Advice for accommodation in Rauma/working at OL3?

by **tejay62** » Tue Apr 19, 2011 1:05 pm

My partner has been offered a position with Areva, on the OL3 programme in Olkiluoto. We have been advised that most in this situation find accommodation in Rauma, I have emailed various letting agencies, but have had little luck, except for one, that offered a one bedroom apartment for E1200, which is almost double what we were told. We would love to talk to someone else in this position that is already there (either working for that company in that area, or have relocated to Rauma, or, of course, both!) - we are in England at the moment, & have no time to come out to find anywhere to live before we're due out there, so was hoping to find somewhere by net/phone if possible... He has to make his mind up in the next couple of days, & although it looks most likely, would like to have a quick chat with someone just to reassure ourselves really!

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by **Rip** » Tue Apr 19, 2011 1:19 pm

tejay62 wrote:that offered a one bedroom apartment for E1200, which is almost double what we were told.

Seems awfully high. Rental apartments (unfurnished, you'd pay your electricity and probably additionally for water too) in Rauma:
http://asunnot.oikotie.fi/vuokrahaku#vi ... arlocation[locationids][]=326|6|61.13167|21.513836|Rauma&arpricerent[min]=&arpricerent[max]=&arsize[min]=&arsize[max]=&arsettings[changed]=1&arsettings[collapsed]=1&arbuildyear[min]=&arbuildyear[max]=&arpublished[published]=1

(you need to copy paste the whole thing to address bar)

52m2 (1 br) 520€/month
143.5m2 (3br) 1100€/month
90.5 m2 (3br) 950€/kk

140 (3br house) 850€/month
75 (3 br) 820/month
(locations vary)

First three ones are actually via an real estate agency, they ask to call Merja Rintala
+358-2-8317433
or +358-44-7317433
(googled email address merja.rintala@op.fi)

by **sinikala** » Tue Apr 19, 2011 3:37 pm

tejay62 wrote:so was hoping to find somewhere by net/phone if possible... He has to make his mind up in the next couple of days, & although it looks most likely, would like to have a quick chat with someone just to reassure ourselves really!

Renting a place sight unseen is that act of a simpleton.

Make it a condition of taking the job that the employer put you up in a hotel for a month so you can have time to find somewhere decent to live (it will cost them €2-3k, if they want him they'll agree to this).

There is a Best Western in the middle of Rauma.

http://www.raumanlinna.fi/best_western_ ... na/hotelli

by **Upphew** » Wed Apr 20, 2011 1:26 pm

sinikala wrote:
tejay62 wrote:so was hoping to find somewhere by net/phone if possible... He has to make his mind up in the next couple of days, & although it looks most likely, would like to have a quick chat with someone just to reassure ourselves really!

Renting a place sight unseen is that act of a simpleton.

Renting to someone unseen is act of a simpleton too...

by **interleukin** » Wed Apr 20, 2011 2:00 pm

As the others have implied already, you will usually not get the best deal if you try to rent anything without being in Finland already and registered with a work contract and ID number, etc. You could find something, of course, but then you are limited to companies who rent to people like you specifically, and they know they can double the rent because you are not in a position to chose. They also take a risk by renting their place to someone without a credit history or ID.

A normal rental deal (eg on oikotie.com) will be made when you are in Finland already, and registered and you can show a working contract. As a landlord, that is really what you are after when you rent a place to a foreigner, the working contract means the rent probably gets paid.
So renting a good place on the normal market before actually being here is probably close to impossible for you, and you would also get bound into a legal contract on a place that you have not seen. Never smart.

So yeah, I second the point about staying somewhere temporary and finding a place when you are here.

by **tejay62** » Thu Jun 02, 2011 6:44 pm

Thanks for the advice, we went for it anyway, & were obviously very lucky, wonderful flat, lovely area, & both feel we can be very happy here... Thanks again!

by **Goheels81** » Sat Jun 11, 2011 2:34 am

Tejay, I am in a similar situation, although we are from the U.S. I would love to ask you some questions. How has your experience living in Rauma been so far? Is the language a problem? Did you get a furnished flat, and did it come with TV and washer and dryer? How is public transit? Have you met many other English-speaking expats to hang out with? What did you do about mobile phone? I need to be able to text/call family at home at a reasonable cost. I know Skype is an option, but just wondering what you do? Other expats said that many local shop personnel only speak Finnish, has that been a problem? Any advice you can provide will be much appreciated!

by **jessica56200** » Wed Oct 26, 2011 12:58 pm

my sister wants to go Rauma, so I need similar information.
can you offer accommodation-prices under 500 euro? :oops:

by **raumagal** » Tue May 01, 2012 10:37 pm

Goheels81 wrote:Tejay, I am in a similar situation, although we are from the U.S. I would love to ask you some questions. How has your experience living in Rauma been so far? Is the language a problem? Did you get a furnished flat, and did it come with TV and washer and dryer? How is public transit? Have you met many other English-speaking expats to hang out with? What did you do about mobile phone? I need to be able to text/call family at home at a reasonable cost. I know Skype is an option, but just wondering what you do? Other expats said that many local shop personnel only speak Finnish, has that been a problem? Any advice you can provide will be much appreciated!

There is an office than can help you with all kind of issues related to moving to Rauma:
http://www.rauma.fi/maahanmuutto/index. ... 77&lang=en

They have an office downtown that you can visit for help too.

If you are interested in meeting other Americans there is a Finnish-American society. You can contact me for more information about that.

About the phone, I have a mobile and fixed line but mostly use the internet (skype or similar) to call back home.

About language, it's hit or miss but quite a few do speak English or at least understand.

by **Pierre van der Venne** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 4:35 pm

For Rent;

Brand new apparment in Rauma.(never been occupied).
Build in 2012 . First floor, 66.5m2 , "Earth Heated" , 2 Bedroom (3 rooms+kitchen), sauna, airconditioned , sheltered parking place,i nternet, ( cable) tv, Glassed Balcony, elevator, fully furnished (or not),100m from supermarket,500m from the bar. €1000\month warm.(deposit=2 months rent).
min:6 months
max:2 years[/i][/b]

pierre.van.der.venne@hotmail.com
+358-440222430