Accomodations in London

[CAllen]

Hi All,

I may be looking for a place to stay during the week in London, Ontario from January to April. Anyone know of anyone that's renting rooms and or taking boarders? If so, or you have suggestions of better versus worse neighbourhoods, please IM me. I know NOTHING about London, being from Kitchener and Toronto. Thanks in advance,

Colene

P.S. I'd like to be on a bus route for Fanshawe College if possible.

[MazdaMatt]

Stick to the north-east end, near Fanshawe. The side streets off of Oxford are packed with cheap rooms for rent and have bus service to the college.

[Marsh]

Try the student housing offices at Fanshawe. Both Western and Fanshawe offer listings of off campus housing. It's common to find people that have had tenants flake on them or the ever infamous "Christmas grads".

There are also some old motels on Dundas east that are close to the college and, judging from all the work trucks parked there, offer cheap long term rates.

East London is considered by west Londoners to be a bad area of town. But really there is only one neighborhood to avoid and that's the 3 or 4 block radius around Adelaide and Dundas. This little area has created the stigma associated with "east of Adelaide". It's the only part of town I wouldn't leave a car parked overnight if I could avoid it. The generalization of all of east London being rough is just west London snobbery. Which you will find is a very strong cultural tradition in London. There's a very good reason we can't get a slalom venue in London and it's not a lack of pavement.

[CAllen]

I'm not even sure yet, that I'll be doing this. It depends on a wide variety of things, but I figured - more information is better :)

My step-grandmother tells me there's a neighbourhood right around Fanshawe that is known as a "Student Party Ghetto" and to make sure I stay away from there. I'm inclined to agree with her being as I'm most certainly not a 20-year-old party animal ( although I wish I still was!! ). Reason I'm looking at this is that I've been accepted to Fanshawe for the January start of the Law Clerk program, and I don't really want to commute from Cambridge in the winter months. I have no problem with it in the Summer Semester, but the Winter Semester will just suck, especially between Drumbo and Woodstock.

However, it all depends on finances, and what's doable and not doable with the various groups I have to contend with. :confused:

[MazdaMatt]

I've been to the Student Ghetto a few times... coincidentally for parties. It isn't that bad, and it isn't that ghetto. It has the plus of not needing a bus to go to school, it is directly across the street. I think it is First Street or Second Street that runs up the east side of Funshawe, that is where the blocks of student housing are. Most of that housing is not single-occupancy, so if you aren't looking to share a place with a random selection of 3-5 people aged 17-20, go elsewhere.

Off Campus Housing is definately the place to look.

[jgardhouse@gmai]

My logic with student housing (being a student and all) is that if your working hard, you'll be spending all your time under a mound of books in a library, and as such, since your never home, living in less then ideal circumstances is fine - given the right price :D

Finding a place that owned/managed by a legit company, and not just someone who's doing it on the side, is sometimes an advantage.

[CAllen]

Thanks guys! It's looking like the rent a cheap crappy room is the option that sounds best :-)

BTW, JGardhouse, nice job at Tall Pines. I was with Justin when we teched your car, and even better job on the tire change. I'll never ever question a battery operated socket in the trunk of a car again :-)

[MazdaMatt]

Good point about the landlord. I just moved out of a place that i was in for a year with a "typical London slumlord". You will have a much better experience if the place that you rent is owned by a major faceless corporation.

(i quoted "typical London slumlord" because they are so common that has become their title)