hopeinhell

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

scot47

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 ?

nottmbantam

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.

bodieanddoyle

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.

hopeinhell

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?

bodieanddoyle

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.

nonthaburi

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

mc30b

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

hopeinhell

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.