Accommodation

Yeah it is quite expensive, though the bills are included but its only actually a 20 minute walk to the Commission (I looked it on google directions)

Aneena wrote:Wow, those rooms are more expensive than an individual studio or apartment in the very city centre. I doubt any stagiaire will spend so much money on a small room far away from the institutions.

Aneena, you sound like an expert...how much do you consider reasonable? From both your knowledge as your friend's experience

I'm planning to spend something like 350-450, but I will see what I find If it's very good I can pay more, but the rooms from that link are not so well located and there's nothing special about them. Sometimes you get room offers for 350 and then exactly the same standard and place for 500. I don't get it, but that's how it goes.
I am looking around the very centre and Schuman, Ixelles is also ok. But some areas are really dangerous, I wouldn't live there even for free. I think look on the map whether it's close from the Commission and read Bibi's comments about the areas in the city.

Aneena wrote: whether it's close from the Commission and read Bibi's comments about the areas in the city.

Shall do. If I find any solutions nearby that area for us I'll post them here.

Oooohhh I didn't realise that some area's were dangerous in Brussels!!! So when some people said to avoid some places like the station area it wasn't because of the stadard of the accomodation, more to do with the risks of living there??!! So where else is is it not generally safe to live in?

Yeah, I think your right Aneena, that place with the link now seems very expensive after i have looked at a few more adverts!! It seems like supply outstrips demand in Brussels, so I'm sure it should be possible to find quite cheap accomodation, more money for partying and trips at the weekends!!! I'm getting excited now!!

Yes, when I say "avoid", I mean that it's not the safest place! So avoid Gare du Nord and Gare du midi. Basically, if I were you, I'd look for something either in Ixelles (postcode: 1050), the center (1000), Etterbeek (1040), or St Gilles (1060 - only the part nearest to the center, not near Gare du midi - so around stations porte de hal and hotel des monnaies is fine, nice area actually).

You should be able to find something cheaper, definitely. Like I said, I live around Schuman, in a houseshare of 6 and I pay a bit less than 400 euros and I think that's expensive already! But then the area has gone up quite a bit since the institutions arrived.

I found yesterday an ad for a studio in Ixelles - very small (18 sq meters), but fully furnished and with Internet for 250 Euros (all costs like water, heating and electricity included). So be careful and look around, cos some landlords really want to use people coming from abroad, who don't know the situation in the city and earn well enough to overpay.

I lived some time in Schaerbeek in the dangerous area - wouldn't recommend it to anybody, although I had a car and only had to drive into the garage - I would be even afraid to walk there during the day. The same is somewhere close to Palais Royal, I don't know the names of the streets, but I know where it is on the map, so I always look when I find some room offers - people in Brussels laugh that you can walk in but you never walk out of there cos you get killed in 5 min. Probably it's exaggerated, but I've been there and will NEVER go there again.

However the part of Scharbeek close to the institutions is really nice and beautiful, I could live there if it's close enough from the Schuman metro station.

That's a bargain! Yet, consider the conditions of the house: Internet, is it wi-fi? Is the house restored, ok? Central heating? Fully furnished: does it include a desk, a lamp? Hey, I remember checking these houses with their own maids for 550 - fully furnished, utilities were included...and a maid would come and clean once in a while. 550 was singularly for one person yet it could be cheaper for 2 or 4.

What about Quartier Latin?

Just for comparison - look at that room for 200 Euros:

http://housing.justlanded.com/fr/Belgique_Bruxelles/A-louer_Colocation/Great-Room-Available-for-Summer

I don't know how the rooms for 500 are better. So it's just the matter of luck and finding something good.

Wow! This room looks fairly ok, very nice indeed! The Quartier Latin one is a residence for young people: http://www.qlb.irisnet.be/ql/EN/1.htm

Found this address in an Uni website

Hi all,

Just a quick question: according to your opinion, when should I start looking for accomodation? I will be working until mid-August, so right now I am afraid I wont have enough time to look for a place to stay.

As far as I know, the traineeship summer session will end by the end of July, so I reckon that will be the right moment have a look at offers on the web.

Looking forward to meeting you in Bxl!

Cheers,

Buzz

Studio for 375 euros + utilities each month nearby Place St Gery (Arteveldstraat) http://www.qlb.irisnet.be/fotos/roomg4434.jpg - for the pic

I'm looking for 1040, 1000 Zip codes (Etterbeek and Centrum) and been seeing some houses for more than one tenant. I'll be working with a real estate agency, I don't wanna get conned (thanx Aneena for the big shout). I've checked very nice prices so far ...

Great info guys! Thanks to everyone who's posted links'n stuff. But, are we giving up on the idea of a shared apartment? It looks like studios and such are easiest to find, but, like Aneena, I'd prefer something a little more social...And none of the shared apartments I've seen so far are with other trainees...boo.

Yeah, I'd also prefer shared appartements with other trainees, but I have the same difficulties to find anything...

I found 2 apartments by now shared with other trainees, however they are both far far from the city centre and I am still searching. I guess I pasted the offers somewhere on the forum, if not I can do it But I am still searching for the perfect place, now it's really too early.

