45 minutes ago, simon43 said:

One other (related) problem of returning to the UK is that if you do not own your own property already, the chances of finding accommodation are slim because of the high demand for rented properties, (since no-one can afford a mortage to buy ..)

 

I inquired about a property on Rightmove yesterday - the agent told me that the number of parties wanting to rent that property was more than 100!  

 

Perhaps I should live in a van? 🙂

Can't tax or insure it without a home address.

But you can stay in a tent on any vacant land or park, as Labour just legalized it for the boat people. 

On 6/26/2025 at 9:08 PM, lamyai3 said:

 

Typo? Should be about £180 pw for 29 years. 

Agreed. The 880/week sounds like a lottery win for small contributions.🙃🙃

lol!  The rental situtation in the UK may prove to be an unsurmountable obstacle for my return to the UK... perhaps someone 'up there' is sending me a message to say 'stay in Thailand!"

On 7/8/2025 at 4:43 AM, simon43 said:

 

 

To give you an idea of what someone on a reduced state pension can afford to rent in the UK, here is a photo of the property that I have agreed to rent in the West Country.

 

 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, simon43 said:

One other (related) problem of returning to the UK is that if you do not own your own property already, the chances of finding accommodation are slim because of the high demand for rented properties, (since no-one can afford a mortage to buy ..)

 

I inquired about a property on Rightmove yesterday - the agent told me that the number of parties wanting to rent that property was more than 100!  

 

Perhaps I should live in a van? 🙂

 

   Perhaps you shouldn't advertise the properties on here ?

I looked at the property in the photo you posted and made an enquiry and I expect that others on here did as well 

On 7/8/2025 at 4:43 AM, simon43 said:

 

To give you an idea of what someone on a reduced state pension can afford to rent in the UK, here is a photo of the property that I have agreed to rent in the West Country.

 

 

 

    You claimed that you had agreed to rent the property.

What happened to that agreement ?

36 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

 

   Perhaps you shouldn't advertise the properties on here ?

I looked at the property in the photo you posted and made an enquiry and I expect that others on here did as well 

Well, if you made an enquiry, I hope you are good at riding horses and game-shooting 🙂  The property is in an isolated  location in Exmoor, so probably 50 others are not queuing up for that particular property 🙂

Just now, Nick Carter icp said:

 

    You claimed that you had agreed to rent the property.

What happened to that agreement ?

Yes, I have agreed to rent it, but it takes 2. The landlord will only rent it to me if I view it in person.  I'm happy to rent 'unseen'.  So I need to return to the UK.  If the landlord doesn't rent it to me, then I have to stay in hotels until I find an alternative property.  That cost is typically at least 60 quid a night, which (in my opinion) is a rip-off!

7 minutes ago, simon43 said:

Yes, I have agreed to rent it, but it takes 2. The landlord will only rent it to me if I view it in person.  I'm happy to rent 'unseen'.  So I need to return to the UK.  If the landlord doesn't rent it to me, then I have to stay in hotels until I find an alternative property.  That cost is typically at least 60 quid a night, which (in my opinion) is a rip-off!

 

  So, the landlord hasn't actually agree to rent it to you .

You didn't agree to rent the property, you just wanted to rent it 

10 minutes ago, simon43 said:

That cost is typically at least 60 quid a night, which (in my opinion) is a rip-off!

 

Compared to the US and Canada 60 pounds a night is a bargain!

 

Typically even inland city hotels in North America charge more than 100 pounds/night.

 

So a hotel on the English coast at 60 quid / night is actually reasonable to me.

Lots of folks are now living on narrow boats and roam the canal system 

and gypsies in caravans just turn up in rural parking sites until the local council boots them out

a home on wheels is easily doable

but static caravans are a ripoff 

 

What would stop you to go over and have a look. Not only at that property (wich I think is very very nice, at least from the outside) but at others as well. Flights should be cheap. And when you are over there, why not line up some others as well. If you don't have enough money, then put yourself first, safe for some month and then start. 

 

Rental market my be not to your advantage, but for sure not everywhere. Same here in Switzerland, some parts you will not find a payable place, other parts have empty ones. I guess it's the same in the UK. You could make a compromise and start with a place you can accept and then move on from there after you got settled.

 

If you want, there is a way. 

2 hours ago, simon43 said:

Well, if you made an enquiry, I hope you are good at riding horses and game-shooting 🙂  The property is in an isolated  location in Exmoor, so probably 50 others are not queuing up for that particular property 🙂

Most popular counties in England for people down sizing or wishing to relocate from another county are

Cornwall,Devon, Dorset

There is a reason why the landlord is only willing to rent to someone that has seen the property

there no mention of heating in the rightmove listing so assume it electric only which will be expensive

 

2 hours ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

  So, the landlord hasn't actually agree to rent it to you .

