Flat Hunting Tips
With many years experience of letting property Westender, Stephen O'Neill, Managing Director of Newton Letting, recognises that renting a flat can be a daunting task.
Stephen is a welcome contributor to the West End Website and we can look forward to sharing his knowledge of flathunting in the West End (and in general). He starts by providing some very useful tips. How to pick the perfect rented flat
Stephen's long haul laundry
Stephen was on a long haul holiday a month or two ago in Vietnam and found himself in the position whereby he had about a fortnight's worth of laundry needing to be cleaned.
Reluctant to pay the extortionate laundry fees in the ultra luxurious hotel he was staying in, he decided that there must be a laundry in the area (considering where he was staying!) whereby he could get them washed at a better price. After finding 'Lever House' in the Vietnamese equivalent to the Yellow Pages and using his schoolboy French to translate the word Lever to mean 'wash' in English, off he went in search of the Lever 'wash' House with his binbag stuffed full of shirts, shorts and pants.
Arriving at Lever House, he noted the smartly dressed porters at the door with surprise and equally they looked at him in bewilderment, noting his holiday attire and his overflowing laundry bag but nonetheless directed him to a lift and up to the 23rd floor.
Thinking the situation was getting odder by the minute and marvelling at the sheer luxury of this Lever 'launderette' on the 23rd floor, he stepped out of the lift with his bag of dirty clothes to be met by ultra plush corporate surroundings, the slick global branding of 'Uni Lever Brothers House' and a puzzled receptionist asking "If Sir needed any help?"
Making a swift exit back into the lift and a very red face, Steven wished he had paid a bit more attention to his French translations at school....
31st January, 2006
My West End
General
Stephen O'Neill 49 years old (but honestly I don't look it) and single. I own Newton Letting and Property Factors with my business partner Derek McDonald.
How Long have I stayed in the West End?
I'm a West Ender through and through having been born in Partickhill, brought up in Jordanhill and I now stay in Kelvinside – it's my parish! I do have to admit to having a sabbatical in Newlands in the South Side during my teens – What do they say? The only good thing about the South Side is coming back to the West End.
What First Attracted Me?Being newly born in the West End I had little option but to stay there. Early memories were of my days in Botanic Gardens with Notre Dame Nursery (now gone) and the exciting part was watching the huge plumes of steam coming from the open tunnel at the old Silver Slipper Café (Botanics Station).
Fond MemoriesStarting to sound old here. I stayed in North Gardner Street and aged about 7 years I would get up at 7am on a Saturday for the milk man from Scotts Dairy on his horse and cart and spend half and hour helping him – great fun for a kid, you wouldn't do it now though – nae milkmen!!
What Makes The West End?Definitely its colourful characters.
Also its one of the best areas where the majority of its residents have a real pride in being West Enders.
I've seen men getting into terrible arguments over the fact they are real West Enders having been accused of being incomers.
There is a rich underlying community spirit which permeates the West End – the only district in Glasgow I think that can boast this unique quality.
What Comes to Mind
Success Actually.
The West End grew rapidly from the mid 1800's to Circa 1900.
Its prolific growth was on the back of a successful city – Glasgow – things were going great guns for the city – its residents and particularly the West End – good quality housing was built emulating the West End of London.
So many West Enders are so so lucky to stay in all or part of these fine Victorian town houses that reflect the success of Victorian Glaswegians.
Change
The planning department.
I'd love to see all new developments in and around the West End (Commercial, Residential, Local Authority and University) being encouraged by our planners.
Though a pre condition of such development is that they must be architecturally powerful – big, bold, strong statements.
Maybe slightly ballsy.
This is no different than the Victorian West End developers did just more of the same 100 years later.
tips for flathunters - 9th December, 2005
Although it's very exciting seeking out that new rented pad - come decision making time it can be really nerve wracking as there is so much to think about"
Is it a good flat or a good area??
Will the landlord be decent, hones and straightforward to deal with?
Perhaps new renters need a wee bit of guidance to help with choosing the right rented home.
Newton Letting Agency and Property Factor
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Comments
walker | Wed Jan 03 2007
walker | Wed Jan 03 2007