Okay, how do I find a place to rent without getting ripped off?

where are you?

I'm in the UK, North Herts to be precise, I'm looking for somewhere in the Letchworth/Hitchin/Baldock/Stevenage are to be preciser as this is where my job is - although I am considering London or Brighton as I don't intend to keep the job forever. But really, North Hertfordshire it is for now.

also, what is the best way to find decent and willing flatmates? the paper?

ilx!

bonk!

look at as many places as you can - that'd give you an idea of what people are charging for what places (you'll find that some are complete ripoffs and some are total bargains).

Is the "The Loot" newpaper in the stevenage area? in london that's one of the best ways of looking for places without necessarily going through an estate agent. but yeah, just see as many as you can before making a decision.

or there is of course the option of taking a room that's vacant (e.g. when one of the occupants of a flat moved away).

which is more convenient, but gives you less control over the flat, of course, like you'll be at least feeling like a guest/outsider for a few weeks.

OK, that's two property threads in one day. Weex.

(OK, technically 4 days, but still.)

I found a very nice place in Stevenage Old Town back in 93 via the classified ads of the Stevenage Comet, I think.

My general advice would be to keep as far away from Stevenage as possible, however.

thanks everyone. yes, stevo is not recommended but then neither is north herts i guess.

Hitchin may be your best bet.

yeh, hitchin is nice although i think prices may go colossal in a short while because they're adding all these Pret a Manger's and poncey Londonite features to the town centre now. Average price of a pint in Hitchin is about £2.70 now - compared to £2.30 in Letchworth, you can imagine that this is taking the piss just a little.

You mean there are pubs in Letchworth these days?!?!

yes Letchworth has pubs. not very good ones though. Which leads me to

The Dog Latin Guide To Pubs In Letchworth Town Centre

The Three Magnets: Skinheads and slappers and horrible scrotey old layabouts slowly going out of their minds on cheap cheap booze. A good place to get tanked on a Friday night before going somewhere better, so long as you don't get beaten up for having hair longer than a "1" on the razor.

The Litten Tree: See entry for "The Black Squirrel"

The Hogshead: Full of recruitment consultants, middle managers and football hooligans all wishing they were on coke. Interior has a total of 7 unavoidably large plasma screens beaming adverts for Budweiser down at you whilst Robbie Williams plays over the speakers giving the impression of an airport lounge crossed with a branch of Dixons.

The Black Squirrel: Don't go in there. Just don't - really, please!

The Arena Tavern: Probably the best one, but you'd better brush up on your in-jokes before a night out or even the rat-faced special needs kid who's always in there will laugh at you. Thursday night is good if you like watching terrible punk bands and overcrowded rooms where you can't get to the toilet.

> OK, that's two property threads in one day. Weex.

and that's at least 3 times you've used the word 'weex' and i'm still no nearer to deciding what it means 8)

'Eep' nouvelle, perchance?

Erk dog latin Hogsheads are horrible aren't they? Esp. recently refitted ones that have the Dixons ambience.

"Weex!" is Love And Rockets for "eep" or something. I just recall Maggie or possibly Hopey but more like Maggie saying it a lot whenever Speedy would walk by.