How to rent a room in London!?

katejo

JoeJester wrote: »

Strange, I find it exactly the same the other way around.

Someone else told me that lodgers who do 'room wanted' ads get so many replies that they don't bother to answer most. I always reply if I can. The only exception is if the enquirer has paid for Early bird status and only expressed interest without telling me about themselves. I then can't reply unless I have a paid ad myself. Last time I didn't need to pay as I got immediate interest in the room.

MrJester

katejo wrote: »

Someone else told me that lodgers who do 'room wanted' ads get so many replies that they don't bother to answer most. I always reply if I can. The only exception is if the enquirer has paid for Early bird status and only expressed interest without telling me about themselves. I then can't reply unless I have a paid ad myself. Last time I didn't need to pay as I got immediate interest in the room.

I have a paid ad. But I always send a message, so they can always reply to me right?

katejo

JoeJester wrote: »

I have a paid ad. But I always send a message, so they can always reply to me right?

I think so but I am not 100% sure. My ad isn't live now so I can't test it. I just remember trying to reply to someone's expression of interest and being blocked because I hadn't paid for Early Bird status.

Bluebonnie

The problem with spareroom seems to be the sheer volume of ads.

A nephew was looking for potential sharers last week and
(a) replies only received in the first three or four days the ad was up - nothing since,
and
(b) most of the respondents hadn't read the ad carefully and could only offer rent which was a couple of hundred £ a month lower than what was stated in the ad.

This was London (zone 2). Many people looking for a place aren't too bothered where in London, as long as not too far from a station and less than, say, an hour in total to where their work is. That's a huge potential number of property ads to scan.

Maybe the other recommended sites are more helpful?

If you work for a big outfit there may be some way that people can publicise vacant places on a staff noticeboard, or intranet equivalent.

libellule69

I make sure the Ad is 100% right before I answer the "room wanted" Ads. I select with care and only go for one at a time. If I don't like the person when he/she comes to look at the room, I say there is someone who has just been and I will have to give that person first refusal, but so far I have always like the first person who has come and that person always takes the room.

MrJester

Just to update. On monday I did the usual, responding to rooms available ads. I was contacted back very quick by one, who said they are looking for someone to fill the final room available in a house share they were going to put down for (empty, brand new refurb).
So I went to meet them at a pub on the monday night, viewed it on the tuesday, and currently sending over final moneys and we will be moving in on Saturday!
Crazy how it turned around within a week. I'm paying much more than I do now, but that appears to be the different you need to spend £100-150 extra pcm just to find somewhere decent OR because they are cheaper they are gone in a flash.

Pixie5740

An extra £100 to £150 a month has to be worth not living in a rat infested HMO. Eek.

katejo

JoeJester wrote: »

Just to update. On monday I did the usual, responding to rooms available ads. I was contacted back very quick by one, who said they are looking for someone to fill the final room available in a house share they were going to put down for (empty, brand new refurb).
So I went to meet them at a pub on the monday night, viewed it on the tuesday, and currently sending over final moneys and we will be moving in on Saturday!
Crazy how it turned around within a week. I'm paying much more than I do now, but that appears to be the different you need to spend £100-150 extra pcm just to find somewhere decent OR because they are cheaper they are gone in a flash.

Glad you have found somewhere suitable! Hope it works out well. I had a new bloke move in to my place only a week ago and he seems ok so far. Very easy going. Think your comments on price are probably accurate.