Is our expat offer a good one?

chiqui · Jun 19th, 2008, 23:40

1) Get at least 1 driver, depending if you husband will need to be mobile for work. You could ask that he get driven to work (some Indian offices offer to/from work pick up and delivery. You will want a driver for the family.

2) The rent is fair. To see what Indian houses look like and get a feel for some amenities - use Flickr or Craigslist.

3) House - what to ask for consider
Air Conditioning - A chiller is reliable and cheap to run and depending on humidity/heat can even be effective so that's not a negative until it doesn't also have an AC unit. You will NEED it.
Power (Generator, UPS, Inverters) see other peoples comments.
Oven - As per Nick H
Gas - Most cook tops are gas. Many houses I went to did not have gas lines, instead you had little tanks. To get gas for the tank you needed a permit. Just something to think about.
Bathroom - Tubs are a bit of a rarity. I'm a shower person but you might not be.
Outdoor spaces like a balcony are great. Rooftops in India tend to be for servants so it's unlikely to be an appropriate place to hang out - despite how nice and tempting it is to think of a lovely rooftop garden.
If the relocation is not permanent, consider storing your furniture in North America. Many places come furnished. Indian furniture is practical to Indian weather. For example: Beds seem to be lower to the ground which helps with heat.
Laundry facilities - Check that the plumbing is in place for a washing machine. It's cheap to get your clothes ironed (someone comes to collect it and brings it back beautifully pressed) but it's more practical to wash it at home and hang to dry.
Geizers - Many houses have water heaters specific to each plumbed location. (1 water heater per bathroom, 1 for kitchen). Consider if they are included with what you are planning to rent if not, consider it an set up cost in your budget and see if the company is willing to pay to have your place "fitted" with the necessary fixtures.
Water - Consider how water come to the house (tank on the roof, filled daily, or on demand from the city supply or??). Water restrictions can be specific to districts as well. Stick to the best neighbourhoods to avoid issues.

Sucha great adventure for you all. India's fantastic. Best of Luck!

Rockyp44 · Jun 20th, 2008, 01:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick-H

BharatGas is government (I guess the clue is in the name

I think it is the same outfit as Indian Oil, etc etc, but I don't know). It's where we get ours.

Don't know about the other companies.

'legal resident' --- what does that mean? If you live here, legally, I guess you're a legal resident! I got my 'gas connection' with a tenancy agreement, and maybe a phone bill.

Whether these agencies are giving new connections or not seems to change with the wind. At the moment they are, but they might require you to have a Ration Book, which is hard enough to get for a genuinely poor Indian family, or a Certificate of Not Having a Ration Book which is probably impossible to get. But ask: the subsidy is worth haveing! If they say no, you just go to to the private guys instead.

When I got mine, it was a case of no problem if you buy your stove from us. Didn't bother me; I needed a stove anyway.

By the way: it's easy to get a BSNL phone line with a tenency agreement, you might want their broadband anyway, and a phone bill is generally accepted as proof of address, with BSNL carrying slightly more weight than the private companies.

Yes, I understand being a "resident" means having a local Ration book. One of my colleagues is an Indian national from Bengal working in Chennai and even he couldn't get a legal (subsidized, I guess he means) gas hook up/cylinder. I am a foreign national, so...

Nick-H · Jun 20th, 2008, 02:38

...am I and I did!

The point of the ration book is two-fold, although the first is rather theoretical:

---The subsidy is supposed to be for poor people; ration books are supposed to be only available to those living below 'poverty line'

---It is a document that a family will have only one of. The gas supplier can there endorse it that the 'connection' has been made and the number of cylinders supplied.

This second point is the critical one as part of an attempt to prevent domestic, subsidized gas being used for commercial purposes. It supposedly ensures that one family can get only one subsidised supply.

Anyone can see, from a glance at small restaurants and street-food places, that efforts to control the gas black market are dismal failures!

By the way: this is a socialist country, and your electricity will be subsidised by the govt. Yes, even as a rich foreigner!

The tarrif works so that you pay more per unit the more units-per-month you use. Clever! Mind you, don't see much of that subsidy once we start cranking up the AC machines!

madan80 · Jun 22nd, 2008, 15:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockyp44

To get a gas hookup you must be a legal resident of Chennai and they are not giving out any new hookups. If it doesn't already exist in the house, you will have to look for it in the black market, which we have not been able to do.

Can anyone help us with this?

I would suggest a private gas connection - you need to produce your rent agreement and some ID and you can pick it up.

superk8 · Jun 27th, 2008, 01:54

Thank you all for your replies. I really appreciate this information. It looks like we will be booking tickets to come out for our "pre-acceptance visit" soon. Hopefully things will make more sense once I'm able to see what you all are talking about.

Also, if anyone else knows sites to see housing, besides primelocator.com, please let me know!

Thanks again!

ISN · Jun 27th, 2008, 03:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by superk8

Also, if anyone else knows sites to see housing, besides primelocator.com, please let me know!

Thanks again!

http://www.99acres.com/
http://www.magicbricks.com

P.S: Can you share with the forum in what industry your husband works?

Nick-H · Jun 27th, 2008, 03:21

and here's another one

mirjamd · Jun 28th, 2008, 10:35

One of my friends hires a driver and a car from a company. They pay Rs. 20.000 a month, and are free of the hassle of maintenance of the car, because the driver takes care of that and it is included in the price. It depends on how long you stay in India whether this is an economical arrangement (vs. buying a car yourself).

