THIS week we asked our lettings agents if they could find us a smart family home, somewhere with space to breathe.

We weren’t disappointed with the response – starting at the top end of the market with an absolutely fabulous home on the books of Linley and Simpson.

South Lodge, in thevillage of Bilbrough is a luxurious six-bedroomed detached house.

The style starts at ground level where we have a lounge with an open fireplace, a dining room with wood-burning stove and a dining kitchen opening to a conservatory which, in turn, leads to a flagged rear terrace. There’s also a utility room and a cloakroom.

On the first floor you will find five double bedrooms, the master and a guest room both with en-suite shower rooms, a house bathroom and a steam room.

The top floor has a cinema room and a study (or extra bedroom).

Entertainment, in fact, is very much on the books here as the whole house is fitted with a Control4 home entertainment and automation system.

Top class property, then, wrapped up with an integral garage, garden and two driveways. Luxury, of course, does not come cheap. L&S are offering South Lodge at rental of £2,500pcm.

If that is a little too rich for your tastes, fret not because we have a good selection of other family-friendly properties.

Reeds Rains have a lovely house on Heworth Green, York. Refurbished to a high standard, including a newly-installed central heating system, double glazing and refitted bathroom and kitchen, you’re going to be very comfortable here, too.

This is a home with a spacious entrance hallway off which there is a bay-windowed sitting room before you are led through to a delightful open plan kitchen with dining and family areas. The kitchen itself has a good range of wall and base units and an integral oven and hob while the family area has French doors opening to the patio and large lawned garden.

Sleeping arrangements are taken care of by three bedrooms while there is beautiful, newly refitted house bathroom with bath and separate shower cubicle.

“Must view,” say Reed Rains who have set a rental of £1,150pcm.

Here’s another home just a short walk from town, in the shape of a smart traditional semi-detached house in Hull Road, York. (which is also ideal for the university and could be offered to sharers or students, say the agents Letters Ltd.) Which will explain the layout, perhaps, where you have a bedroom and a shower room on the ground floor, along with a sitting room and modern extended fitted kitchen.

Upstairs there are two double bedrooms and a three-quarter bedroom (so sharers will be drawing lots) along with a bathroom. Equally laid out to suit a family or sharers, this one is offered by Letters Ltd at a rental of £1,300pcm.

Sorry but no students considered for the next home, which is also on the books of Letters Ltd. This is recently decorated detached house in Milton Carr, Rawcliffe. Highlights include a good-sized lounge and a dining kitchen with electric oven and gas hob, fridge-freezer and washing machine included (although the rest of the house is unfurnished).

There are three bedrooms and a house bathroom. Outside there is a paved rear garden with border areas and a water feature. The rental is £850pcm (and while it’s no students a pet would be considered here).

Our next choice is in Roseberry Grove. Recently refurbished and offered unfurnished, it has an entrance lobby leading to a living room with focal fire setting and then on to a dining area overlooking the private rear garden. The totally re-done kitchen has new units and appliances including oven and hob, fridge-freezer, dishwasher and washing machine.

There is a further sitting room (or double bedroom) to the first floor while upstairs there is a master bedroom with en-suite shower room, another double bedroom and a single and a house bathroom. Outside there are easily maintained gardens. and a private driveway for off-street parking. This home is offered by Letters of Distinction at a rental of £950pcm.

Now, back to the villages, firstly to Dunnington, where we find an excellent family home in York Road on the books of Hudson Moody. On offer here is a bright, light living room and a kitchen diner with French doors leading to the rear garden and a utility room off. The first floor has a large master bedroom and two further bedrooms and a smart modern bathroom.

Outside you have a rear garden with Indian stone flagged patio. This home is offered by Hudson Moody at a rental of £825pcm.

And finally, another village property, this one in Keble Park North, in the highly popular Bishopthorpe. Sitting in a quiet cul-de-sac, this is a modern home which blends contemporary with some nice character touches. In the living room, for instance, there are wooden floors and a feature electric fire while the well-equipped dining kitchen has French doors out to the rear, enclosed, lawned garden. To the first floor are two double bedrooms, both with built-in storage, and a third single bedroom, all served by a smart family bathroom.

Ashtons are offering this family home at a rental of £850pcm.