(Clue: Vancouver Area)
1. Signed a lease for an apartment yesterday, is it normal for the letting agent to ask for a copy of my passport bio page? He has seen it and everything else, should I be blocking anything out, like passport number?

2. Where is the best place to buy bed lined that won't break the bank

3. Where is the best place to get a DVD that won't break the bank and one that can be set to region free

4. Can you get a telephone connected for a period less than a year or is it a minimum contract, like BT is back in the UK

Hi

1. They would want to check your I.D. to make sure you are who you say you are and need photo I.D. I would assume they keep a copy for their records to prove they checked your I.D.

2. Bed linen - try JYSK or walmart.

3. DVD - we were told that sometimes the really cheap dvd's are multi region but we have bought two now and neither is, you can get them online for around $70 from a place in Toronto.

4. Shaw do telephone, cable and internet with no contract so you can sign up and then cancel a few months later if you like.

Hope the above helps.
Ian

1. they are required to get picture ID, which they always photocopy and is usually a drivers license. I would n't worry about it.

2. check out great canadian superstore, winners or walmart, or even Ikea.

3. Best Buy or Future Shop. DVD players are cheap. London drugs has good deals too. There should be some deals at the minute due to the sales.

4. I don't think there is a contract for a land line. I would check out shaw digital phones which are cheaper - various packages that can be bundled with cable and internet - no contacts - unlimited calls to the UK etc

I will answer 2 of the 4!

2. Ikea is cheapest by far!

3. We got a multi region DVD player from London Drugs for $70, a brand I have never heard of but works great!

Happy New Year

CharlottyB, Could you post the brand of the dvd player that was multi region as we are still looking for one.

Thanks and have a great New Year
Ian

Its a 'Nortek DVD 700', we bought it Feb 2009 from London Drugs in Victoria, BC.
Hope this helps!

Diamond Vision and Coby are a couple of very cheap brands that we found hacks for here:

http://www.videohelp.com/dvdhacks

Any of the stores that stock cheap electronic goods are likely to have something similar.

Well I went out yesterday I got a Sony DVD player, I figured that it being a well known make it might make it easier to get the region code for. I also got a TV from Sears in the sale. The apartment I am due to move into has a TV but it was an old style TV and this is a nice plasma. If I can't cut it in Canada I can always sell it but lets hope it doesn't come to that. Now all I have to do is get the keys to the apartment and then figure out how I am going to get the TV there. Delivery charge was $60, which I thought was a little excessive.

Sony is well known for making it virtually impossible to make their DVD players region free simply by operation of the handset.

Damn them!

We first bought a sony dvd from walmart for $50 but it didnt play region free, took it back and bought one by a name called onn also from walmart for $30 works perfect plays all dvds we brought with us.

What is the best way to get from downtown to Ikea in Richmond, considering that I don't drive? Is it by using the Canada line to Bridgeport?

Hi

Canada Line to Bridgeport Bus down bridgeport

I've only ever been to the Coquitlam one, it's much bigger. Skytrain to Braid and then bus 159/169/177 and get off at the 3rd stop - you can't miss it!

Re: DVD player - I got the Toshiba SD4200 in Best Buy for $50, found the code to hack it in advance on a website so I was sure I could hack it. A few buttons presses later and hey presto I can watch all DVDs on it no probs :-D