MagsB

Only one of us has a job lined up, paying £16000pa. We have at least 6 months' deposit, we would be able to pay more if required. We're due to move back within the next month. I'm wondering whether it would be worthwile to contact agents abouth this, as there are more and more nice properties coming up on Rightmove available from mid-April, that would be perfect for us. That would cancel out the need to stay in a hotel of self-catering accommodation whilst we are looking for a rental property.

WhoFan63

As much as I too would like this idea, it's probably not recommended to commit to somewhere sight unseen, because unfortunately sometimes the photo's can be nicer than the actual property. This is just my personal opinion of course, but I'd stay in a hotel or self-catering apt for at least a week. That gives you the luxury of having somewhere to base yourself, and allow you to contact the agents or visit the agents in person and go around to see all the prospective properties in person.

Because if you sign on the dotted line and get there, only to find it's not quite what you were hoping it would be, or in an area you didn't find you wanted to be, then you're stuck !

Then again, it might be a moot point because when I contacted an agent about a rental property I liked the look of, even HE told me to wait until I get there, or get someone I knew in the area to come and look at the property on my behalf, that way I had someone I trusted see the good and bad points on the flat..lol

Pistolpete2

In due course, my plan was to contact a couple of agents I viewed as reputable with decent rental supply in my search area, say four months ahead of time, and establish what they would be needing in terms of security since our renting track record was only in Bermuda a few years back but was a considerable time at that. So you should try and do this tomorrow.

On your self-catering need if it does exist in due course per above and I take in WhoFan's good comments, I know there are three of you and eating out can cost big time but you might want to locate a Travelodge in the SE London area you had listed as these can go for 30 odd pounds a night for the three of you which would be much less than the self-catering. We used to do this with Premier Inns* on the edge of London (like Redbridge - Ilford) located near greasy spoons, grocery stores, Indians, Chinese, laundromats, Tescos etc and it worked well for us. And remember to eat breakfast out (or bring-in) as well as their (Travelodge's) breakfasts are god-awful.

I see Sidcup, Bromley, Croydon, Purley Oaks, Warlingham - you never know.
We are using Travelodges in the Summer in Southwark, Brighton and Tunbridge Wells, all at less than 37 quid a night for us three.

*Premier Inns don't take three where the kid is sixteen or over. Under sixteen the kid eats breakfast free with a paying adult.

MagsB

I know, it is actually a really silly idea to sign for a place taht you haven't seen yet. I have this irrational fear that no-one would be willing to let us a place seeing that only one of us has a job! I probably just need to take your advice Pistolpete and contact the agents to find out what they need from us. We have one reference from a letting agent is South Africa where we have rented from 2007 - 2011, proof of our mortgage bond on our own house here in SA and the rental agreement we've now got with the tenants of our property. We last rented in the UK in 2002, that would probably be irrevalent now?

I'm amazed at the affordability of the Travelodges. Our plan is to spend a night or two with friends and then head for a Travelodge (a new one opened in Bromley recently). affordable self-catering options are non-existing in London!

WhoFan63

I guess it all depends on what you consider 'affordable'. LOL I rented an apartment through www.homeaway.co.uk and it was brilliant, everything was catered for, only needed to get food, and I was only 40 minutes outside of London. Prices range from £50 per night and upwards. At the time I thought it was much easier than getting a hotel and having to eat out all the time. I spent £80 on food and it was enough to last me two weeks. Just a thought anyway

Pistolpete2

When we first stayed at Premier Inns and Travelodges we were a little self-conscious about coming and going with take-outs and empties but we soon realised that the front desks are so used to that sort of thing it was no big deal to them. Travelodges can be exceptional value, particularly the one in Southwark which is about 100 yards away from the Jubilee line and about ten minutes walk to Waterloo to its West and London Bridge walking East. It is also rather cleverly sound-proofed. Unfortunately rail out to the Bromley area stops at Blackfriars north of the River and then Elephant & Castle a fair distance south, so not that convenient.

Twigstar

We moved back to the UK for 12 months and managed to secure a place to rent whilst in the USA.
I looked at the area we needed to go to (we had grown up there so all was familiar), then I called the agency and although they were hesitant at first I said my parents would go visit and let me know what they thought. All was ok and we signed and scanned the lease back to them. The day we arrived we went & got a cashiers cheque, went to the agency to pay, and they had set up a walk through for that afternoon we got the keys from the walk through inventory agency. It was unfurnished so we had been on Argos.com for basic furniture (including airbeds) and they delivered the next day. Just so you know it can be done...

WhoFan63

Am just curious Twigstar....were you working at the time of your arrival back in the UK and did the agent want you to pay so many months up front?. If not working, did you have to provide references or anything??

MagsB

Thank you so much Who, I think you've referred me to them before. I'll have a look!

Almo

We didn't get a long term rental from abroad, we stayed in a holiday let when we first arrived. Had we not had the cats to think of we would have done travelodges as well. You can't beat the prices.

We got our rental on the ground, before my OH started work. I am still not working, so we obviously secured one with only one of us working. We only paid standard deposit of one month's rent up front but we did provide evidence of our ability to pay for the whole 6 months upfront, and we had offered this as an option.

I wouldn't take anything unseen.

happyglow

Nor would I. Even with streetview, too much potential for nasty surprises, and a contract is a contract.

AngelaV

When we moved here, a week before the move, the purchase of our house fell through. We were forced to rent a house unseen. It was a nightmare!

The rent was extortionate, the carpets were white (when you have 3 kids and 2 dogs close to the beach this is not good), when it rained, the water ran down the inside walls, we had to pay for an awful garden service and an irrigation system in a water scarce area. Overall, apart from being on edge the whole time we lived there as the landlord was a nightmare; it cost us R22000.00 more than it would have anywhere else due to the water charges and it cost R8500 to fix the place up to move out as they had not varnished the floorboards, only polished them so had to have the floor redone.

Thankfully we only had a 5 month lease but it's not an experience I would want to repeat.

If you have someone in the area who knows you and your lifestyle, it would be better if they could view it for you. Otherwise, I would recommend you wait until you get there. The pictures on the internet are very staged and purposely hide the negative aspects of the house. In my case, I would NEVER have taken the house if I had seen it in person. It was not even remotely suitable for a family.