My Wife and I have a Ukrainian lady staying with us, but it’s not working out. It’s not a case of outright problems, just a difference of cultures, and we are just not compatible.
She speaks very good English, but does seem to lack social skills. It is this that I think is holding her back from moving on.
All the paperwork for UC, phones, bank accounts, etc. she has successfully completed totally on her own, but these are all online, so only the computer can say No !
It seems she is afraid of rejection, and thinks no landlords are accepting Ukranians.
There is a vast shortage of rentals nationally regardless and very difficult for natives and those that work even. So many people are going for the same property, 50 plus is almost normal.
She should visit all the local estate agents face to face to plead her case. She has to be really really organised with her paperwork in advance. Must have deposit (5 weeks rent) and several months upfront rent may be needed. A guarantor would certainly help though i imagine this would be difficult? Is she working?
She does work, and I see that as part of the problem !.
She has a fulltime job, still working as a manager of a customer service team, but it’s all online. It’s a Ukraininan job, paying Ukrainian wages !. ( Just Google living costs in Ukraine to see the difference. Rent in Ukraine is, on average, 72% lower than what we pay here. )
She wants to keep this job for when she returns to Ukraine, but that could be years away. If she gave it up I’m sure she would have no problem finding a well paid UK job which would easily pay for renting a 1 bed flat. As it is, she can only see UC paying, but I know nothing about the benefits system, so I can’t advise her.
The only benefit paid accomodation I have experience of is full of people who I wouldn’t want as my friends. If this is what landlords are seeing then who can blame them ?.
Our guest is not anti-social, just lacking social skills.
We’ve got our local council involved, and they are starting to push our guest in the right direction, but I keep thinking of the old saying, 'you can take a horse to water … '.