My internal source from the Commission told me to start looking on 15 September.

That late? Or does it mean we should get there by 15 September?

Start looking on 15th to move in on 1 October.

Yes, I think you should be fine if you start looking just before mid-September.

Thursday...ok, note taken. I'm gonna speak to Holmes, maybe he can go with me there and together we'll find Moriarty .... easier than finding a house!

Also, I read Obie and Seb (can't....find.....punctuation....) mentioning they would like to live together. I'm ok with living in an apartment in Centrum or Eterbeek (just these areas) for up to 4 people: separate rooms, furnished, internet (that would be a plus, 1 euro per half hour in a web cafe is not so good), good cooks, girls and boys it's ok!

Just boys is boring, just girls is ok, mixed is ok as well and I like to party (that is, I'll attend social events in mint condition).

I'm quiet, like to cook (might clean up every once in a while), work a lot at home (can't avoid it) and.... any questions? Anyone interested? I am also into waiting a while further (no post?)

And would like to post this emoticon: .... just because

Bduarte you're cracking me up ) I'm with you on all of the above, except I'm a strong cleaner / "tidy-room-maker" and quite a pathetic cook (and that's only if salad and eggs count as meals ) Also, which real estate agency are you working with, if I may ask? I've come across several scams in Europe in the past, so it would be awesome to just avoid that from the start!
Well, OK, so there seems to be consensus that we should wait a while (although the idea of waiting until 2 weeks before the Stage kind of gives me the chills). Perhaps some ads will be posted soon on the Stage Committee website or somewhere about apts that a few spring trainees were sharing and will become available for the fall ones?

Guys!! It would be awesome sharing a flat with other trainees!!

As I wrote in the other forum, I'm okay with living in a flat close to a metro station near the city centre cos I'll have to work in the DG Ecfin (Beaulieu) - that's the only thing I ask... Apart from this problem, I'm surely in for any sharing purpose!! For me it would be so so boring living alone and I'm not used to it at all!!

I agree with Bduarte: up to 4 people is fine (I have been living in Bologna with other 4 students and it's been fine although - I admit - the risk of problems - any kind of problems - rises quickly with a lot of people in the house).

Girls, boys or whatever I really don't care! The more mixed we are the funnier and nicer will be!

I like to party either but I'm serious and quite (whenever you need to be serious and quite ). I'm used to work at home (I am a PhD student) but I don't know what kind of tasks they'll give us (so that I might work just there in the unit and have a lot of spare time afterwords).

I really like cooking (Italian of course! - it's one of my favorite hobbies) and I am clean and tidy (but not cleanaholic!)..

Well, I've just realized that I don't know how to describe myself!! Nice!
So, if you want more information about me you can use Facebook (Daniele Pacifico) or Goolge (type "Daniele Pacifico").
Let me know guys!!!

Btw, I agree that we should wait a bit before going room/flat hunting.. Now it's really too early..

That's three of us right? Anyone else? I created EC trainees sharing an apartment - Brussels 2009-10 on Facebook, please join so we can meet each other, share some pictures, experiences, interests ... (I gotta get a picture, a decent picture there)
Anyway, let's do it!

I'm using an agency, I really trust them, they work with students (affiliated with ULB)

Let's get together and take it from there! Grrrrreeeat!

https://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=121242495090 that's the link for the lazy ones
Well at least we can see each others pictures. But I wrote there what I think about the feasibility of the idea.

Hello everybody ! Congrats to you all !

I live in Brussels for three years now and I pay 480 EUR a month for a 1 bedroom appartment near Schuman (costs of gas, electricity & water not included; this is abt 70 EUR a month)

The best places I recommend are www.immoweb.be and www.vlan.be

These are the pages most Belgians look at. Though, mostly they give contracts for at least one year, but probably for studios and rooms this could be less.

Other pages which are usefull as well are www.xpats.com (special page for expats and trainees in brussels) and qlb.be (this is a page for students in brussels, but in dutch; maybe with google pages you can translate it easily cause it is a very good address!)

From the qlb webpages I have searched a couple of landlords. Though, I recommend you not to call them now, as they will give preference to studens first who rent a room/studio for a whole year.

But, from August-September onwards I think you can contact them:

1) De Smet - vanderlinden - nolf ; v10000@gmail.com; www.ubpm.be (this was my landlord when I was a student in Brussels; has rents rooms all over brussels
2) DE LEEUW JOSETTE; jo.deleeuw@skynet.be (Sq Ambiorix)
3) QUARTIER LATIN - STUDENT IN BRUSSEL vzw; info@qlb.irisnet.be (this is an official organisation who rents rooms in brussels)
4) DE CNOP DIRK; info@ludimmo.be

Good luck!

Hi, I sent them an email and they said they only rent rooms for 12 months (the Quartier Latin people). Any chances they change their minds in September in case they have free rooms left?

Yes that could be the case, that's why I wrote in my previous message that it is better to contact them in September or so.

You should maybe check this one out too:

https://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8064584108

Guys, go to Facebook Group ASAP! Great news, move fast or we'll miss it! The housing we want fro less than 400 euros month!!!















move fast!