Flat Hunting

So Beth, you might ask, why haven't you moved out yet? You and Guy still want to move in together, right? You've got boxes in your room filled with frying pans and tin openers, so why haven't you moved yet? You both have more than enough monthly income to cover the rent of a decently sized one bedroom flat. You're both sensible, you don't drink or smoke and you make a good first impression. You can provide references and a guarantor and extra rent/deposit to prove your financial and personal reliability. So, why haven't you moved out yet?

Wait... you're students? Oh no. No no no. We can't have people  running around and putting a down-payment on a flat when they're also striving to get an education! How absurd!

We've been flat hunting for a couple of months now. We've found quite a few flats which were suitable for us, equal distance to our respective universities and we could afford them. But we were turned down from even viewing the places as soon as they found out we were students. It's crushing, it really really is. To be rejected, over the phone, without even a meeting, based purely on the fact that we are in education. It's made me feel unworthy and undeserving and unreliable.

After a few rejections, I decided to change tact. I offered them extra money. Rent up front. An larger deposit. Proof of financial savings. A guarantor. References from employment and education. Whatever they wanted, just to prove that we were worthy. It wasn't good enough, we weren't good enough. And I don't know why. It can't be the financial aspect because we're giving them proof of our financial reliability. So is it the stereotype of the partying student? If they would just have a meeting with us they would see in an instant that we're exceptions from the norm. We are just a young couple looking for our first flat together.

I check the flat listings everyday for newly posted flats. I want to move out with Guy so much, I am so ready for this commitment and to embark on our next adventure together. But I realised today that there's a part of me hoping that when I check, there won't be any new flats that day. So we can't fall in love with another flat. So I won't have to ring up and ask for a viewing. So I won't have to deal with the rejection again.