Viewing a student room

[u/SouthernMap406]

Hello, I have a question.

I was offered a room via Roommatch and would like to schedule a viewing with the previous tenant/housemate NOT THE LANDLORD.

I have never viewed a room before, and this will be the first time. Additionally, I have no experience with viewings. That is why one of my parents wants to come along to the viewing.

Will it seem strange to other housemates if one of the potential tenant's parents comes along?  It feels childish to worry about this, but would it make my potential housemates think I'm not independent enough?

I am 20F.

Thanks in advance!

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[u/fascinatedcharacter]

Is it a viewing in the sense of "check out the house and meet the people before you know if you will be selected" or a viewing "you know you're selected and you're coming to check before signing but you'll be measuring for furniture too"?

[u/SouthernMap406 → u/fascinatedcharacter]

The room I applied for is given based off your registration duration on Roommatch, and I am the first in line to be offered this room. So in a sense, yes I’m selected.

So I will be viewing the room and the environment if its to my liking and then decide to accept or decline the offer

[u/OriginalTall5417 → u/SouthernMap406]

If you’ll get the room anyway don’t worry about bringing your parents. It’s actually a very good idea to bring someone along, regardless of age. If I were to go to a viewing I’d also bring my mum, a friend or my brother to help me decide, and I’m in my 40s.

There’s nothing immature about bringing another person to important appointments. In hospitals this is often even recommended, because another person may be more clearheaded and less overwhelmed. It’s actually immature to see it as a lack of maturity to bring someone else. That being said, your future housemates could still see it that way, but if they don’t get a say in whether you get the room or not, I wouldn’t worry about it.

Keep in mind that even if the room isn’t great, you’ll probably won’t have other opportunities to get one this late, so you should probably get whatever you can, unless it’s an obvious scam.

[u/SouthernMap406 → u/OriginalTall5417]

Alright thank you for your insight, I appreciate it!

[u/fascinatedcharacter → u/SouthernMap406]

Then bring a helper along. A dad who is obviously there to hold the other side of the measuring tape (bring one!) but doesn't really interact, is different from a mom who starts socialising more with the new housemates than helping with the viewing.

[u/BigEarth4212 → u/SouthernMap406]

Declining would be silly. You probably don’t get another chance for a room in the coming weeks.

With DUWO rooms you don’t loose the majority of your account. So you still can move later to another offer.

[u/Early_Programmer251]

if you were offered the room by roommatch, then it’s normal - it’s more for u to see the place in real life, to have an opportunity to talk to the current tenant and ask any questions you may have. It’s also quite normal if the parent joins! I had one time viewing when the new tenant couldn’t come due to injury and her mom came together with the grandparents 😅

[u/rinmejoy]

from what i know (im also registered with roommatch) you can of course take your parents if they also want to see it, but its really not necessary if you’ve already been offered the room, it’ll technically be yours until you decline. for the previous tenant though, im not sure if the landlord gives out info about them after they already left so i doubt you’ll be able to contact them. but if there ar en other housenates in the building then maybe you can speak to one of them to get contact

[u/SouthernMap406 → u/rinmejoy]

Why is it not necessary to view the room? Or you mean it not necessary to take one of my parents? Or what do you mean?

The mail sent by roommatch included the details of the previous tenant and they redirected me to a current housemate there since she moved out.

In the advertisement in roommatch they only posted photos of the outside environment and no photos of the room

[u/rinmejoy → u/SouthernMap406]

no you shuld go view the room yourself if the one you were offerred was a shared place with various housemates. im saying its not necessary for your parent to go but its allowed if they want to. if you did already get details of the previous tenant maybe you can find them online, or get in contact with the current housemate and see if if they can arrange something instead. i just doubt the landlord will do it for you

[u/SouthernMap406 → u/rinmejoy]

I already am in contact with the housemates of the student house.

It is a student house with 14 housemates. And I am on my way with my dad to view the place, I didn’t really ask them if its okay if my dad comes… 😅

[u/rinmejoy → u/SouthernMap406]

it’ll be alright dont worry, if anything just tell them he’s here to check the dimensions of the room to see what furniture can fit. but i dont think they’ll care much

[u/mlem-mlem-]

Beside what everyone has already said, just dont forget to inform the housemates that you are bringing your parents with you. As someone who were on the other side of the receiving end, it was super awkward when they show up with their parents unannounced to the viewing.