Housing Agreement
The Good Life Abroad offers it’s clients the chance to live like a local in another country. In most destinations, participants live in Independent Apartments, leased on their behalf from a local property management company. Leasing an apartment, and living like a local, is a totally different experience from staying in a hotel, and is not for everyone. A hotel provides protection against many things that local people must deal with. Leasing an apartment does not provide these same protections.The Good Life Abroad enters into lease agreements with property management companies on behalf of our clients, the sublessees. While The Good Life Abroad partners with reputable property management firms that consistently deliver high quality apartments that are satisfactory to our clients, it is important that you fully understand and agree to the contract that is being entered into on your behalf, and consent to the corresponding risks.
Expectation setting: Unlike hotel rooms, apartments are not uniform and standard in size and design. Because we work with a variety of buildings and apartments, each apartment is different and there may be significant differences between your apartment and that of your fellow community members.
Risk: The Good Life Abroad enters into a binding contract for a specific apartment with the property management company on your behalf.
As it is not a hotel, there are no empty rooms that clients may request to be moved to.The lease agreement states that the apartment cannot be changed unless it is not habitable, meaning that there is no power or running water for more than 24 hours.The lease agreement states that the property management company may switch the apartment (even at the last minute) if there are repairs to make to the apartment. If the apartment is switched, the client will receive an apartment with the same area, same number of bedrooms, and same amenities as the original apartment.
Risk: The property management company does not control the building, it only manages the individual apartment within the building.
The building management may not maintain the building entryway or common areas to the same standard as the apartments are maintained, or there may be repairs underway in the common areas. There may be construction in a neighboring building which causes noise that carries to your building. There are other tenants in the building whose behavior we cannot control or who may create sounds or noises in the building.
Risk: The property management company manages the apartment, not The Good Life Abroad. We do not control the apartment, but we will work to resolve any issues through the property management company.
Tenants will be provided with a direct line to file service requests to the property manager.The property manager will ensure that all appliances, fixtures and utilities are in working order, but unlike a hotel, it will not respond to requests for upgraded towels, sheets, or items that are not essential to the functioning of the apartment.However, tenants are welcome to purchase housewares at local stores as they wish. The Good Life Abroad will support and escalate any high priority issues with the property management company.
Risk: These are European apartments and are very different from apartments in North America. You may not be used to these differences, and they may cause you discomfort.
The overall area of the apartment is smaller than the typical North American apartment. Please carefully note the square footage of your assigned apartment. There will be less closet and storage space than you are accustomed to. Kitchens are more compact and stoves will be electric (not gas) and may only have two burners. Air conditioning is not nearly as cold as it typically is in North America. Fans may be purchased by the individual to supplement if desired. In some cases, the heat from the building is controlled by the building management and turned on at a certain date for the entire building. Space heaters may be purchased separately by the individual to supplement if desired.Washing machines are available in all locations, but clothes dryers are rare and usually not available. In these cases, drying racks are provided. Power may be turned off at intervals, water may go out due to city construction, voltage/breakers may need to be reset.
Participant must treat their surroundings and materials with care. The Participant agrees to reimburse TGLA for any property or lodging facilities that are damaged, lost, or destroyed as a result of the Participant’s actions.
The Good Life Abroad seeks to deliver a holistic community experience for travelers seeking to live like a local. Housing is only one aspect of The Good Life Abroad program, and we ask travelers to come with a sense of adventure, humor, and flexibility for this different type of travel experience.We recognize that living in an Independent Apartment is not for everyone. Therefore we encourage travelers to carefully consider if they are willing to assume the risks and responsibilities that have been outlined in this agreement