jad n rich

When we last rented in the UK we had 12 month leases from a family friend. Now we plan to go on a decision making trip and probably after a few months will either fly back to australia or buy in the UK.

Would finding a monthly or three month lease be difficult, furnished flat or house not really bothered its more to see how we feel about being back before making the big leap.

Thanks

HiddenPaw

OMG :scared: !


Surely you aren't considering leaving your tropical paradise to come back to the hellhole-like UK. Don't you realise that over here we have to work for a living? Hope you're not afraid of the dark either (we get tons more of it over here )

honeymommy

Most leases are for 6 to 12 months, but it is definately worth contacting the agents in the area you want to be in... Sometimes we see properties that are up for short lease only... Some are up for sale so not sure how that would work, others.. people abroad for a few months... I would have a search round and make some calls if I were you...
Other than that.. Some of the hotels do extended stay discounts...

kathml

Leases normally run for a minimum of 6 months under the Short Assured Tenancy arrangement this is done to provide a method of letting the landlord get back occupancy

If you simply let a property without this you run the danger of getting a Sitting Tenant who as long as he pays his rent is very difficult to move on

Not sure what the longest period a holiday let can be think it is around 4 weeks but this can be renewed

Don

6 months minimum is typical. Have you done your research into the UK housing mkt? It might not be a bad thing to rent for longer as most independent (of the vested interests! eg buildings socs and mortgage banks) experts think the UK housing mkt is going tits up which means about 20-25% decline in value over the next year or so.

jad n rich

I'm aware of the hell like qualities of the UK, we read the OZ forum There are some very naive people on that one!

Anyway as I feared it sounds like 3 months rental is not going to be easy, pity as we think an extended stay with schools/work etc would be very sensible before we do the mega complicated winding up of our lives here.

Thanks to those who answered anyway.

jad n rich

Brilliant We have heard this and will be watching very carefully before parting with our dollars.

eatstatic

First of all Jadand Rich, may I congratulate you in coming to the decision to return to Blighty. After months spent reading your posts, it appears pretty obvious that Oz and its limitations are just not good enough for you!

It has been good fun to read your post in the OZ forum, rare to hear an Aussie who tells it the way it is, warts and all. Sometimes I thought you, MikeStanton and Kong were going to be beheaded for crimes against Starry eyed POM wannabee migratnts!

Anyway, 6 month rentals are the normal minumum required. One thing worth noting is that Letting agents will want the 6 months rent plus one months rent as deposit upfront. I had to do this upon my return to the UK, as I had no recent UK payslips to show them.

As for buying, I agree with Don. House prices are stupidly overpriced due to a frenzy of Buy to Let landlords and panicky parents giving early inheritence to their kids to buy their first property. The vested interests IE buliding Socities Estate Agents are trying to still talk the market up. Independent economists however are pridicting a 20 to 50% fall in prices.

No one knows for sure how far prices will drop, but fall they will, that is in no doubt. The vested interests are saying the market will pick up next Spring. I do not think it will and in the Summer with a dead in the water market, I predict a mass panic in the market leading to a freefall of prices. So I would rent for at least a year and watch the market carefully.

Anyway welcome back to Britain. I always though you were to big a character for small minded OZ!! It really was only a matter of time until you left!

Good Luck mate

PS For an unbiased interesting an up to date outlook on the British housing market, check out this forum.

http://www.housepricecrash.co.uk/forum/

robertd

Nice to see someone with a brain,way to go, if you sign a 6 month lease and brake it,you will not be sued,the lease is there to protect the tenant, not the landlord, anybody want to buy some property in Dorset before it goes tits up, so i can spend the money here in Oz,where life is sooo eazzzy.
Rob

JAJ

I agree. Life is too short to spend it in a place where you really feel it's not for you.

Rich - have you got a British passport? (you're the Aussie aren't you?) If not, are you ok in visa terms to return to live in the UK? If not, you need to sort out that problem.

However for every Kong, Mike Stanton and Rich there's someone (or probably more than one) who believes Australia is truly the best place on earth to be.

Everyone's different.

Jeremy

jad n rich

Yes had it for years, most of the aussies we knew had to leave the UK when their visas expired, a few of us married poms and aussies are well aware of the benefits of a british passport so like most got mine years ago.

jad n rich

Thanks for the good wishes everyone, the reason we asked is we have been totally unsettled since visting the UK last february. Started to look at a holiday to the UK again in february 2005 and added up the cost of the two trips in just over 12 months is over $30,000!!!!!!!!!! Think about it, that to many in OZ is a years salary.

So the idea of going for 3 months came about, although with the building I cant be away that long my wife and kids can, living day to day should give us more perspective than a months holiday. Probably a very sensible and slightly long winded plan but I would like to think we were sure about our decision before we make any permanant life altering decisions. We are also taking another look at my home state of victoria, we have to go for a wedding and will turn the week into a update of the property/work situation, a easy one as I am already a Licenced Building Practitioner in Vic.

Hopefully then if we decide to move anywhere it will be a very informed and current decision so less chance for regrets.

odaat

I think it would help you if you could identify which area of the UK prop market you are considering to buy, every area has its own trend and price.

There are alternatives to renting a residential prop for a 3 month period ....

- leasing a holiday rental out of season at a reduced rate
- Mobile home parks
- house boat businesses
- furnished weekly apartments
- bed and breakfast
- 3 star hotels provide good discounted living space for a three month period
- plus free accomodation available in return for help, childminding, chores etc

The correct people to talk to are letting agents in the specific areas you want to live in.

Odaat