Living arrangements when you qualify

[Unregistered]

I am just looking for personal stories of what forum members did in terms of housing when on leave when you qualified as officers. For instance, I am part way through a cadetship now and in between living near college and living on a ship I stay at my parents house. However, I don't want to be still living at my parents when on leave when I qualify in my mid-20s. So what are the options for a young, single male in terms of housing?

[alistairuk]

I am just looking for personal stories of what forum members did in terms of housing when on leave when you qualified as officers. For instance, I am part way through a cadetship now and in between living near college and living on a ship I stay at my parents house. However, I don't want to be still living at my parents when on leave when I qualify in my mid-20s. So what are the options for a young, single male in terms of housing?

I would suggest it depends how long you are going to be home for and if you have a wife/husband/partner - if your working 3 weeks on, 2 off or something, or your working somewhere where you are home most of the time it's probably worthwhile getting a flat / house. If not, then I don't see the point.

I currently occupy parents house when on leave - mainly because I'm only home for 2 months maximum at a time (so far I think the max I've ever had is 7 weeks), so not really worth my while buying a flat / house to spend 4 months in it a year! Yes, I could rent one out - but then I would have to relocate all my stuff when i'm at sea and I am far to lazy to do that. Would rather just save my cash up and get something in the future when I decide I can't be bothered being away from UK for so long.

[size4riggerboots]

I live in a suitcase, flitting between the Beast's mother's house and my parents house, I also flit about the country visiting friends! When I've got a few trips under my belt (and the money from them!) Beast and I will think about getting our own place. But he's going to have to contribute to that as well, for which he needs to get a job....

P.S. I turn 30 in March so don't give me any of that "But I'm too ooold to live with my parents" claptrap!

[ETwhat?]

Personally i would see if friends with more regular jobs are able to rent a room to you, i've talked about it, basically they get a bigger place as i pay part of the rent, but i dont pay a full market value and also dont have to worry about all my stuff lying in a house while im away and it also means that you get a place to go back to, living out of the same bag ashore as at sea gets tiring after a while

[Steve]

Ladies tend not to be very impressed when you explain to them that you still live with mum and dad. You don't want to be mistaken for a "mummy's boy". (Or maybe you do! )

I originally shared a rented flat at uni, rented a flat of my own as a cadet and sometime after qualifying and building up a deposit bought a place of my own. Once you are into buying it doesn't matter if you don't spend much time there, you aren't pissing money away in the same manner as paying rent on a place you don't spend much time in, you are instead investing in an asset.

You might consider buying with a friend or fellow maritime colleague - arrange to be on opposing work/leave cycles and you've always got the place to yourself!

[chris]

I'm thinking of buying a flat when I qualify but worry about leaving it unoccupied for more than a month as most insurance only allows 30 days.

Finding you have a squatter living in your flat or that its been burgled wouldn't be a great welcome home after 3 months at sea.

Steve - Do you have someone who keeps an eye on it?

[Ducki52]

I'm thinking of buying a flat when I qualify but worry about leaving it unoccupied for more than a month as most insurance only allows 30 days.

Finding you have a squatter living in your flat or that its been burgled wouldn't be a great welcome home after 3 months at sea.

Steve - Do you have someone who keeps an eye on it?

My house insurance states that you just have to inform the insurance company that you're going to be away for more than 30 days, and usually there's no extra charge. I'm sure there must be a specialist mariners insurance company who will insure you for being away from your house for the whole 4 months?

[chris]

interesting, I had been thinking of getting a lodger on a low rent to pay the utility bills and some of the mortgage and look after the place but then it would need to be a 2 bed flat, bigger mortgage etc.

With the 4 month insurance idea there's still the problem of squatters which is quite a big problem in the south east, the area I'd probably buy my flat in.

As a single male I could try and get a missus to look after the place when I'm away but that can bring its own problems.

[Steve]

I'm thinking of buying a flat when I qualify but worry about leaving it unoccupied for more than a month as most insurance only allows 30 days.

Finding you have a squatter living in your flat or that its been burgled wouldn't be a great welcome home after 3 months at sea.

Steve - Do you have someone who keeps an eye on it?

Home contents insurance arranged through Nautilus' deal with Endsleigh provides cover for extended periods away. There are exceptions, though I don't recall exactly what. Might be flood damage. I turn the water off.

A family member living in the vicinity checks on it regularly, but it's 2nd floor in a nice building and fairly secure - difficult to burgle without attracting attention. Squatters aren't much of an issue here.

[Chiefy]

the 30 day rule usually only applies if the property is totally un-attended for 30 days, having the neighbor, parent, GF etc pop in and maybe stay over at weekends or similar and move the post, curtains etc, makes it occupied, for the purposes of the insurance....he says having done it when single and asked the insurance.

Over the years have tried various combinations of houses, gf's /wives, seems the winner is a wife but that isnt for everyone and can have it's own issues

[ETwhat?]

Over the years have tried various combinations of houses, gf's /wives, seems the winner is a wife but that isnt for everyone and can have it's own issues

i think the general rule is that a wife isnt for everyone, although if you take steve's idea and share with a collegue on different rotations then it might just work

[size4riggerboots]

I don't think the wife option would work for me! Technically I spent more time at the Beast's house (with his mother) than I do at my folks house at the moment. But Mrs Beast is extrememly cool and when I mutter about how I should get out of my lazy habit of getting up at 1130 and slopping around in my pjs she says "Why?!" She also decides it's time for a drink at about 5 and has been known to make me a pint of gin and tonic at lunchtime!

As I said, we will be looking for a place of our own, when we both have jobs and money, but for the mean time, living with parents has it's perks!!

[Andy_S]

Think this might have been covered before but once you qualify are you allowed to live anywhere you like? I mean can you buy a flat in another country so you have a nice place to be when you are on leave?

[size4riggerboots]

Yes you can Andy, several members of this forum live in various parts of the world in fact! Generally your employer will pay for your journey from home to ship and back, irrespective of where that is. What they are less likely to do is pay for you to fly somewhere other than home, should you decide you want to go on holiday straight from the ship.

[Lewis]

I assume employers buy seafarers airline tickets at greatly reduced rates from what you or I would pay to fly some where. Is this so or do they pay a premium for flexibility or something else?
If so if your on leave can you get your employer to book you flight at there reduced rate and deduct it from your wages? Long shout I know but you never know.