Serviced Apartment VS Private Rental Accommodation

One of the first things that you have to consider when you are relocating with work is where you want to live. For executives staying in a new place for longer period, there are two real choices- serviced apartments or private rental accommodation.

A key benefit that serviced apartments offer but which private rental accommodation does not is a support network. Apartment staff is able to offer tips on where to shop and which restaurants to go to. They are available to provide general advice about the area to help you feel at home straight away. With private rental accommodation however, you are completely on your own.

Moving to a new country can be very stressful, not least because you do not know your way around. Having the type of support network offered by serviced apartments is a real benefit that helps people find their feet quickly. Of course it is particularly helpful if you do not speak the local language. Although you can take basic language courses to help you, nothing beats the personal touch offered by serviced apartments.

Another service offered by many serviced apartments but not by private rental accommodation is the maid service. If you are staying in private rental accommodation and want your flat to be cleaned you have to find a local cleaner yourself. This can be difficult if you do not have any recommendations and if you do not speak the language.

As well as having a maid service, most serviced apartments also offer in-house maintenance. Again this is something that is not provided with private rental accommodation. In a serviced apartment if something breaks or goes wrong someone will be able to help you straight away for no extra cost. However if you have an electrical or plumbing problem when staying in private rental accommodation you have to find workmen to fix it yourself. This can be tricky when you are in a foreign country and it can also be expensive.

If you are staying in a serviced apartment, you can pay your utility bills at the service center or the reception desk and in some of the serviced apartment, the utility bills are even included in the rent already. However in private rental accommodation you have to pay these to the nearby local bank by your own and have to organize all the paperwork required to do so.

And last, most serviced apartments have great and full range of onsite amenities such as gym, pool, sauna, all of which tenants can use exclusively with no extra charge. Howere, in a private rental accommodation, they either have no amenities on site or the tenants have to buy a membership card to obtain the access to the facilities at additional cost.

When you move abroad with work you have two choices: to stay in a serviced apartment or in private rental accommodation. However, given all the benefits offered by the former and not by the later, it seems that serviced apartments really are the logical and obvious choice.

*Serviced Apartment---Corporate owned property that provides full range of service.

*Private Rental Accommodation: The property is owned individually by private landlord.

Note: The above article was written by one of our clients and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Shanghai Pearl Property