Doha Accommodation?
 

Help.
Been offered 2 jobs, one in Dubai and one in Doha, Qatar.
Originally we wanted Dubai, but have since been swayed to Doha (better position in a company) but can we find accommodation? Na.
Hubby is due to fly out next month, I will follow with 2 of our boys and hop back n forth between NZ and Doha (hopefully) so he is looking for a 2 bed furnished apartment.
Done every Google search I can think of, sent off enquiries, but silence!
Help, anyone know any good sites?
Thanks

Re: Doha Accommodation?
 

expatwoman.com

qatarliving.com

or ***********.com

goodluck ...

Re: Doha Accommodation?
 

try

www.gulf-times.com classified section for housing/accommodation

look for either apollo agency or better homes agency, heard good things about both.

Good Luck :)

Re: Doha Accommodation?
 

Yup...........ure going to needs a lot of good luck Im afraid. Accomodation is a bit of a sensitive issue in Doha at the mo...... :o

I think the Gulf Times classifieds r def the best.......

Good Luck!!

Re: Doha Accommodation?
 

Thanks folks.
I hear its a sore point at the moment with the Asian Games coming up, have e-mailed the company to see what they can do, no accommodation = no job!
Will check out the Gulf Times and see what I can find, probably draw blanks.
Has anyone heard of a company called Homes2Rent? (think its run by a British woman) have sent 2 enquiries off now and so far, no response. :(
Thanks anyway. ;)

Re: Doha Accommodation?
 

Yes have heard of Homes2Rent and theres loads others. I think if u make a search on real estate in Doha a lot of companies will come up. Its the prices thats the prob. Ridiculous prices indeed. Your husband should deal with his employer about this. A lot of companies offer their employees accomodation. Thats def the best way to go about it. :(

Re: Doha Accommodation?
 

Don't bother with Homes2 Rent. They are rude and and hopeless. They used to have the monopoly on the rental market in Doha. Even when you go to the office they can''t be bothered to help you.

Re: Doha Accommodation?
 

I agree Mampg. DH had a very bad experience wt them. V rude esp the Manager or owner or whoever she is.... :o

Re: Doha Accommodation?
 

That'll be Maggie!

The only thing I wil say in favour of homes2rent and similar set ups is that you could arrange yourself a short term (but v expensive) rental for the meantime if you wished to get out and then look for something locally.

I woud not recommend entering into leases until you were more familiar with where you wanted to be anyway. As long as you are happy with paying the expected 6-8k QR pcm for a furnished appartment for the family then it might be helpful to take a room on for 5k or so for a month without having to sign a lease whilst your husband finds something appropriate for the family.

Homes2rent and several other companies will rent out rooms in villas on a monthly basis which whilst very expensive is often the answer to your specific problem of immediate relocation without paying hotel rates if your employer wont provide accommodation whilst he sets up.

Re: Doha Accommodation?
 

Yes thats def an idea. Looking in the daily Gulf times will give u rough idea of the prices. Getting higher every month :( Also u will tend to find that stand alone villas r cheaper than compounds.

GOOD LUCK wt yr search. I know sooo many ppl in yr exact situation and if its not the accomodation its the schooling. Geeeeex

Malt xxx

Re: Doha Accommodation?
 

do u know when u call the agent first question will be asking who your hubby working for?

MAERSK, Halliburton, Oxy, Finna, Bachtel, etc etc ... from there they will know how much your budget will be. If you company unknown, they not even bother to entertain u.

Re: Doha Accommodation?
 

Different housing allowances for different levels of employees for those companies tho. Someone in one level of management has a different housing allowance to someone in another. Or even an employee in different departments or even from different home countries. Best off saying that your housing is in a ballpark region (your choice what you say), just say you would prefer not to mention your husband's company.

Try Gail or Debbie at Better Homes, it used to be Fikhri (sp?), both Brit ladies, very pleasant and will try to do their best for you.

Homes2Rent never even got back to us after 3 attempts at email or calling. Finally DH's company rang them and they were very standoffish to the point of rude.

I think the lady at Apollo is called Margaret, tho not sure.

Re: Doha Accommodation?
 

Thanks, was coming to that conclusion about them as well, Have sent 3 enquiries off to them now and not once have they acknowledged our e-mails. Sent another one off today and within 2 hours had a reply back saying they had two apartments near the Old Airport 1 bed and 2 bed furnished, 6500QR and 7500QR, although not sure what else that may include if anything.
The company have arranged temporary accommodation when my hubby gets there, but we are hoping to push for accommodation rather than allowance.
I am just going for the sun! lol It is freezing here in NZ at moment, low of 1 degree! :mad:

Re: Doha Accommodation?
 

Yeh it says on the website Maggie a Brit, so we though Oh right, she'll be good to deal with. Wrong! Must have enough money then to not need to run her business anymore or maybe she is just choosy lol :) Oh well, three e-mail and enquiries is enough in my book, no reply, move on.
The company is a Canadian firm who have just set up in Qatar 6 months ago, but already in Oman, Bahrain and Dubai, so probably unknown to most rental companies yet. :cool:

Re: Doha Accommodation?
 

How are you all finding life in Qatar btw?
Cheap? Boring? Too hot?
Still, it must be better than living in NZ lol ;)

Re: Doha Accommodation?
 

The good news is that the company have found us accommodation which we can decide if we wish to keep it and look elsewhere once arrived in Doha.
Its a 2 bed apartment, furnished and been described as 'adequate'...mmm....can imagine!
Needless to say I am sending hubby out alone first, wait to see what the place is like then I may follow for a long holiday :D :D

Re: Doha Accommodation?
 

