Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Ed Provencher]

I'm about to change employers in March. I really like my apartment for several reasons, so I want to keep living there. I have 10 million won for a deposit and enough cash to pay 6 months of rent in advance. Of course, my current employer wants to put the replacement teacher in the apartment.

I want to stay in Seoul for several more years, and having control of my own apartment is a way to fight off the overwhelming sense of transience that goes with teaching English in Korea.

Do I have a fighting chance to stay? Is the apartment the academy's to lend or is it my home to live?

[Xuanzang]

Well have you contacted your landlord about your plans?

[Ed Provencher]

[Xuanzang]

Well I would contact the landlord and then see what kind of lease arrangement they have. I also wonder if they landlord is a friend of your boss or has multiple apartments lend/lease with your hagwon. That could complicate things as he doesnt want to bite the hand that feeds him.

[Ed Provencher]

[schwa]

If its a nice apartment & reasonable then I'd think your boss has good incentive to keep it. Why would he want to go househunting again? The simple fact that you've lived there & like it doesnt give you any claim on it.

No harm in asking though. Good luck.

[Xuanzang]

You could ask the landlord if he has any other vacancies in your building because chances are all the other apartments look just like yours. You must have one hell of a place to want to stay there longer.

[Ed Provencher]

[Xuanzang]

[yeremy]

I lived in a hagwon supplied studio from 2003-2005 in Gyonggi-do. The hagwon had a lease agreement with the owner to supply a certain number of studios for the foreign teaching staff. I suspect your situation probably falls into that category.

Your (supplied) housing is a benefit of your contract. It is part of your compensation but not the monetary kind. So when you leave your current job you will probably have to leave your current (hagwon supplied) apartment, too. That's usually how it works.

I've rented three apartments in Korea and generally you have to take your (current) contract in hand plus your money when you go to rent an apartment. So even if you do go to talk with the owner of your current apartment with a Korean friend, they may not really want to talk to you about renting/leasing until you have your new contract in hand.

Seoul is a big place, as you know, so unless your new job is relatively close enough to this place, you might be better off moving to the area where your new job will be.

[Ed Provencher]

Thanks yeremy.

I suppose 10 mil deposit and 6 months of rent paid in advance (without a contract in hand) should be enough to appeal to the owner of the apartment.

I don't know if there is a deal in place between the owner and the academy, but I do know that I'm the first employee to be placed at the apartment since this branch of the school is new.

If there is no such deal, perhaps the academy will set one up as a result of my request. Whatever happens, for the rest of my time in Korea, I will live in accomodations arranged by myself in order to give myself a bit more of the psychological sense of independence and permanence I feel will make my life more enjoyable.

[Ed Provencher]

Landlord went with school.

[losing_touch]

I am sure calling your boss "incredible" helped a lot with the situation.

http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=146870

[Ed Provencher]