questions abour renting a house

big friend

hi everyone! long time lurker, first time poster here. My wife and I will be moving to Chennai in late July. Our employer (the american school) will either rent a house on our behalf in the Velachery neighborhood or they will rent an apartment in Valmiki Nagar. If you had the option which neighborhood would you choose? The apartment looks to be part of a larger complex, which could have its advantages. I guess I'm curious about the two neighborhoods. We are sort of leaning towards the house in Velachery. What sort of things are in Velachery, i.e. restaurants, grocery centers... Also, what sort of extra responsibilities could we anticipate from living in a rented house? Do most houses hire security guards or is this not necessary?

Thanks in advance for taking the time to repsond

Nick-H

What a seriously impossible question!

OK, I'll vote... Valmiki Nagar, because you will be close to the sea.

Or, on the other hand... Velachery, because it is a house, and I always prefer houses to flats.

Did they send you any pictures? If you ask for the addresses (not suggesting that you should publish such personal info) you could probably home in fairly closely with Wikimapia/Google Maps/MapMyIndia/Google Earth --- invaluable tools.

Velacherry is an up-and-coming district that probably has everything. I only really know it from occasionally passing through. Some parts of Velacherry have serious flooding problems in the monsoon, so I'd want to know that any house there was on high enough ground.

Most expats on expat salaries, which are considerable compared to the 'local' equivalent, would probably hire a security guard for their house. He opens the gate for you, does odd jobs and runs errands too. That would be your choice

Raghu.Kumar

Hi Big Friend,

Welcome to Chennai, I second Nick on his advice. Anytime, Valmiki Nagar is a better locality due to its sereness and proximity to the sea. Here in Chennai the sea breeze sets in the afternoon even during peak summer and if you take up any of the higher floors its a real pleasant experience in the evenings. Moreso if you have a private terrace or a large balcony overlooking the sea.

Velachery would be flooded during monsoon times and also there is a whole lot of construction going on , whereas Valmiki Nagar can boast of avenue trees and calmness in comparison.

I would suggest that you go in for a large apt complex where everything is taken care of eg. maintainance and security. In an independent house, you would have run around by yourself unless American School deputes its own housekeeping staff. Moreover, residing in an apt complex would pave way for mingling with other residents/ expatriates and make your stay easier.

Do let me know, if you require any other info regarding your relocation i would be happy to assist.

Thanks and Regards, Raghu

Nick-H

I wonder if Big Friend will be back to let us know ...although it is only a couple of days since his post.

As he is already finding out with the water, renting an older house will involve him in local life and difficulties in a way that renting a modern apartment probably will not.

I'd go for the house --- but a working person might find it hard work.
I'm sure your kindness is appreciated, but don't forget that, although, of course, people do make private contacts through the site, the ethos of the forum is public sharing of help and information