fiona344

Hi all, I'm going to Canada with a 1 year IEC work permit and have been looking for somewhere to live. I've looked at a few sites with rental listings, but these either are unfurnished, or extortionately expensive luxury apartments.

I don't have many possessions of my own, and it isn't really worthwhile/ affordable to buy a whole load of furniture for just 1 year so really need somewhere already furnished. There's absolutely loads of choice of furnished rentals in the UK, and surely there's some demand for them in Canada too?

Could anyone point me in the direction to find such places?

alexisatk

It would help if you say where in Canada you are planning to go.

Also, furnished accommodation is very rare or expensive as it is high quality short term accommodation.

As summer is comming up, I would look into subletting student accommodation. You can usually get a place for the summer furnished as the student would be comming back in the fall and doesn't want to pay for the apartment during the summer while they are away. In the same vein, you might also be able to sublet an apartment where the student does not want the furniture any longer and sells it to you at a discounted price.

If you do need to buy furniture, don't buy new. Kijiji is your best bet. When I got my first apartment I furnished it completly from Kijiji and then resold everything 1.5 years later for the same price I paid originally when I decided to move to Scotland on a Working Holiday Visa.

R I C H

It's very dependent on the location - I rent 2 properties on a long term basis at a local ski resort. The expectation from all landlords there is to provide furnished property. It's actually difficult to find unfurnished accommodation in the town. Rental prices are perhaps 10-15% higher than unfurnished, so the differential isn't huge.

alexisatk

Another option is look for people who are looking for room mates, in these cases they generally already have the furnishings for the apartment and kitchen. You would just likely need a bed or furnishings for your room.

Frank'n Sense

Just been talking with a hotel here in Vancouver. They were looking for me to send them clients for their suites in Richmond. Monthly rates for a 1 bed at the corporate rate they offered were in the $3200 to $3300 range.

My page on rentals in BC might be of use if this is the area you're heading for.
http://www.relocation2bc.com/rentals/index.htm

Warmly,

Frank