Top three tips for finding accommodation on placement

If you’re reading this, you’re probably halfway through your application for your future placement, killed that phone interview and you’re seriously thinking to move to a completely new city to embark on probably one of the most exciting adventures after freshers week.

Yes, it is equally exciting and scary, but you’ll soon learn that the group assessment wasn’t that hard and finding the best place to live for one year can be as challenging.

Luckily, I secured my placement with Vauxhall sometime in March last year and I had just enough time to celebrate and spend time looking for accommodation before moving to Luton in July.

Here are my top three tips for finding and securing your accommodation on placement:

  1. Start researching and saving money

I am sure you already know the main websites to search for accommodation (rightmove.co.uk, onthemarket.com, zoopla.co.uk etc.), but don’t just make a list of photos with houses where you would like to move. Start phoning the agencies and ask questions about deposit, previous tenants, when the current tenants move out, furniture and other admin fees not detailed in the description. This is where it gets tricky. You may have found the perfect flat, but it’s either too expensive, current tenants don’t move out in time, it’s not fully-furnished or it’s slightly too expensive that you have budgeted.

My personal lesson was to never compromise on the place I live in. If it’s just a little bit more pricy, you can always save some money once your contract is signed and you know that eventually you’ll have to move.

  1. Plan the commute

This heavily depends on where your company is based and how big the city/town is. Vauxhall, the company I work for, is located just outside Luton town centre on a 25-minute bus ride, however my partner works in Central London, hence the flat we chose was close to my bus stop and also to the train station. Ideally, try to limit yourself to one direct journey to your workplace.

Make sure to ask the employer about your working hours so you can plan ahead the commute and where is best to live. The last thing you want to do on a full working schedule is to find yourself waking up too early and coming home too late to enjoy yourself outside work. Lastly, ensure your salary covers your commute budget.

  1. Make sure to have your working contract signed ahead of getting accommodation

Some agencies will ask you for your working contract to prove your monthly income as a way to cover the rent. Luckily, my contract has been signed, but my partner’s wasn’t at the time. Once you successfully manage to secure your placement  and it’s been a month since you received the confirmation and don’t have a contract, kindly remind your employer to sign it as you’ll need it afterwards.

I hope you found those tips useful and if you have any questions at all about placement or accommodation, don’t hesitate to contact me on daniela.baicoianu@gmail.com .

Alternatively, drop me a line on socials:

 

Daniela Băicoianu

 

 

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Written by Daniela Baicoianu #HallamInsider