There’s no hiding that relocation is stressful, not only for the employee but for their family as well. At Situ, we understand that a successful relocation depends on more than just a good job description and salary. It hinges on the experience, support, and environment offered to the employee.
One of the most crucial moments in any relocation is when the individual steps through the front door of their temporary home. This could be an inner-city aparthotel, a rural cottage, or a suburban house with space for the family. Whatever and wherever it is, it must meet the employee’s needs and wants, as well as align with the employer’s programme and due diligence requirements.
That is why we strongly advocate for serviced accommodation as the best choice for those first steps in a new location. From flexibility to helpful services, this form of accommodation continuously comes out on top over other options. In this blog, we’ll explore why serviced apartments are the superior choice compared to rental accommodation during the relocation process.
Serviced apartments and rental accommodation: what’s the difference?
Serviced apartments are fully-furnished accommodation that offer the comfort and convenience of home, combined with the services of a hotel. They typically include amenities such as housekeeping, Wi-Fi, and a fully-equipped kitchen, making them ideal for extended stays.
Rental accommodation, on the other hand, requires a contract, referencing, jumping through financial hoops, and limited opportunity to change your mind. The liability is placed on the individual, and often involves difficult red tape related to immigration or local market requirements. Bills such as Wi-Fi and electricity are not usually included and need to be set up by the employee and terminated at the end of the stay.
Flexibility is key
One of the biggest drawbacks of rental accommodation is its inflexibility. With rental accommodation, once you’ve signed the contract, that’s that, and many of these contracts have you commit to at least six months or even a year depending on the location. Failed relocations are costly, but that cost can be mitigated through a more flexible accommodation choice.
Finding an apartment in a busy city is not the easiest task, and getting onto the property ladder is only becoming more difficult. With a wide variety of available serviced apartments, there is a broad range for you and your employees to choose from, meaning you don’t need to make sacrifices on lifestyle or quality. Sourcing a serviced apartment is far easier than tracking down a suitable rental property within your budget in a central location. Let Situ do the hard work for you.
You may need flexibility to extend your stay with short notice. This can happen if you’ve found your permanent home but need more time before you’re ready to move in. That’s where serviced accommodation shines. Extending or amending a short-term rental isn’t nearly as easy as with a serviced apartment where all you need do is make a phone call or send a quick email. You’ll likely be allowed to stay in the same apartment as well. Our serviced accommodation partners often own multiple properties in one area and are therefore better able to move things around to try and keep you in the same apartment if you need to extend your stay.
Compare this to rental accommodation, where you will need to extend your contract (not to mention cover extra bills) in order to stay longer.
Rates, contracts, bills… (the not-so-fun bit)
At first glance, it may appear that serviced apartments come with a heftier price tag than rental accommodation or even hotels. However, this fails to take into account the various cost savings resulting from the flexibility serviced accommodation provides.
With Situ as your appointed agent, we remove the hassle and strain of deposits which are required in rental accommodation and can be costly. Relocations and assignments don’t always adhere to schedule, so the benefit of this flexibility shouldn’t be underestimated.
Another significant benefit of serviced accommodation is the included bills. With rental accommodation, you will need to sign up to various contracts for Wi-Fi, gas/electric, water, etc. With serviced apartments, this all comes as standard. Not only will this reduce the overall cost, but it will also save many headaches from trying to navigate an endless stream of contracts.
Even if your company covers the costs, you’ll appreciate the simplicity and peace of mind that comes with bills-included, flexible serviced accommodation. There’ll be fewer expenses to submit for reimbursement!
Services and amenities – everything you’ll need
Serviced apartments are perfectly suited to relocating employees. With your accommodation, you will have all the services and amenities you need to make your stay a happy one.
Notably, a weekly or bi-weekly housekeeping service – which we’ve all wished for at some point in our lives! As well as on-call maintenance in case of any issues, a welcome form of support from a trained professional instead of your landlord’s cousin who knows a thing-or-two about switchboards. The peace of mind that results from having a company like Situ primed and ready to assist with any issues cannot be undervalued.
Oh, and we mentioned free Wi-Fi is included, right?
Location, location, location
When it comes to life in a new place, location is key. With serviced apartments commonly being in central areas and part of bigger developments, there is a higher likelihood that you will find somewhere you like and that it is available to move into.
Sourcing rental accommodation in an equally central location can be limiting because every property you are looking at can be furnished to different standards and in different states of repair. As serviced accommodation mirrors the hotel industry, if you like a building, Situ will be able to share the best availability for it. Rental accommodation will likely prove difficult and expensive to secure, potentially forcing you to look further afield than you would prefer. Place yourself in the midst of transport links and key locations with serviced accommodation and ensure you don’t lose hours trapped in a thankless commute.
What makes Situ the cream of the crop?
Of course, not all serviced apartments are created equally. That’s where team Situ comes in. We are market experts, and we know the best options to share with you to allow you to make the right choice for you and your employees. We’re also proud to be people-people, our guest care team is always here to support you, making your transition as smooth as possible.
Rest assured, whatever the Situ, we’ll sort it.
Conclusion
Serviced accommodation caters perfectly to the needs of relocating employees. While rental properties may offer a possible solution, we believe that the best choice is one that is adaptable to individual needs on a global scale. A relocation can fail for several reasons, but a common cause is the employee and their family not feeling settled. That first impression when they open the front door can either bring delight or frustration, amplified by long flights, feelings of isolation, language barriers, and cultural changes. Make sure you start out on the right foot, so your first impression can be a great one.
The serviced accommodation industry is well established and highly regulated. These rigorous standards ensure high quality accommodation that you can trust. At Situ, we appreciate the challenges of relocation, which is why we work hard to ensure this transitional period is as seamless as possible. From competitive rates, flexibility, exceptional services to unbeatable locations, we set the standard for globally great relocation.
Situ-self down, we’ll handle this.
If you’re due to relocate to a new area, get in touch with a member of the Situ team today and discover how we can simplify your booking experience. Or, if you’re not coordinating the relocation but feel that serviced accommodation would be the right choice for you, feel free to pass our contact details on to the manager of your move – we’d be happy to talk them through the process!