Temporary Accomodation

[tom_box]

What is the best and cheapest way of getting a temporary furnished accommodation for a few months (other than a hotel) until I find a permanent flat and settle everything? Or is hotel the only option? My budget would be like 1000 to 3000 depending of what I could get. I am currently on short-term tourist visa until the whole things settles. Thanks for your advice.

P.S. I could also consider living cheaply in something dormitorish for like 1000 and saving 2000, or living in something nicer for 3000 provided it is really nice. Or anything in between.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Tom, Unfortunately, the best you can hope for is a 3* hotel like the Hotel 81 group or similar. If you can dicker with them you might be able to get one for 30~40/night on a weekly or monthly basis. The problem is that you are on a Social Visit Pass and it's against the law here to rent to anybody here unless they have a residency visa (EP, S, WP, Student Visa, Business Visa, etc., etc.) that is valid for a minimum of 6 months (the shortest rental lease allowable). Having said that, there are some issues on the legality of Airbnb so it's something that we do not recommend on the forum because is isn't legal here, but having said that it is being done. That said, your choices are further narrowed down to backpacker hostels which would having you lodge dormitory style (maybe 10 or 12 to a room and zero privacy). At the other end are Serviced Apartments which would go from a minimum of 3K/mo. upwards to whatever your pain threshold is.

[tom_box]

Thank you for the kind reply. How about shared apartments where someone posts to rent a room in a flat that they rent? Would that seem feasible? Of course with 1000 to 3000 to spend, I am not really into hostels, and need some privacy. I am an ICA of the PEP.

Other thing I was considering would be to stay in hotels or Serviced Apartments in KL or HCMC (or Johor Bahru?) and get to SG whenever required to settle any job interviews or other things--- but it might look quite dodgy for the potential employers (?).

P.S. The sad thing about airbnb is that they don't seem to offer competitive rates even when compared to 4* and 5* hotels. I did not know that airbnb might even be considered illegal, and sadly the cheaper HDB apartments in the subburbs are not listed for known reasons.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Thank you for the kind reply. How about shared apartments where someone posts to rent a room in a flat that they rent? Would that seem feasible? Of course with 1000 to 3000 to spend, I am not really into hostels, and need some privacy. I am an ICA of the PEP.

The problem is that you are on a Social Visit Pass and it's against the law here to rent to anybody here unless they have a residency visa (EP, S, WP, Student Visa, Business Visa, etc., etc.) that is valid for a minimum of 6 months (the shortest rental lease allowable). This is specifically meant for private home owners, either private or public (HDB).

Other thing I was considering would be to stay in hotels or Serviced Apartments in KL or HCMC (or Johor Bahru?) and get to SG whenever required to settle any job interviews or other things--- but it might look quite dodgy for the potential employers (?).

Most local employers already know the law regarding renting here, so this might be an option you can pursue, but the constant running back and forth across the border might raise some eyebrows in the longer term. But as you will be spending more time outside of Singapore rather than inside, you shouldn't have too much problem with Singapore immigration. Malaysian Immigration I'm not so sure. Maybe some of the others here can enlighten on that point.

P.S. The sad thing about airbnb is that they don't seem to offer competitive rates even when compared to 4* and 5* hotels. I did not know that airbnb might even be considered illegal, and sadly the cheaper HDB apartments in the subburbs are not listed for known reasons.

[tom_box]

Sounds sensible thanks a lot. If I would live in Malaysia, Vietnam (HCMC), Thailand (BKK) and only go to SG few times per month to settle things --- would using a Malaysian phone number (or Vietnamese or Thai) on my applications hurt my chances? Which of the countries would sound most sensible from this perspective?

I could pick up a SG prepaid car at little extra effort, although they are quite expensive in roaming but still manageable. However, I would prefer not to play with the system (with several different phones, etc) and just deal with the situation frankly as it is, to the extent that I am not hurting my chances profoundly.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Sounds sensible thanks a lot. If I would live in Malaysia, Vietnam (HCMC), Thailand (BKK) and only go to SG few times per month to settle things --- would using a Malaysian phone number (or Vietnamese or Thai) on my applications hurt my chances? Which of the countries would sound most sensible from this perspective?

Using Malaysia makes the most sense as you can bus into Singapore on nice coaches or if speed is of the essence using the shuttle, while a little more expensive it's a little faster - again, this is subjective because the airport is a considerable distance from the city centre but the main bus terminal is centrally located in KL so if looking at total travel time it may well work out to be very close. If I had to do it, I'd stay in KL as it's a pretty straight run down the expressway by bus.

I could pick up a SG prepaid car at little extra effort, although they are quite expensive in roaming but still manageable. However, I would prefer not to play with the system (with several different phones, etc) and just deal with the situation frankly as it is, to the extent that I am not hurting my chances profoundly

I can't help you on the phone set up but there are numerous threads on this in the Computer, Internet, phone Forum including the useage of Skype on your smart phone.

[actuallysg]

Depending on the nature of work you are applying for. To my experience employers do filter through the address and mobile occasionally especially for those that are not too keen on employing foreigners. Having said that - since you are a PEP holder, you probably might have the experience and skills to offer.

If the address is not an issue (you can also opt to use a friend's address) I would recommend you staying over in Johor Bahru. At a budget of SGD1000, you should be able to find a good temporary place or even a hotel. Singapore CBD is just about 45minutes to 1 hour away. You might want to invest in an SG prepaid card though to make the calls from the companies easier.

You can also opt to stay in Singapore on weekdays and do some travels while you are around SEA. Hostels in Singapore are pretty good options and I have seen many people utilizing hostels as a temporary ground until they found a stable job and accommodation.

=)