By Jeffrey Yeung
Having a great time at the university halls? Maybe it is time to think about where to live next year. As far as I am concerned, flats on the market don’t run out too quickly, but it is still worth investing some time to pinpoint your favourite choices before they are rented, the popular ones could be taken as early as November, a month before this blog is published.
All you need to do is pop into any one of the estate agencies and have a chat, tell them your budget, number of rooms depending the number of friends you live with and most importantly where you want to live. My general advice for location would be at most 25-minute radius from your classrooms; imagine walking to school in a cold winter or during a bad weather day, you don’t want to stay on the streets for too long. It is also worth to think about your daily routine, such as the nearest place to eat and the whereabouts of supermarkets.
If you think your English is not good enough to communicate with the agents, you never have to worry about this; all you really need to know is the location, conditions of the flat and how much it will cost. The prices are usually indicated in per person per week (PPPW) depending on the number of rooms, or rent per calendar month (PCM) unless you are ready to dish out hundreds of thousands to buy a flat. (If I ever have a chance, I will write about it in another blog.)
The agents will likely to make an appointment with you, in a few days you will have an opportunity to take a glimpse of the flats. It is always useful to approach more agents and arrange more viewings so you can broaden your choices; there is no need to be loyal. Remember to trust your eyes and determine whether it is worth yourself, you may want to use the Price-performance ratio to analyze objectively like I always do. Once I was viewing a flat with another group of students from neighbouring university, coincidentally we were both interested in the same flat, but neither of us chose it in the end after careful considerations, because we found somewhere bigger, better and cheaper. Take some pictures and discuss with your friends or family, always avoid impulsive consumptions, bad decisions are often made this way.
When you have the contracts signed and deposits paid, great work, it is your first time to rent a home after all. When you move in during the new term, it is time to have a taste of freedom and more responsibility. Remember to pay your electricity on time, or “your journey to the darkness is complete”.
Feel free to share with me your experience in renting a flat, or if you have any questions, just ask me anything. Enjoy watching Star Wars by the way!
