HOMESLICE, £4 pizza! (covent garden)

Like the rest of world, London estate agents aren't always the most honest or trustworthy of folk. There are things that ring alarm bells when speaking to 'agents' in Thailand that make you question their validity. Unfortunately however, we usually dismiss our 'alarm bells' when we are shopping abroad. Why? Because we don't know any different. We don't know how much things should cost, and guess what? The agents are very aware of this and often take huge advantages... If you are considering moving into student halls, have a read of my previous article where I broke down the costs and comparisons of Student Halls Vs Private Rents: https://www.kreliving.com/forum/uk-relocation-moving/halls-or-private-which-is-best Getting to the main issue There are things that are always true when shopping for anything. Usually, if it sounds too good to be true or they tell you it's a 'really good deal', it most probably IS too good to be true and will definitely NOT be a really good deal! A few major problems that students face when shopping for private accommodation in the UK are: UNREGULATED UK estate agencies are unregulated. Anyone can create an estate agency in the UK This means that there are a lot start-up agencies Make sure you check the credibility and history of the agency before using them The agencies may use contracts that are very unfair for a foreign renter. Perhaps, because you don't understand or because you can't negotiate the terms properly HIGHER RENTALS 'Fake Agents' will charge you much higher - This is becoming a large problem among foreign students. As many do not know the costs for private rooms, many fake agents have started to surface and will offer you a room at a much higher rate to obtain commission Many registered agencies do not offer a commission split to these people. So 'Fake Agents' will add up to an additional 10,000 THB PER WEEK to rental costs in order to secure themselves a commission Also, if the rental cost is higher, they may charge you additional Property Deposit Costs and only pay a partial amount into the the secure Tenancy Deposit Scheme. (You may loose more deposit if they choose to add hidden charges) Agency Processing Fees This is unfortunately a thing in the UK. UK agencies charge the tenant a processing fee to sign up (depends on the agency as to how much they charge) Unfortunately, most agencies see foreign students as easy pickings and they will more often than not overcharge in order to obtain more money Additionally, if a 'Fake Agent' is processing your property request. They may charge you additional funds in order to gain further commission from your rental request Fee's vary per agency, but most are around 10,000 - 20,000 THB (per application) Contract Legality Considering the amount of money you are paying and the fact that this will be your home, you most certainly want this to be fair! Be careful of agents and 'Fake Agents' with tenancy agreement terms. Ensure you read the contract in full. Some contracts will have conditions where your tenancy rolls over to renew for another year if you do not choose to cancel it before a certain 'agreed' time written in the tenancy agreement Contracts can be very lengthy and will be in ENGLISH. These can be very confusing and can potentially contain LATIN wording. Read carefully before signing to ensure that you fully understand what you are agreeing to IMPORTANT: Deposits for properties can be very high, as a result if you sign into the wrong contract, the landlord / agency can demand large payments from deposits if you do not meet certain conditions TENANCY DEPOSIT SCHEME In the UK they have what is called a Tenancy Deposit Scheme. By law, all landlords must deposit all Property Deposit funds into the scheme Again, 'Fake Agents' can and have been known to just as easily not deposit these funds into the scheme and instead deposit the funds into their own accounts (to gain money from interest) This is not the end of the world (providing you receive the money back), but the problem lies when they choose to 'invest' your money elsewhere and lose it on the gamble. They may invent additional charges to cover any losses they have incurred SILVER LININGS Not all is doom and gloom (I'm sorry if I have scared you!). There are good agencies in the UK that are very fair and will treat you properly. I unfortunately became victim to some of the above practices and I vowed never again that an agent would take advantage of a student! Thus KRE was born... I created a company dedicated to helping students relocate and ensuring they are safe. I partner only with agencies that I have pre-vetted, use the Tenancy Deposit Scheme, will treat my clients fairly and have 100% NO AFFILIATION with 'Fake Agents'. I fully check every contract, ensure your transition to the UK is as smooth as possible and that your new home is just that - a home :) The link below will explain more. Be sure to contact me if you wish for more details or just have a query about moving abroad!: https://www.kreliving.com/relocation Jaruwan

