Introduction
Right now you have your bank sorted and your mobile in your pocket and all set to go house hunting. You need to first decide on
what type of accommodation is going to suit you.
As space is at a premium, the houses in England are small compared to South Africa and the cost is horrendous. There are many Estate Agents and the easiest is to go and see them all personally as they are always located very near each other.
Choosing your accommodation
Deciding on what type of accommodation is a reality check if ever there was one. The houses in the UK are usually small and the asking price can be huge. The terminology used in the UK is totally different and we will try and provide you with a list of names of houses for you to get a feel for the terminology. The price indication is for London and the South East of England, if you go North of London the prices can be up to half that:
- Bedsit As the name says, it is usually one room with a cupboard as a toilet and a sink as a kitchen. These are tiny. (Approx £400 per month)
- Flat These are your typical one bedroom flats with a bathroom, kitchen and a lounge come dinning room. (Approx £600+ per month)
- Apartment This is an upscale flat - with at least two bedrooms. (£1000+ per month)
- Terrace house We might call them townhouses but this version is also called a two-up-and-two-down because the configuration is two rooms downstairs and two upstairs. Your next door neighbour is only 4 inches away from you! You will also get the enjoyment of a postage stamp sized garden. (£1000+ per month)
- Semi-detached This is two houses in one! We might also call them a townhouse. the configuration is usually the same as a terrace house but normally with three bedrooms upstairs. The garden is usually long and narrow. (£1100+ per month)
- Detached This is what we call a double story house. At least you will have a bit more privacy and it will more than likely come with a garage. (£1500+ per month)
- Bungalow What we call a house. This will be a single story house with at least two bedrooms. (£1100+ per month)
- Cottage This is found inside a larger property and will contain one or two bedrooms. The size of all the rooms is a lot smaller than a bungalow. (£1000+ per month)
Renting
This will be one of your biggest outlays of cash when moving over to England. It is important to remember that you need to pay at least 6 weeks deposit in advance plus the months rent. Some places are known to ask for 6 months deposit (tell them to go jump!).
The process that the Estate Agents will follow is once they have shown you the houses and you have chosen one they will ask you for a non-refundable holding deposit (£100 usually). They will then contact the owner and agree the price with them.
Once that is done it is time for a reference check (Another cost for you, usually £10-£20). This check entails calling references back home (friends, estate agents banks), calling your bank here and lastly verifying that you work where you say you do.
Then there is the tenancy agreement (cost £50-£70). They like to have long agreements that give you no power - read through it before you sign as there might be some funnies like getting the curtains cleaned every 3 months! Usually over a years rental agreement they will put in a six month break clause which means after 4 months either party can give two months notice.
When that is all done, you can move in - and this is where the last catch comes in - they will do an inventory check on the house (another £50-£70) to make sure everything is in order.
So when renting the up front money that you need is quite high. For example for a place costing £1000 a month the upfront cash you will need is:
- Deposit (6 weeks) £1500
- 1st month rent £1000
- Registration fees £70
- Reference check £20
- Inventory Check £70
This makes a total upfront cost of £2660.
It’s quite sickening to think of it in Rand terms as it would equal about R35,000 or one years rent in a similar place back home! Don't forget that you will also need to add the first months council tax onto the final amount of about £25-£130 pounds.
Feel free to negotiate prices. If you are going to rent try and get accommodation at the beginning of Winter as prices are cheaper and the landlord does not like to have an empty house over Winter (frozen water pipes can be a big expense). Friends of ours arrived in November and were asked for £1600 per month for a four bedroom detached and they offered £1250 - the parties agreed on £1400.
Links to Estate agents
Home Moves
