By Saurabh Goel
Dreaming of pursuing a career in a foreign country comes with numerous challenges, like choosing the right college, course, tuition cost, student accommodation, and visa approval. Once the passport gets the ‘visa approval’ stamp, the hassle of house hunting begins. There is a dilemma in choosing on-campus accommodation or off-campus. If off campus, where to stay? The student housing should be in proximity to the college, rent, area, and many more. Students face a lot of challenges while booking accommodation. These are some of the challenges they face.
1) Vulnerability to rental scams
International students are the soft targets of the rental scam as they are new to the country. These students fall prey to fake rental advertisements, fake deposits or other practices that can lead to financial loss and disappointment. Book the accommodation through a trustworthy website where all the booking procedures are transparent. While booking the accommodation take care of the following things:
a) Unrealistic prices
Students will be offered extremely low-price accommodation in a posh area which is a red flag, as these might be budget-friendly. Still, they would not provide the necessary amenities or might be comparatively smaller space or living in a basement. On the other hand, some might charge exorbitantly for a smaller room in a not-so-posh area. So, while finalizing the accommodation, compare rents and check the place.
b) Cash transactions
Cash transactions are not illegal but are not much followed in the rental markets. No agent can force you to pay in cash; if so, it is a major red flag. Sometimes the agent might give the offer discount on cash payment, which one should not fall prey to. If the cash payment option is chosen, then make sure to take the cash receipt and relevant documents.
c) No photos or videos or visual tour
Always ask for videos and a virtual tour of the stay from the landlord prior to booking the same. If the landlord fails to do so, it can be a scam. They might promise a certain type of room and facilities but would not provide them once the student reaches there.
d) No background information
Always ask for the landlord’s contact details, background information, and references. If they are not able to provide the same, that is a major loophole. Sometimes the college also asks for the details of the landlords and the housing for the records.
e) Verbal agreement
While finalising the accommodation, ask for the written agreement with all the details of the deposit, rent, lease, facilities, and amenities provided, and the clause agreed upon by both the student and the owner. The written agreement is proof that it can be used when something goes wrong or for reimbursement purposes. If the agreement is verbal, it can be easily nullified, misused, or misinterpreted. Read the contract very carefully, and if necessary, hire a lawyer to vet the rent agreement.
2) Finding the perfect accommodation
The student has already moved to a new country, and what she/he needs is perfect accommodation that is near to the campus and budget-friendly. Leaving away from home is not easy, so if all the daily necessities are available nearby, then it is a boon. The icing on the cake is having a hangout spot, shopping centres, and entertainment close by. Additionally, one should check out the amenities the apartment complex offers and whether they come at an additional cost or not.
3) Financial challenges
When a student moves abroad, they face a lot of financial challenges like paying rent, commuting, buying groceries, and the extra cost of stationery. So to meet the end, they take up on-campus or off-campus part-time jobs. Some also engage in paid internships or teaching assistantships. International students benefit financially from the numerous discounts and coupons that malls, department stores, stationery and local transportation offer to them.
4) Lack of Extended support
Living by yourself in a foreign country has its own perks and difficulties. The perks are that you are independent and responsible for yourself. And the difficulty is that all the daily chores have to be managed with studies and jobs simultaneously. So when one gets the right accommodation, the stress is comparatively less.
(The author is Founder & CEO, Amberstudent)