Rockyp44 · Jul 3rd, 2008, 19:30

We paid for it today, supposed to be delivered tom'w.

ISN · Jul 4th, 2008, 00:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockyp44

We paid for it today, supposed to be delivered tom'w.

Where did you buy your gas connection form and can you share how much you paid for the connection and how much they will be charging you for your next gas cylinder?

SAHM · Jul 22nd, 2008, 08:32

Your offer is not as sweet as some but does cover the basics - except for the cars and drivers. You should be aware though that the American International School has a long wait list for some grades - if that is the school that you choose to put your children in.

My blog has a lot about houses, househunting, and the differences between US vs. Chennai homes. Check out the entries during the early days in Chennai.

http://my.opera.com/myfamilyinindia/blog/

As a side note, I have known several expatriate families who had all their electronics blown out - even though they had them on transformers. Get stabilizers!

good luck,

SAHM

Jun 20th, 2008, 02:38	#33
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 26,766	...am I and I did! The point of the ration book is two-fold, although the first is rather theoretical: ---The subsidy is supposed to be for poor people; ration books are supposed to be only available to those living below 'poverty line' ---It is a document that a family will have only one of. The gas supplier can there endorse it that the 'connection' has been made and the number of cylinders supplied. This second point is the critical one as part of an attempt to prevent domestic, subsidized gas being used for commercial purposes. It supposedly ensures that one family can get only one subsidised supply. Anyone can see, from a glance at small restaurants and street-food places, that efforts to control the gas black market are dismal failures! By the way: this is a socialist country, and your electricity will be subsidised by the govt. Yes, even as a rich foreigner! The tarrif works so that you pay more per unit the more units-per-month you use. Clever! Mind you, don't see much of that subsidy once we start cranking up the AC machines! __________________ . Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

Jul 3rd, 2008, 19:30	#39
Rockyp44 RP Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 73	Gas cylinder, regulator, hose We paid for it today, supposed to be delivered tom'w.

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Jun 19th, 2008, 23:40	#31
chiqui Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 5	1) Get at least 1 driver, depending if you husband will need to be mobile for work. You could ask that he get driven to work (some Indian offices offer to/from work pick up and delivery. You will want a driver for the family. 2) The rent is fair. To see what Indian houses look like and get a feel for some amenities - use Flickr or Craigslist. 3) House - what to ask for consider Air Conditioning - A chiller is reliable and cheap to run and depending on humidity/heat can even be effective so that's not a negative until it doesn't also have an AC unit. You will NEED it. Power (Generator, UPS, Inverters) see other peoples comments. Oven - As per Nick H Gas - Most cook tops are gas. Many houses I went to did not have gas lines, instead you had little tanks. To get gas for the tank you needed a permit. Just something to think about. Bathroom - Tubs are a bit of a rarity. I'm a shower person but you might not be. Outdoor spaces like a balcony are great. Rooftops in India tend to be for servants so it's unlikely to be an appropriate place to hang out - despite how nice and tempting it is to think of a lovely rooftop garden. If the relocation is not permanent, consider storing your furniture in North America. Many places come furnished. Indian furniture is practical to Indian weather. For example: Beds seem to be lower to the ground which helps with heat. Laundry facilities - Check that the plumbing is in place for a washing machine. It's cheap to get your clothes ironed (someone comes to collect it and brings it back beautifully pressed) but it's more practical to wash it at home and hang to dry. Geizers - Many houses have water heaters specific to each plumbed location. (1 water heater per bathroom, 1 for kitchen). Consider if they are included with what you are planning to rent if not, consider it an set up cost in your budget and see if the company is willing to pay to have your place "fitted" with the necessary fixtures. Water - Consider how water come to the house (tank on the roof, filled daily, or on demand from the city supply or??). Water restrictions can be specific to districts as well. Stick to the best neighbourhoods to avoid issues. Sucha great adventure for you all. India's fantastic. Best of Luck!

Jun 27th, 2008, 01:54	#35
superk8 Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: United States Posts: 7	Thank you all for your replies. I really appreciate this information. It looks like we will be booking tickets to come out for our "pre-acceptance visit" soon. Hopefully things will make more sense once I'm able to see what you all are talking about. Also, if anyone else knows sites to see housing, besides primelocator.com, please let me know! Thanks again!

Jun 27th, 2008, 03:21	#37
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 26,766	and here's another one

Jun 28th, 2008, 10:35	#38
mirjamd Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Chennai Posts: 317	One of my friends hires a driver and a car from a company. They pay Rs. 20.000 a month, and are free of the hassle of maintenance of the car, because the driver takes care of that and it is included in the price. It depends on how long you stay in India whether this is an economical arrangement (vs. buying a car yourself).

Jul 22nd, 2008, 08:32	#41
SAHM Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: USA Posts: 89	Your offer is not as sweet as some but does cover the basics - except for the cars and drivers. You should be aware though that the American International School has a long wait list for some grades - if that is the school that you choose to put your children in. My blog has a lot about houses, househunting, and the differences between US vs. Chennai homes. Check out the entries during the early days in Chennai. http://my.opera.com/myfamilyinindia/blog/ As a side note, I have known several expatriate families who had all their electronics blown out - even though they had them on transformers. Get stabilizers! good luck, SAHM

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