Most people who travel from overseas to live in the UK find it a much better option to find temporary accommodation to start with before committing to a more long-term let for the rest of their stay. Doing it this way, you can visit the accommodation, the people living there and the area, which will give you a much better idea of whether it’s for you or not. Wherever you decide to live, it’s an important decision to get right to have the best experience in the UK as possible.

Before you leave for the UK

You can pre-book your temporary accommodation before you leave for the UK. Most people stay in a hostel for the first few nights as this tends to be the cheapest option, but other options such as Airbnb rooms, bed and breakfasts or hotels are also available. Also, have a browse through some of these flat-share websites to give you can idea of what accommodation is available, the areas and prices:

• Spare Room
• Gum tree flat share
• Room go

When you arrive in the UK

Give yourself a few days to catch up on sleep, get used to the new time zone and orientate yourself with your new surroundings before going straight into accommodation hunting. You will be in a much better position to find your next accommodation successfully if you are well rested.

Go online and search again for accommodation available on websites like the ones listed above and contact the person advertising for anything you are interested in. Then arrange a time to go and view it - be sure to do this safely. When you view the place, you’ll want to view the room and meet others who live there. You’ll also want to check the area and its transport links as it will make your life easier to live within short walking distance of the tube, train or bus. Don’t feel pressure to take the first thing you look at if you aren’t happy or don’t feel comfortable. You can simply extend your stay at your temporary accommodation if you don’t find anything you like in the first few days.

Need some more advice?

Edwin Education is here to make your move as easy as it should be, from providing advice for accommodation to assisting with visas and so much more. Contact our Brisbane office today and we’ll help you every step of the way.