electric oven, hob and extractor fan; utility area with plumbing for a washing machine and tumble dryer.

There are two large reception rooms, one with a feature fireplace. The bedrooms are all double sized with the master room of excellent proportions. The family bathroom includes a bath and two wash hand basins, there is a separate WC and two additional shower rooms. Gas central heating warms the place and natural decoration makes it all nice and cosy. “Viewing is highly recommended,” say the Letters of Distinction team. The rental is £1,150pcm.

Another spacious family home is offered by Arena Letting. This one is a spacious three bedroomed detached house in Orrin Close, close to the outer ring road, the A64 and the A59 (good for commuter routes, then). It has a hallway, lounge/diner, a large kitchen and the added advantage of study/playroom. Rear garden and driveway parking wrap it all up, the rental is £895pcm.

Stephensons, meanwhile, can offer a couple of family favourites. The first is in Rainsborough Way at Clifton, very much a young family spot close to Clifton Moor and the ring road (and not that far from the city centre either).

It has been extended in recent times and now offers a spacious lounge/dining room and a fitted kitchen to the ground floor and then two double bedrooms and a family bathroom to the first floor with a master bedroom (with en-suite) and a fourth bedroom on the top floor. Gardens and a car parking space complete the picture for which the rental is £850pcm.

The second Stephensons offering is in Hall Park, Heslington, a spacious, individual detached house close to the university and science park.

Offered unfurnished, it has a a hallway and cloakroom, an L-shaped lounge and dining area and a study. Upstairs there are four bedrooms and a bathroom. Gardens and garage here, for a rental of £1,000pcm.

And we finish with a couple of out-of-town properties from Linley and Simpson. The first is in Brandsby Hall Cottages at, erm, Brandsby. This is a lovely unfurnished cottage just outside what is a very pretty village around 30 minutes drive from York.

Here you will find a lounge with open fire, kitchen with oven, hob and fridge, pantry with space and plumbing for a washing machine, a dining room with a wood burning stove, three double bedrooms, one single bedroom and a bathroom.

Nice garden to enoy the country atmosphere in.. for a rental of £750pcm.

And finally out to the village of Skelton, on the edge of York, where we find Rosedale, in Church Lane, a five bedroomed detached house with a huge amount of space and character on offer.

The sitting room has log burner, the kitchen a range cooker and dishwasher and a utility room with plumbing for washing machine, There is a separare dining room, a family room, conservatory and ground floor shower room (as we said, lots of room to romp around in).

To the first floor there is a master bedroom with en-suite bathroom, three further double bedrooms, a single bedroom and a house bathroom. Double garage and gardens to the front and rear complete the picture. The rental is £1,450pcm.