The adventure of finding accommodation.

My journey started on the 13th September 2010. I went to London by airplane and spent the first two nights in a hotel room. I was very naive and thought I will find a place to rent quite quickly, but apparantly that was not the case. I spent about 3 other nights in a hostel. The ladies of the hotel could not book a room for us since
everything was fully booked because of the fashion week in London. The only thing they could do for us, is to keep our luggage safe in their hotel. We only spent the
nights in the hostels and the afternoons on the street in order to find accommodation.

We found an agency which took 60 Pounds from us to look for a place. (This agency has a database of landlords) I used their services for one day, but soon I found out that their offers are not good enough. I soon decided to go back to an agency in Pimlico and take the bedsit that was available. At first, I did not want the room because the contract is valid for 6 months, while I am only staying here till half January. My friend and I decided to sign the 6 month contract and rent the remaining two months to tourists or other students, we thought this is a great plan since the accommodation is located in a very ideal location. We paid the 180 deposit and signed the contract, all we had to wait for were the confirmation of the landlord and the council tax papers. After everything was accepted, I had to pay another 1500 pounds deposit. (This is the first month rent + 3 months rent deposit). After I had signed the papers, I decided not to go back to the hostel where we were. The people were very nice and I am still in touch with them, but when it comes to hygiene... Then it is sure a bad place to be. (Mice in the bedrooms etc. I also don't like to stay in such places, because I am a person that gets disgusted by things very quickly).

Luckily enough, my father had some sort of a friend here in London which I didn't know about. I called this person and he told me that I could stay at his place with his family as long as I wanted. I went to his place and stayed there from Thursday till Monday. He's around the age of 40/45 and is happily married. He has 4 children. A boy of 13, twin daughters of 6 and a young son of 5 years old. Since we don't speak the same language, I had to speak English all the time with the children. I managed to create a great bond with the family and they did their best (and are still doing it) to let me feel as if I am part of their family.

As soon as I got out on monday, I went to the real estate agency in order to get my keys for my room. When I arrived there, they told me that the papers are still NOT
ready and that I had to wait for their phonecall, which could wait for another few days. He gave us the options to either wait for the availability of the room or to get our deposit of 180 pounds back. It took me an hour to decide wether I will take my money back or not. I chose to get my money back and made him aware of my decision. As soon as I told him about my decision, he told me it is not possible to get it back, because the landlord doesn't agree with that and apparantly, the room was ready when I told him about my decision. That was according to his collegeau which we spoke to in private. According to him, it wasn't ready. That made me more furios and because of that I decided not to take the room anymore, since I did not want to deal with them anymore.

I got in touch with my father's friend and on the same day he told me about a place where I could stay. It was at his friend's place and the rent is 50 pounds a week in
Finsbury Park (Zone 2). I went to that place and found out that the persons I have to live with are Italian and an Iraqi. Both are friendly men, somewhere in their thirties and they are almost never at home, which gives me much of my privacy when I am at home.

In order to get this great deal, I had to spend 240 pounds which I lost to agencies.



Tomorrow evening, you will witness another post. Its subject will be about how I found my job and what my experiences are up until now.