Where do you live in Riyadh when you land
 

Hi ladies and gents,

Brit planning to land in Riyadh in a few months and I was hoping you guys can help me out here. I am a single lad so haven't got a bird or children to bring over. From what I have found on the internet its almost impossible to get a place sorted before I land (through the internet) and probably not safe as well. Don't have £20,000 to pay upfront for an apartment in a compound. Well what are my options, what do most people do in my situation? Live in a hotel for a month and then find a place? Unlike major banks, construction, oil companies mine is a specialist engineering company and there is only one other British guy & European guy (both directors) working for the company so its not like I am going to have a compound exclusive to the company either! Employer will pay housing allowance which should cover 80% of the rent for a place in a compound and I really don't mind paying the rest but I don't think it happens overnight and it takes time to find a place. What do I do for the 1st 3 months? Please help

Re: Where do you live in Riyadh when you land
 

Seviced apartment. Don't know locations in Riyadh but they are common in Jeddah and Khobar so I figure thet you will find one in Riyadh. Does your company have an office in Riyadh that can help you in your sewrach ? Not a thing to do alone - without local knowledge and language skills.

Maybe a hotel for the first week or so ?

Re: Where do you live in Riyadh when you land
 

Yeah, serviced apartments is probably the best bet.

Could try some of the compounds who have hotel accommodation too. Eid has a hotel, as does Seder Village, I think Arizona has a type of hotel, where you can just pay the daily rates.

Otherwise, it's a hotel.

Re: Where do you live in Riyadh when you land
 

It'll have to be a hotel - until your iqama is sorted, you probably wouldn't be able to get a lease on a home and you can't get a bank account either.
My husbands company signed up for our compound villa and paid the year in advance for us which we've paid back over a few months. I'm guessing its not possible for your employer to do that for you?

Either way, do not sign up for anything until you've seen it yourself.

Re: Where do you live in Riyadh when you land
 

hi all, thanks very much for your advice. I have just looked up some hotels and serviced apartments and there is quite a choice. The 1st month at least will have to be spent in a hotel/service apartment. I haven't asked my employer if they can sort out some form of accommodation but I have been meaning to do so.
What about salaries coming in till your iqama is sorted, do employers write a check or do they deposit it to your UK bank account?

Re: Where do you live in Riyadh when you land
 

My husband was paid by cheque, he endorsed it, paid it into a (trustworthy!) colleagues account - when it cleared his colleague did an international bank transfer.

Re: Where do you live in Riyadh when you land
 

Where I work they pay in cash until you get your Iqama.

Re: Where do you live in Riyadh when you land
 

I also got given my salary in cash until I had a bank account.

Re: Where do you live in Riyadh when you land
 

Right, I would be a bit nervous carrying that sort of cash in a hotel but I guess Riyadh has got all the major banks (Barclays, HSBC..) and it will be possible to deposit the monies into my UK bank account.