Renting (Chicago) with no credit or SSN?
Jan 26th 2007, 9:08 pm
#32
Who?
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: Stepford
Posts: 3,098
Re: Renting (Chicago) with no credit or SSN?
Schaumburg is too far. We're in Lincolnshire.
Apparently we're the only people to ever relocate to this country without being given a free apartment from our employers. They're paying for our extended stay hotel until Feb 1 but then we're forking out for it ourselves. We even got a realtor to show us a place we really liked, only to have them ask us to get a co-signer - we've been here less than two weeks - who are we going to know that is willing to guarantee 12 months of rent? The one friend who said they would changed their mind when presented with the application. Perfectly understandable but still a complete let down.
Somehow I'm getting more and more glad we got return flights.
Apparently we're the only people to ever relocate to this country without being given a free apartment from our employers. They're paying for our extended stay hotel until Feb 1 but then we're forking out for it ourselves. We even got a realtor to show us a place we really liked, only to have them ask us to get a co-signer - we've been here less than two weeks - who are we going to know that is willing to guarantee 12 months of rent? The one friend who said they would changed their mind when presented with the application. Perfectly understandable but still a complete let down.
Somehow I'm getting more and more glad we got return flights.
Don't get too down over it. Life as a newbie in the US is really hard at times, even 14 months on we still run into obstacles and it's very frustrating.
Jan 26th 2007, 10:17 pm
#33
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2006
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 72
Re: Renting (Chicago) with no credit or SSN?
My husband's employers are not really helping us out with the co-signing despite earlier assurances that they would. They've never relocated a non-manager before so they basically don't have a policy for any of our requests, which means the answer is usually no. The deal was they gave us a lump sum and told us to take care of it all ourselves. Our online research was pretty extensive but apparently not extensive enough. There is only so much you can do before you're really here. I don't think they believe we'd actually get on the plane and go back. Right now I probably would.
And yes we know we need to learn to drive. But since a driving licence is going to run you 2,000 euros where we lived before we came here we didn't get them. And you can't learn without a learners permit, which you can't get without a SSN in Illinois. Which is exactly my whole problem to start with.
Jan 26th 2007, 11:11 pm
#34
Forum Regular
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Blackpool-chesterfield-Colorado
Posts: 159
Re: Renting (Chicago) with no credit or SSN?
Hi
We are 3 months in and although it feels a lifetime we have faced all the same problems, probably everyone on here has at sometime come across red tape, my OH was told he would have 3 weeks paid time off when we arrived to hunt for a home, they put us up in a hotel for this time and with 3 small children thats no mean feat, but we did find a management company willing to let us take on a rent, but they specialised in corporate so understood, the ssn did take ages to come though as did my drivers license and oh is still waiting for his.
In the end he got 7 days off before he had to go to work and you always feel like you dare not speak up because they could ship you back home, but you must, a working life to an american i have found is very different to the UK, so if you have an issue tell them , we insisted on a hire car to be paid by the company until we had licenses as it would have just cost around 1500 dollars per month for a rental car and it we couldnt buy one without a state license, they didnt like it but my oh couldnt get to the clients site without it so they paid up,
We started off like they were doing us a favour but the rate they contract my oh out as opposed to his salary lets you know who is doing who a favour stand up and tell them your concerns, but dont be disheartened here you will learn to relax and enjoy the states soon I am sure.
We are 3 months in and although it feels a lifetime we have faced all the same problems, probably everyone on here has at sometime come across red tape, my OH was told he would have 3 weeks paid time off when we arrived to hunt for a home, they put us up in a hotel for this time and with 3 small children thats no mean feat, but we did find a management company willing to let us take on a rent, but they specialised in corporate so understood, the ssn did take ages to come though as did my drivers license and oh is still waiting for his.
In the end he got 7 days off before he had to go to work and you always feel like you dare not speak up because they could ship you back home, but you must, a working life to an american i have found is very different to the UK, so if you have an issue tell them , we insisted on a hire car to be paid by the company until we had licenses as it would have just cost around 1500 dollars per month for a rental car and it we couldnt buy one without a state license, they didnt like it but my oh couldnt get to the clients site without it so they paid up,
We started off like they were doing us a favour but the rate they contract my oh out as opposed to his salary lets you know who is doing who a favour stand up and tell them your concerns, but dont be disheartened here you will learn to relax and enjoy the states soon I am sure.
Jan 27th 2007, 4:20 pm
#35
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2006
Location: Schaumburg, IL
Posts: 56
Re: Renting (Chicago) with no credit or SSN?
Hi Jenster
I can only concur with what Kel has said. We're having a tough time of it as well at the moment as I'm stuck in the UK trying to sell our place and my wife's there trying to get things sorted on her own.
We did get the appartment, they verified her visa and we had a letter confirming employment and salary from her company but they didn't have to stand as guarantor. I also agree with having to bring up issues, it's very much don't ask don't get but in every instance we've come off well.
My wife didn't come over as executive management so pretty much a similar situation with no precedent but we're getting there bit by bit.
At the end of the day if it's something you want to do then you just have to weather the storm for a short while.
It's easy to just want to give up and go back and that's exactly why you shouldn't, you'd kick yourself down the line.
Anyway hopefully our shared circumstances and the fact that were getting things sorted will hopefully give you a little boost. I know that the help of the guys on here (once you get used to the humour!) certainly has been and continues to be of great value.
Good Luck!
Scott
I can only concur with what Kel has said. We're having a tough time of it as well at the moment as I'm stuck in the UK trying to sell our place and my wife's there trying to get things sorted on her own.
We did get the appartment, they verified her visa and we had a letter confirming employment and salary from her company but they didn't have to stand as guarantor. I also agree with having to bring up issues, it's very much don't ask don't get but in every instance we've come off well.
My wife didn't come over as executive management so pretty much a similar situation with no precedent but we're getting there bit by bit.
At the end of the day if it's something you want to do then you just have to weather the storm for a short while.
It's easy to just want to give up and go back and that's exactly why you shouldn't, you'd kick yourself down the line.
Anyway hopefully our shared circumstances and the fact that were getting things sorted will hopefully give you a little boost. I know that the help of the guys on here (once you get used to the humour!) certainly has been and continues to be of great value.
Good Luck!
Scott
