Crazy Ex-Tenants in London Town

So we didn't move. We originally were supposed to move to our flat two weeks ago now. Then it was postponed a week - something to do with the landlord not issuing the eviction notice early enough to the tenant to legally have her out. So we stayed with Tony and Maria in Ealing for another week. We have been so fortunate to stay with such amazing people - they have not once made us feel like we are a burden to them, and we were only supposed to stay a few weeks, which turned into five!!

Bryce and I made excellent use of Argos to buy all our bedlinen online, in preparation for moving on the 28th of January, it all arrived by courier and was packed in large bags all ready to go to our new flat. Finally, our own bed linen, our own space... home. Friday the 28th of January arrived, and Bryce called me at lunch time to say that he had heard from the land agent, and we couldn't move today after all. I could have cried. It is quite hard to know you are living somewhere and working somewhere, but feeling like you are on holiday...temporary somehow. Living out of a bag really is no fun.

We went into the agent that evening as he had alternative accommodation - which at the time we were thankful for because we felt we just couldn't stay with Tony and Maria another week - we felt bad enough we had lived with them for five weeks! We turned up at the land agent about 5pm, and were told that basically, what happened was that the cleaner went in that morning to clean the property (which was interesting as we had been told the cleaners had already been in last week??!) to find that someone was living there. The 19 year old solo mother had broken into the property the night before, and was refusing to leave. She had been issued with her eviction notice, but she needed a bayliff notice in order to be rehoused with her child. The land agent called the Police, who went around to the property, but were not prepared to do anything as they felt it was more a council matter.

So besides the fact she forced her way in (the land agent had the locks changed for us) she was allowed to stay there. The landlord has flown in from New York today to sort it out. Meanwhile I was standing a the land agents not happy with the situation, or the idea of going home to ask Tony and Maria to stay longer, and considering the hostel option. The land agent gave us two choices. One being to give our rent in advance/bond of £3200 back and we could start over, OR the landlord had offered for us to stay at another property in South London for no charge until the matter was sorted. That sounded all well and good, until we realised that it was not even on a train line and would mean we would have to walk and bus a lot in order to get to work. Not cool. So Bryce and I went for a walk to work out what we each wanted to do. While we were out we stopped in at two other land agents and signed up to view two other properties, in locations 15 minutes walk from train stations and further South... we had half decided to start over was our best bet.

On the walk back to the land agent, I thought "Bugger them - we have been *more* than reasonable and patient, why can't the landlord pay to put us up in a motel on a train line, that is all we need." So we agreed that was a good plan, and went back and said this to the land agent - who said YES, I completely agree with you. Yussss. He then booked us one night at a hotel called The Gateway Hotel which was in Clapham South. http://www.booking.com/hotel/gb/gatewayhotel.en.html?aid=311076;label=hotel-118783-gb-GvAwdwYlvAt2TAtwHGsdjwS672159204;ws=&gclid=CNa6vJac4KYCFYpO4Qod4xbv0g
The room was nice and clean enough, but quite small. (Bryce and I had to share)
We were moved today to Flexistay Aparthotel which are serviced apartments. It is quite good, and we are going to be fine staying here until the tenant is sorted... which we have been warned could be anywhere between 7-10 days. http://www.booking.com/hotel/gb/flexistay-aparthotel.html?aid=318615;label=EN_Whole_District_flexistay%20tooting;sid=7734f480b05e59b4536734edd6368089

A typical street... they all look the same!

Dorking. LOL.

Our local station... 

Amazing window display. I totally want to go inside this shop!!

LOL!

Our bathroom in our apartment

The room! (Kitchen, dining, bedroom... haha)

Bryce's bed. On the floor. hehe

The common lounge, but nobody else seems to be here!

 The shared kitchen, well stocked and amazing!

We can help ourselves anytime, AMAZING!

Actually, the Aparthotel is quite amazing. The room is big enough, (we are sharing again, Bryce volunteered to sleep on the single on the floor and gave me the double) and it has a TV with Sky, free wireless, a kitchenette, a bathroom and also a shared common area with another kitchen, washing machine/dryer, and a fridge that is really well stocked and we are allowed to help ourselves whenever we want. More than we expected really. But it is nice to have something good happen after all the disappointments! We are in Tooting, and are looking at this whole situation as - well, we wouldn't otherwise have really explored Tooting... and now we have the chance. LOL.

So for now... all good I suppose. But bring on finally getting into our flat and having a home...
Tomorrow we are off to Bricklane Markets with our new friend, Cristie (from Sydney) so I'm quite stoked about that.... Markets tend to be an awesome day out :)

This is Cristie, with some random man who stands outside a restaurant all night... this was after a party that was organised by SMART Teachers agency :)

Anyway, must go, hoping this finds you all well :) Cross your fingers (and toes, and arms and legs...) that we are in our flat in no more than ten days!!

Cheery bye :)