You didn't agree to rent the property, you just wanted to rent it 

Is being a prat your full-time profession?  Or is it just a part-time hobby of yours? 🙂

 

The landlord has agreed to rent to me, but I still have to get back to the UK.  No landlord nowadays will hold a property just on a promise to rent, so it maybe that the property is rented to someone else in the meantime.  Unfortunately, the letting agent (who has a contract with the landlord to manage the letting of his property) insists that I view it in person before they will accept a deposit.  (They might be doing me a favour - the neighbour might be a nutter...).

 

So I'm arranging to go back to the UK and travel down to this property, but that will take a few weeks to organise...

 

 

29 minutes ago, simon43 said:

Is being a prat your full-time profession?  Or is it just a part-time hobby of yours? 🙂

 

 

   So , you don't have an agreement , just the Landlord would be willing to rent to you on certain conditions ?

   I was just wondering because I am a UK landlord myself and will have some availabilities soon due to someone flying off the Thailand for the winter .

   But due to your language above , you aren't a suitable tenant .

So, keep looking .

6 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   So , you don't have an agreement , just the Landlord would be willing to rent to you on certain conditions ?

   I was just wondering because I am a UK landlord myself and will have some availabilities soon due to someone flying off the Thailand for the winter .

   But due to your language above , you aren't a suitable tenant .

So, keep looking .

Is your property near to Exmoor?  That's where I previously owned a property and where I prefer to rent. In any case, it sounds like your rentals are just short-term, I want somewhere 'permanent'.

44 minutes ago, simon43 said:

Is being a prat your full-time profession?  Or is it just a part-time hobby of yours? 🙂

 

The landlord has agreed to rent to me, but I still have to get back to the UK.  No landlord nowadays will hold a property just on a promise to rent, so it maybe that the property is rented to someone else in the meantime.  Unfortunately, the letting agent (who has a contract with the landlord to manage the letting of his property) insists that I view it in person before they will accept a deposit.  (They might be doing me a favour - the neighbour might be a nutter...).

 

So I'm arranging to go back to the UK and travel down to this property, but that will take a few weeks to organise...

 

 

Usually they want references and a credit check is done, that's what happens for my property i rent out

Another positive point about returning to the UK is the cost of BUPA private medical cover.  My medical cover in Thailand is not a bad price per month (5,700 baht for $400k annual cover), but the BUPA equivalent policy for UK cover is only about the equivalent of 3,000 baht 🙂 

Accommodation here

4 hours ago, vinny41 said:

Most popular counties in England for people down sizing or wishing to relocate from another county are

Cornwall,Devon, Dorset

There is a reason why the landlord is only willing to rent to someone that has seen the property

there no mention of heating in the rightmove listing so assume it electric only which will be expensive

 

No jobs ,ilfracombe has rooms

On 7/6/2025 at 2:46 AM, simon43 said:

When you are a state pensioner in the UK (as I am), and have savings less than $16,000, (which is me again),

 

No one here believes you dont have 16k in savings.

 

Where did you park your money so the government won't find it and cut the benefits.

1 hour ago, Celsius said:

 

No one here believes you dont have 16k in savings.

 

Where did you park your money so the government won't find it and cut the benefits.

Jeez, I'm tired of answering this question so many times 🙂 .  You might think that I want to hang onto my money earned, but it can do a lot more for others than myself.  I have no interest at all in driving a flashy car or living in a big house 🙂  As I pointed out before, I only have 2 feet, so why do I need more than 1 pair of shoes?  (Yes, I only possess 1 pair of shoes, 1 long-sleeved shirt, 2 t-shirts, 1 pair of long trousers).

 

If you don't understand philanthropy, that's your loss.....

 

Look at this press release from 2010 (long before I went to Myanmar):

https://www.24-7pressrelease.com/press-release/143465/if-only-1-of-twitterers-used-xtrer-it-would-generate-more-than-1-million-for-charities-every-month

 

and my Myanmar charity:

teachersimon.org

 

I believe in karma = if I help others, then help will come my way if I need it.  As I mentioned before, sometimes I only have a few hundred baht to my name, but everything always turns out ok in the end 🙂

1 hour ago, 3NUMBAS said:

No jobs ,ilfracombe has rooms

Yes, I sent an email about a little cabin in Ilfracombe, but no reply yet!

29 minutes ago, simon43 said:

Jeez, I'm tired of answering this question so many times 🙂 .  You might think that I want to hang onto my money earned, but it can do a lot more for others than myself.  I have no interest at all in driving a flashy car or living in a big house 🙂  As I pointed out before, I only have 2 feet, so why do I need more than 1 pair of shoes?  (Yes, I only possess 1 pair of shoes, 1 long-sleeved shirt, 2 t-shirts, 1 pair of long trousers).

