Why Don't We Have US-Style Accommodation?

PasturesNew

Jowo wrote: »

Perhaps if the US has a more geographically mobile workforce, there is more amenities provided for this?

Perhaps in the UK there just isn't the demand that could justify this type of service or perhaps there are constraints in our legal system that make it less workable, such as the security of tenure of tenants and the difficulty in evicting tenants with arrears?

It's speculative of course, but maybe the american system has a better legal framework that permits short term accommodation and makes it easier to get rid of non-paying tenants.

Hostels here tend to be associated with homelessness or backpackers and not something that a professional would aspire to live in. They'd be massive reputational issues to deal with in terms of marketing a hostel for working people. Short-term accommodation for professionals tend to be serviced apartments towards the luxury end of the market.

Here's a hostel with ensuite rooms in London for £169 per week or non-ensuite for £117.

http://www.london-hostels.co.uk/uk/pages/hostels/Friendship-House.aspx
http://www.london-hostels.co.uk/uk/pages/hostels/Belvedere-House.aspx

£169/week isn't too shabby.... looks OK. On first inspection that's exactly the sort of thing I'd be after. Although it does work out to £726/month, which is a lot for a single person who doesn't know how much they'll earn in a job until they get one.

It's just a formal 6 months AST is too rigid if one's moving to an area on a contract, or looking for work in an area, or needs to quickly move and wants to take 2-3-4 months to find their feet. I'm sure there's the need, it's just not been identified yet by the providers.

All those empty hotel rooms, who knows what'll happen in the next 5 years.

I'd just want to book into a place with a rough idea of how long I was staying, but the ability to quickly cancel and move out if things changed.

BitterAndTwisted

PN, I suspect that you have a multitude of friends and admirers or this site, some of whom might be willing and able to offer you a room either short-term or longer. Get networking, girl!

PasturesNew

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

PN, I suspect that you have a multitude of friends and admirers or this site, some of whom might be willing and able to offer you a room either short-term or longer. Get networking, girl!

Well, I don't need it at the moment, it's just one of those things that's always been a limiter to movement.

I'd be no good sharing with anybody. I have too many odd behaviours .... like having to go and stand outside randomly between 2-4am ... and even though I creep about like a mouse I'd not want somebody to think they were being burgled.

I need my own space.

As for networking .... it's part of my speshulness that networking is the thing I am least able to do.

BitterAndTwisted

What happened with your planned move up to London? Are you here yet?

Thrugelmir

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Land is plentiful and cheap in many part of the US and minimum wage is low. They have a whole trailer park 'class' that we really don't have here, maybe for the same reason?

The US certainly isn't a flat plain! As an example go the outer suburbs of San Francisco every square inch is covered. Building land is at a premium. Just like London.

Move out to the sticks and prices for comparable property drop dramatically.

Friends of mine did this some years back. Selling a 3 bed flat in San Fran and buying a 5 bed lodge up near Truckee ( Lake Tahoe) some 200 miles away. They had the capital. To make do they trade services. As pay rates are low as others have said. Though there is a better quality of life and a sense of community something we lack in the UK.

PasturesNew

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

What happened with your planned move up to London? Are you here yet?

It's still on the cards, have to make a phone call and check if it's still OK/on ... if it is, then I'll be there within the next 10-14 days. If the situation's changed/offer's not there this month, then I'll be looking to go ... er, where ...? So, this thread might give me some ideas.

carefullycautious

In an ideal world it would be great to have a national network of short term accommodation for just such a situation. However, I think it would be open to abuse if the accommodation could not be paid for up front.

Which kind of defeats the object of helping someone who is actively trying to get work but maybe strapped for cash. Also could be a vetting nightmare if people could not get referrences etc.

Fire_Fox

Pastures I have PM'd you.

C_Mababejive

PasturesNew wrote: »

I did think about getting a camper van and living in it ... but the weather's so !!!!!! here really isn't it. It also gives issues in towns/cities of where to park it and can it be used to get to/from work and not being able to fit into multi storey car parks.

Sometimes it looks like you can work something out but then BANG ... another school holiday and everywhere that you thought you could go to is inundated with holidaymakers and all rooms are booked at 3x the price.

Did you think about hitting the highway in a pink RV with stars on the ceiling...?

Sounds fun and so liberating.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6p6Jxzo4jfg&feature=fvw

PasturesNew

C_Mababejive wrote: »

Did you think about hitting the highway in a pink RV with stars on the ceiling...?

Sounds fun and so liberating.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6p6Jxzo4jfg&feature=fvw

They're a great idea, then you realise how much it rains in the UK, how in most places campsites are nowhere near where a job would be, getting them in/around a town centre can be tricky (if you get a job in a town) and you can't get into multi storey carparks.... so I binned it as an idea.