House Hunting
In Nigeria, the hardest part about finding accommodation is the money to pay the rent. However, over the past couple of weeks, I've learnt that in the UK, things a different.
We've been talking to a lot of landlords and agents in the UK, trying to get a place to stay and I must say, it's been really hectic. The requirements to rent a house go far beyond simply having money to pay for the rent.
I haven't even dipped my toe in the country but I'm already dealing with culture shock and it's not nice. Landlords and agents are very reluctant to even talk with you immediately they find out you're not in the country and this is despite the fact that you're willing to sort out the transfers through international payment solutions.
When we wanted to get a place in Kaduna, we simply contacted an agent, he took us there, we were asked a few questions and the next day, we moved into the house. It was a process that took three days to complete and frankly speaking, even if we weren't in Kaduna at the time, it would probably have taken the same time frame, as long as we had the money to pay for it.
For the UK, it almost feels like a job application. The landlords and agents we've been contacting aren't exactly enthused about the fact that we're willing to pay instantly.
When money is not the issue, it's always philosophical issues that go beyond the surface. In any case, we're still trying and hoping for the best.
Close to home
Even if we don't get a place for ourselves, we still have the option of staying with one of my best mates. He's staying in London and while it's three hours away from Nottingham, it's at least a place to lay our head when we arrive.
I think the main issue about finding a place is the fact that we're not around to look at the house by ourselves. Assuming we were there physically, we'd probably have gotten a place.
We have a guy helping us do viewing of apartments and well, all I can say is if you want to do something right, you have to do it yourself. It's not ideal but he's doing his best with the constraints and I hope he manages to close a deal as soon as possible.
I lived in brighton for a year, remember the hustling to get a flat. I lived in a youthhostel for about two weeks till I found a place to stay :)
All the best!
Greez
!BEER 🍺
View or trade
BEER.Hey @belemo, here is a little bit of
BEERfrom @sandymeyer for you. Enjoy it!Learn how to earn FREE BEER each day by staking your
BEER.The small the town the better the rates but i don't envy anyone trying to rent in the uk at the moment it a money nightmare
You will get it resolved for sure! Where there is a will, there is a way!
Im excited for you making this life leap! Wishing you much thrive on this journey!
Thanks for the encouragement. We finally got a place that we'll stay in for at least 6 months.
It is not easy as the agents are working for the owners and they select the right applicant they feel is the safest. Not having any track record in the UK will be a problem as you are deemed outsiders and a risk. We struggled and I am British because we had no previous history in the UK. I suppose you have tp put yourself in their shoes and don't blame them really. You need some type of income like a pay slip showing you are reliable and not a risk and without it you are limited. When you have 20 people wanting the same property they choose the best candidates and they will all have credit history in the UK.
It's looking like we've finally secured a place. We sorted out the deposit yesterday and when we're in the UK, we'll complete the process.
That is good news and you are seriously lucky.
What type of visa did you guys manage to get?
It’s not surprising that people are reluctant to do this stuff over the phone. A lot of people have their scam bells ringing when these things occur, sadly for good reason these days. I’m glad you’ve got a friend you can stay with for at least a night or two when you get there!
Yeah. Really happy about that because that's going to save us a lot of stress and money.