The trials & tribulations of house hunting

Currently I am navigating the complicated channels of house hunting and its proving to be difficult to say the least. Essentially I have simple criteria - be near work! Unfortunately in London nothing is ever that simple.

So over the weekend I experienced the array of house hunting options. The first house I saw was out in the Docklands, lovely Chinese guy was the housemate, but the area was dodgy to say the least. Got lost trying to find the damn place. Then when I found it the litter packed streets and general run-down look of the neighbourhood made me feel like I was in some kind of American gheto, albeit in London. Scratch that option.

Next place was near work and was dodgy in every way. The landlord was of Bangladeshi heritage and spoke with a thick Indian accent. As he showed me the room he was at pains to stress '£160 pounds peeer week sir, very good price, all bills incluusive so noo problemm for you' with a 'wink wink' of his right eye. I thought I'd chat to him as he interested me (for all the wrong reasons) so played the Trowers 'Anglo-Middle Eastern Law Firm' card and found out the man has 20 houses now which he rents out to 112 tenants! Every house has no front room and from the feel of the place I looked at there was NO communial atmosphere. Plus the man wanted 5 weeks rent deposit and only 1 weeks rent upfront! Very weird and I dare say dodgy indeed. Scratch that option.

Next up was a house also in Wapping with two Kiwi tenants. The house wasn't that bad actually, decent size, Sky TV, leather couches but the flatmates were unusual to say the least. One was wasn't there and was referred to as 'a girl who is 4,8 doesn't say anything and you would barely know she existed' whilst I spent 10 minutes chatting to the other flatmate and still couldn't figure out if it was a man or a women! Despite this strangeness was definitely considering it until I found out i would have to move in next weekend which is too soon for me. Alas scratch that option as well.

So here I am commuting from Kent 25 hours a week and trying to get a place before I start at Trowers at the end of the month. House hunting is a pain in the arse and right now its driving me nuts but alas its got to be done.

So if anyone reading this knows of a place going in Wapping soon LET ME KNOW!

Cheers