 

If you don't understand philanthropy, that's your loss.....

 

Look at this press release from 2010 (long before I went to Myanmar):

https://www.24-7pressrelease.com/press-release/143465/if-only-1-of-twitterers-used-xtrer-it-would-generate-more-than-1-million-for-charities-every-month

 

and my Myanmar charity:

teachersimon.org

 

I believe in karma = if I help others, then help will come my way if I need it.  As I mentioned before, sometimes I only have a few hundred baht to my name, but everything always turns out ok in the end 🙂

 

Regarding Karma I don’t see any landlord going out of their way to help you.

 

Nah....I still think you are loaded 

9 hours ago, simon43 said:

Is being a prat your full-time profession?  Or is it just a part-time hobby of yours? 🙂

 

 

   I just thought that it was rather strange that a landlord would offer you a property .

   Landlord usually want to to see that you earn 3 times the rental amount and often they want to see your tax records to see your earnings and for the last 3 years .

   Landlords want to see that you've been paying rent for the last 3 years and that you can afford the rent . Also often you would be required to pay 3-12 months rent up front in advance 

   Universal credit/Housing benefit only process a claim if you have a tenancy agreement , so a Landlord would have to give you a 1 year tenancy agreement and hope that your housing benefit claim is accepted . 

Otherwise the Landlord will be stuck with you for a year and he would need to take legal action to get you evicted .

   The tenancy agreement will still be valid even if the claim for housing benefits is rejected .

   You are at an age where a CCJ wouldn't effect you much , a Landlord would much prefer  younger tenant  who wouldn't want a CCJ on his record as it would effect him in the future .

   Housing benefit is paid directly to the tenant and that's another huge risk for the landlord .

   I was rather surprised that a landlord would agree to offer you a property for rent 

14 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Can't tax or insure it without a home address.

But you can stay in a tent on any vacant land or park, as Labour just legalized it for the boat people. 

I taxed my new van today. No address  requirements.

If I return to the UK, then I will receive my index-linked state pension.  I will also be eligible for state assistance to pay my rent, council tax etc,

 

'ain't you lucky you were born in the uk.

6 hours ago, 3NUMBAS said:

No jobs ,ilfracombe has rooms

Lots of jobs.

4 hours ago, simon43 said:

Jeez, I'm tired of answering this question so many times 🙂 .  You might think that I want to hang onto my money earned, but it can do a lot more for others than myself.  I have no interest at all in driving a flashy car or living in a big house 🙂  As I pointed out before, I only have 2 feet, so why do I need more than 1 pair of shoes?  (Yes, I only possess 1 pair of shoes, 1 long-sleeved shirt, 2 t-shirts, 1 pair of long trousers).

 

If you don't understand philanthropy, that's your loss.....

 

Look at this press release from 2010 (long before I went to Myanmar):

https://www.24-7pressrelease.com/press-release/143465/if-only-1-of-twitterers-used-xtrer-it-would-generate-more-than-1-million-for-charities-every-month

 

and my Myanmar charity:

teachersimon.org

 

I believe in karma = if I help others, then help will come my way if I need it.  As I mentioned before, sometimes I only have a few hundred baht to my name, but everything always turns out ok in the end 🙂

 

I have no interest at all in driving a flashy car or living in a big house

 

i do, and it's fantastic, i can live cheap or i can live expensive, life's great

44 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   I just thought that it was rather strange that a landlord would offer you a property .

   Landlord usually want to to see that you earn 3 times the rental amount and often they want to see your tax records to see your earnings and for the last 3 years .

   Landlords want to see that you've been paying rent for the last 3 years and that you can afford the rent . Also often you would be required to pay 3-12 months rent up front in advance 

   Universal credit/Housing benefit only process a claim if you have a tenancy agreement , so a Landlord would have to give you a 1 year tenancy agreement and hope that your housing benefit claim is accepted . 

Otherwise the Landlord will be stuck with you for a year and he would need to take legal action to get you evicted .

   The tenancy agreement will still be valid even if the claim for housing benefits is rejected .

   You are at an age where a CCJ wouldn't effect you much , a Landlord would much prefer  younger tenant  who wouldn't want a CCJ on his record as it would effect him in the future .

   Housing benefit is paid directly to the tenant and that's another huge risk for the landlord .

   I was rather surprised that a landlord would agree to offer you a property for rent 

 

Another thing is that if rental laws are anything like  in Canada (they favor the tenant) the landlord can and will kick you out eventually.  They can make up multiple of reasons for eviction such as renovations or a family member moving in. It happened to Ventullo just yesterday.

 

 

 

 

[quote]

...

 I was rather surprised that a landlord would agree to offer you a property for rent 

...

[/quote]

 

Yes I agree with your comments!  A returning, retired expat certainly has some negatives against him/her when it comes to renting a property.