It's a tough decision at first. Universities will of course always advise halls, but not because they think it's best for your education, but because it earns them A LOT of money... University rental costs for halls in the UK are currently standing at a record high. In central London, the rental price for private accommodation through University halls is currently MORE than the average private rental property! The price does however reduce if you choose to live in one of the older shared student halls options. But unfortunately this opens up many issues that most foreign students do not expect. Remember why you're there Lets rewind... why are we travelling to the UK for our degree? I covered this in another article where I talked about 'Investing in your Earning Potential': https://www.kreliving.com/forum/uk-relocation-moving/invest-in-your-earning-potential It explores the long term effect of earning a top degree from a world famous institute and how your earning potential is greatly increased. It's an INVESTMENT. We are coming here to study and to learn, and we need the best ENVIRONMENT to do this in. It's a one-time opportunity, we need to 'get it right', first time. Don't fall into the trap that many do: You invest your money to obtain a place at an elite UK university You attend the university and stay in halls You find the living conditions greatly effect your ability to work You become stressed and under perform You return to Thailand with a sub-par degree and limit your potential It can be a cycle. But most people who study abroad regret the time they should of spent working. Study is all about focus and standard shared halls really hamper your ability to work at an optimum level. Putting yourself first Remember you are INVESTING in your future. It is hard to invest however when there are so many problems people face when they are pressured into choosing student halls. I was one of those people. Here is a list of just a few problems my friends, peers and I faced while living in shared university provided accommodation: SAFETY You are sharing with STRANGERS. You do not know who they are and a staggering percentage (upwards of 80-90%) of students in the west indulge in regular drug use. You can't control 'VISITORS'. It's common practice to bring friends back to shared accommodation and as a result, there is usually a string of random people in YOUR HOME. EXTRA KEYS are constantly being cut. People loose keys, get more cut, lend them to friends, GIVE them to friends. It's terrifying who could just 'walk' into your home. Doors and windows being left UNLOCKED. This happens all the time because students come home drunk or have lost their key and then leave YOUR front door OPEN. Theft. Not only as a result of unlocked doors, but also from the people you live with. As mentioned, these people are STRANGERS, some are good, some are not. CONDITIONS Older properties. Most UK halls are very old as the universities themselves are very old. They are constantly updating them, but newer halls prove very expensive. SHARED BATHROOMS... I'll let that sink in a moment. Some halls have up to 15 people sharing one bathroom. En-suite (private) bathrooms are a lot more expensive. SHARED KITCHENS. It's not your job to clean and tidy other people's mess. However, you will be disgusted at how some people live. It's also very hard to get people removed. UNCLEAN/UNSANITARY. Drugs, vomit and party aftermaths are the tip of the iceberg. Younger people all living together encouraged to 'socialise' leads to very dirty living conditions. THE PEOPLE. It's bad to say, but some people are just disgusting. Toilets, kitchens and living areas are all shared and unfortunately, not everyone cares about your cleanliness rules. I found myself on the receiving end of a lot of these issues, however, I'm sure there are more that I haven't witnessed first hand. Put yourself first and CONCENTRATE on your degree. Remember this is your INVESTMENT, and the best way to ensure you're happy is to choose your accommodation and how you want to live. I made the swap mid-way through my first year and it really helped me re-focus on my studies and ensure my investment was worth it. Talk to me today and see what I can do to help you make the most from your investment: https://www.kreliving.com/relocation Jaruwan

Education is an incredibly important thing. However, the power of having a top university name like Oxford on your resume goes a very long way. INVEST in your FUTURE. Your earning potential is greatly effected by it. People regularly attend elite universities in the UK in order to obtain those all important names on their CV, but they often overlook some very important details - University halls aren't necessarily the best environment to ensure you get a top degree. You invest your money to obtain a place at an elite UK university You attend the university and stay in halls You find the living conditions greatly effect your ability to work You become stressed and under perform You return to Thailand with a sub-par degree and limit your potential Have a look at the following information regarding issues with university halls: https://www.kreliving.com/forum/uk-relocation-moving/halls-or-private-which-is-best Remember, attending an elite university is a once in a lifetime event. You don't often get the opportunity to attend a top university multiple times in order to 'get it right'. You need to get it right, first time. PER MONTH POTENTIAL The graphs below explores how your degree institute can greatly effect your earning power and compares the average earning potential PER MONTH of a Thai national over 25 years. 1. The information assumes a 5% increase in salary per month per year 2. A starting wage of 20,000THB per month for a standard degree earned in Thailand 3. A starting wage of 45,000THB per month for a Master's degree earned in the UK The graph shows that (per month): 25 years with an average 5% salary rise for a TH standard degree offers a max earning of: 64,500 THB 25 years with an average 5% salary rise for a UK Master's degree offers a max earning of: 145,000 THB LIFE-TIME EARNINGS Now let's have a look at this information over a period of 25 years for TOTAL INCOME EARNED. This is where we begin to see the long-term effect of the INVESTMENT of studying abroad. The results are staggering. Over a career spanning 25 years total income for a UK Master's educated Thai gives a huge 124% increase in your life-time earnings! That's 2.24 times the total from a standard TH degree! With the average cost of a UK Masters Degree being 960,000 THB per year (over 3 years) your investment return is equivalent to what you would earn in a life-time with a standard Thai degree average salary. A: 2,880,000 (Total 3 year cost of UK Master's Degree) B: 25,772,633 (Total Potential Life-Time Income from a UK Master's Degree) C: 11,454,504 (Total Potential Life-Time Income from a TH Standard Degree) B - C - A = 11,438,129 THB (Total Return Investment Compared to a TH Standard Degree) FUTURE PREDICTIONS The above figures are based on average earning potentials and do not take into account earnings from personal businesses and business owners. Nor are these figures true for every profession. However, most professions over the last 10 years have continued to progress to sell or trade internationally. Therefore, the demand for internationally educated, high-profile and globally-professional Thai workers is increasing, and is a market where many are capitalizing to financially secure a global market within Thailand. There are always exceptions, and degree's from Elite Thai universities produce excellent career opportunities. However, based on average earnings, international degrees are proving financially lucrative career moves for younger professionals looking to climb the corporate ladder. Talk to me today and see how I ensured my investment was well spent: https://www.kreliving.com/relocation Jaruwan