'Adequate' might not be too bad. From what I remember of Doha apartments, although nothing flash they are usually large, clean, air conditioned and have balconies. I've certainly seen a lot worse here in Sydney.

Re: Doha Accommodation?
 

Oh that sounds good then. It belonged to a staff member who has become very ill and is having to go home to the Uk, they doubt he will be back. Its a 2 bed with cooker, washer, TV etc for 4500QR pm, so it sounds basic compared to todays prices. We have seen others at 7500QR which look (from the pixs) quite smart.
I just hope it aint a dump! :rolleyes:

Re: Doha Accommodation?
 

Do you know where it is though?

Re: Doha Accommodation?
 

As long as it is clean and fairly up to date, that should do us. After all, I wont be there full time for 1st 12 months, I hope to be hopping between here in NZ and Doha. :D
Jetset lifestyle lol :D

Re: Doha Accommodation?
 

No, not yet, but hope to find out soon. The new boss from Uk has just recently arrived in Doha, and he will be meeting my hubby at the airport. They said if he doesn't like the apartment, he has 3 months notice to give and he can look around until he finds something more suitable.
I just hope it isn't too far away from the offices he will be working in, which is somewhere near the Sheraton Hotel I believe.

Re: Doha Accommodation?
 

& I will be spending time at the shopping malls anyway lol :D :D :D
Been deprived of decent shopping since living here. :mad:

Re: Doha Accommodation?
 

Where abouts in NZ are you then? I remember seeing a couple of shops in Auckland :D

Re: Doha Accommodation?
 

In Hamilton NZ, nice enough place but its a pity its in NZ! lol
Woke me up when I went over to OZ last year, remembered what civilisation was. lol :D

Re: Doha Accommodation?
 

Never made it there, but it doesn't look that bad.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamilton,_New_Zealand
Doha ain't gonna be much of an improvement - lol.

Re: Doha Accommodation?
 

No it wont but havingf decent shops and supermarkets with decent food will be an improvement in itself....and if it has trains..well, wow, we are really coming up in the world. :D

Re: Doha Accommodation?
 

Always liked living here in Hamilton, its central to most things, its just the rest of life in NZ that is crap. poor wages, high prices, limited choice and the drivers............ :eek: :scared:
Mind you, I love racing and motor sports so its a great challenge each day to get into the city in one peice. :D

Re: Doha Accommodation?
 

You might enjoy a bit of dune bashing in a 4wd then. The roads can be a bit hairy too.

Re: Doha Accommodation?
 

Hope they've improved a lot since i left in 89.

Re: Doha Accommodation?
 

I used to think the Italians were the worst drivers in the world, until I came to live in NZ! lol I have to say, they now hold the world record.....but...maybe Doha can beat them for the title :D

Re: Doha Accommodation?
 

God I hope so too, be just my luck to get there and find Pak n Slave! :D

Re: Doha Accommodation?
 

When are you heading out to Doha? My hubbie goes in 3 weeks time, me and the kids will follow some time at the end of July. Not the best time to go temperature wise but I like to be thrown in at the deep end :)

I am well and truly into panic shopping now. Don't think anything else will fit into our container...but I'll give it a go!

Re: Doha Accommodation?
 

Wait and see........Doha will def beat the record. In fact the Midde East beats the careless driving all over the world. Believe me the driving is VERY VERY bad :scared:

Re: Doha Accommodation?
 

I am not sure yet when I will follow, we are keeping our NZ home as we have a 18 year old staying here, so plan is to go back and forth first year with 2 youngest and by next year decide if we wish to stay long term or not, if not, we just all return back to NZ.
Where do you live now?

Re: Doha Accommodation?
 

:scared: I wil look forward to comparing, but NZ driving REALLY does take some beating! :eek: It is like being on a race track and watching oldf dears cross the road is entertaining in itself :D They just DO NOT stop! :eek:

Re: Doha Accommodation?
 

Doha really is on a whole new level ... Its not just the traffic itself, or the rules (or lack thereof), its the fact that the road you turned down last week may well not be there the next.

I thought places like Bombay and Marrakesh were bad until I drove in Doha. It is all the same danger just twice the speed! Fun times ahead :)

Re: Doha Accommodation?
 

Ha ha you mean I will still need my crash helmet to go driving then? lol :D
Oh well, four years driving in NZ will be a good test for the Doha roads. I cant wait to compare. :D

Re: Doha Accommodation?
 

They can drive cars at 15 here, no restriction on engine size and with no insurance needed (yes true) :eek: you see loads of boy racers some hardly able to see over the wheel in their Subaru Impreza's going at breakneck speed through town, past schools, etc....they weave in and out of traffic, usually racing with their 15 year old mates! lol :eek:

Re: Doha Accommodation?
 

I guessing tht most have driving licences?
That'll be a step up from the 15 yo drivers in Qatar!

Re: Doha Accommodation?
 

Well, if they do have a licence its a learners licence which is gained by doing a 35 question scratch card test on the highway code. They are given the answers and they have to scratch the right one (out of 3 answers)..if they get them correct (they are allowed to get 2 wrong answers) then away they go with their learners licence. They can drive with a full licence holder by their side, in any car with any engine size :eek: and NO insurance required. :eek: After 6 months they can go for their restricted licence which requires a practical test. It just means they can drive alone but within ceratin hours and carry no passengers, but most young lads do.
The cops here are far too busy hiding in bushes collecting revenue from workers (who can afford to pay the fines) who are doing just a few kms over the limit. :mad: Meanwhile the boy racers carry on doing what they enjoy, menacing the roads. :mad: