You’ve decided to move to the UK, and now you’re searching for a “flat.” Overwhelmed yet?
Most people will tell you to check out Gumtree if you want to live in London. It’s an Aussie website that everyone now uses in London to search for apartments, or jobs, or just about anything. I bought a sofa from someone who posted on gumtree for only 50 GBP. It’s basically Craigslist for anyone in London.
But, here’s the problem.
There are now loads of scam-artists on Gumtree that post amazing flats, with incredible photographs for dirt-cheap in very posh areas. You inquire, and they email you back (usually with very poor spelling and grammar – a sure giveaway), and then they tell you that you need to wire a deposit to them using Western Union. You call the number they give, just to make sure, and manage to speak to someone who sounds legitimate.
They might tell you their sob story about how they were screwed over by someone else, and they just want to find the right tenants. Even if you don’t arrive for a few months, they’ll save the flat for you! Just send that money, and send it fast.
No, scratch that. Don’t. They are very convincing, and without seeing the property, you should never send money for a deposit.
Findaproperty is a better site than gumtree for flat finding from abroad. They have properties across the UK and only have legitimate ads from estate agents, which are real estate agents for rental properties. They can be great, but they can be rubbish. At least this way you know that you’re unlikely to be scammed.
The best thing to do is to get a referral from someone who has recently rented a flat in an area you like and want to live in. For example, Jodi & Tyson are two Canadians who just moved to London this past week and write a bit more about their adventures in flat-hunting here.
Estate agencies have fairly high turn-around, so you will want a recent referral and not one from a year or so ago. Try to get the agent’s name, and call them directly.
Otherwise, just stay in a hotel or hostel while you hunt around for the best flat for you. That’s what most people do when they first move to the UK. It’s easier just to go to the area you want to live in, walk around and walk into all the estate agents you can. They will either be able to help you or they won’t, but at least you’ll get somewhere with them, whereas online you will likely just become overwhelmed and confused.
Here are 10 resources to help you find a flat in the UK, which I have recycled from my other blog for Classroom Canada:
I apologize for the London focus here, but it’s what I know best.
What do you think? Any other advice for our readers? Questions, thoughts, wanderings? Please leave your comments below.
Victoria Westcott
kikimoo
