Futile Search For A Place To Stay

During this last week I’ve got to hear about so many potential places to rent for me and been disappointed at all turns that I have almost given up hope that I will find a suitable place to rent at the budget that I have kept in place. Among the most promising one was the second floor of a house, owned by a couple in their late 50s and whose kids live in other cities. They were currently renting the top floor – 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, one hall and a kitchen area & with a balcony – to a marketing manager who is originally from Kannur. This guy had applied for a transfer back to his hometown and was vacating the place. An acquaintance from the Info Park where I met asked about this place for me and through his landlord, who is friends with the owner of this house, we had come to an agreement. This is the same place in Chalakudy where they have the strict rules.

However on Monday my plans were dealt a lethal blow – the current tenant’s transfer got held back for a further 2 months due to some complications at his firm and he has to stay back. Hence no vacancy at the house. I spoke to my acquaintance’s landlord and he says that he will try to find something else for me. Bummer!! So now I was back to square one. I called up all the people I know, including brokers. On Tuesday morning I went along with a broker to a house in Angamaly,where they were renting out the top floor – 2 small bedrooms, 1 bathroom, kitchen. Fuck me; the house is located 2.5 kms away from the main road and it isn’t a bus route. If you don’t have a bike or a car, its gonna be real tough to get around and about. And the auto charges will be Rs.25 one way. And the house wasn’t that good anyway but I would have taken it for Rs.4000 per month if it had been closer to the main road. So I declined.

On Wednesday evening one of the security guards at the Info park informed me of a guy who was willing to rent out the top floor of his new house – 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom and kitchen area for Rs.2500. I said ok, let’s go take a look. I went there on Thursday morning and holy shit!!! It was a fucking dump!!! No tiles, just kind of black concrete or whatever for the floors, no doors from the middle room to the balcony, no door for the bathroom – which was smaller than a telephone booth and had a hole in the ground for a toilet and it was pathetic. The “kitchen” area was outside – no walls!! Just a sink and a table kind of area. An old canvas bag was stuffed into the sink as well. The owners wanted to tile and fix the area once I gave them the Rs.10000 as advance. I almost cried and said that I would think about it.

No way was I gonna live there!! I told the security guard that I wasn’t interested in such crap and not to inform me of any place if it is this bad. And so what do I do? Do I give up and take a lodge in Angamaly, the one that has a nice room and bathroom attached? I do not want to live there for long but what else will I do? Anyways, Thursday night I got a call from a man who is renting out his house, which is a 2 minute walk from the office. He had heard about my search and was given my number from someone who works in my office. It’s a one story house, Rs.3000 rent and has some facilities near by. I dunno but I’ll take a look at it today and see for myself. I hope this is the one!