How to Find Accommodation in London before Arrival
If you are planning to move to London for a while, it makes sense to look for accommodation options well in advance. The best thing about visiting a metropolis such as London is that there are many places you could put up for a short term. This will give you time to look for a job as well as try out various neighbourhoods within the city before you finally decide on a more permanent accommodation.
Here we shall take a look at the various short-term accommodation options in London for people arriving from abroad.
Home-stays
Home-stays are homes that belong to someone else. The host may also be living in the home at the same time or not, depending on the situation. Just like in your own home, you will be expected to do all the chores such as cooking, doing the laundry, keeping the house clean, etc. The pay is usually low for such accommodation because you contribute towards the upkeep of the house. If you get a flat mate, the costs can be still lower. Also, having the host around helps, because most Londoners are friendly and could help you to understand your way about the town.
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Couchsurfing
Couchsurfing is a relatively new phenomenon, but it has caught on in a big way in London. There is a huge network of couchsurfers who are active as an online community on the Internet. The basic concept is that they exchange sleeping space to travelers who visit their city, in the hope that they will be extended the same hospitality when they visit the traveler’s city. This sleeping space is a couch as the name suggests, but it could also be a proper bed, or even a mattress on the floor. Backpacking adventurers love to travel this way for it gives them an opportunity to explore the city as much as possible. However, it is important that one chooses the right host.
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Workplaces with Live-in Accommodation
You might also be able to find live-in accommodation in your workplace. Jobs such as cleaners, electric fitters, auto mechanics, waiters, etc. offer space for the workers to live in for the night. This is beneficial in many ways. You won’t have to face the awful London traffic at peak hours, for one. Your workplace is your home. So, you save all the time you could have spent on the upkeep of your living facility. Even the expenses of the accommodation will be deducted from your salary.
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Rental Facilities
These are generally an expensive affair, but if you look for the right facility for your needs, you will save on costs. They are homes that are given out on rent. There are several websites where you can do your research before stepping into London. The best thing is that you can make an advance payment from your home country as well, which reduces the hassle of having to carry money with you. You could get both short-term and long-term options as per your needs.
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These are some of the cheap accommodation options in London to check out before you move in. However, if your pockets run deep, you could also look for more expensive options like hotels.
