How to keep your accommodation search going during the COVID-19 crisis
Page last updated: 07/10/2020
If your lease is coming to an end and you were expecting to move soon, we know how stressful this time must be for you.
It's harder to go to house viewings right now. But that doesn’t mean your apartment hunt has to come to a complete standstill. Here are a few ways to keep things moving until lockdown is over:
Video viewings
If you can’t be there in person, a viewing via video call can be a great option. It can be a good way to get a sense of the property, but also to meet any potential flatmates. A five minute video chat can tell you way more than any number of messages, and give you a good sense of whether you click. Try FaceTime, Hangouts, Zoom, Skype… whatever works for you.
How to add a video to your ad
If you’ve got a room up for grabs, you can also add a video to your ad – this gives potential tenants a real feel for the space, or can be a great way to introduce yourself as a potential roommate.
Posting a video on SpareRoom is really simple, and can be done straight from your mobile, tablet or laptop. If you click on “My ads” within your Account page, you’ll be able to click “Video” underneath any of your live ads – which will take you to a box that you can drag and drop your video file into.
Obviously it’s important to show the room or property in the video, but it’s just as important to include the people that live there too – so potential new roommates can get an idea of the personalities they’ll be sharing a home with. Talk about what life in the apartment or house is like, keep it short and sweet with as much natural light as possible, and always shoot in landscape!
You can also add a video to a “Wanted” ad too – a good way to introduce yourself and talk about what you’re looking for from your next flatshare.
We’ve got more video tips here.
Securing a room
Our number one rule on SpareRoom still stands through this very different time – don’t hand over a deposit for a room until you’ve seen it in person. But there’s no reason why you can’t line up a shortlist of properties during the lockdown period, ready to view and secure right away when all of this is over.
Remember, you can talk to our customer services team at any time if you’ve got any questions or concerns.
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Although we endeavour to keep our coronavirus (COVID-19) content as accurate and as up to date as possible, the situation is rapidly changing, so please ensure you refer to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the latest advice and information.