Group Discussion: Finding a Flat or House

Discuss these questions with your group.

1. Why are some flats and houses more expensive than others?

2. In most parts of the United States the kitchen is considered a room but the bathroom isn’t. A three-room apartment is an apartment with a kitchen, a bathroom, a living room and a bedroom. What is a four-room apartment? How are rooms counted in our country?

3. What is a lease? Have you ever had to sign a lease when you rented a flat? What were the terms?

4. What is a deposit? Have you ever had to put down a deposit when renting a flat? How much? What was it for?

5. How do people find flats and houses in our country?

Community Activity: Looking at Ads in the Newspaper

Bring in the local newspaper and practise reading more ads for flats and houses. How many other abbreviations can you find? What do they mean?

Exercise 9

Renting a flat. Rewrite the advertisement in its full form.

A lux. sgl. furn. flt w/gdn. 1 rm., k. & b. C. H. Cpts., Col. T.V., tel., fridge, ckr., h/c. $180 p.m. Refs. rqd. Avail. mid. Apr. Tel: 01-678-1234 Evgs after 7.

Listening

A man is phoning to find out the information about an apartment for rent. Fill in the answers to his questions on the checklist.

Call about apt. in Gazette 1. No. bedrooms: 2. Rent: 3. Includes: heat? electricity? 4. What floor: 5. Elevator? 6. Washers/dryers in bld.? 7. Near shopping? 8. Quiet bld.? 9. Address: 10. Who to see: 11. Time: 12. Other info:

Speaking Partners’ Interview: Your Landlord

Ask your partner these questions. Report your interview to the group.

1. Do you know your landlord (landlady)? What is his/her name?

2. Does your landlord live in the same house as you?

3. Does your landlord take good care of the building?

4. Have you ever had any problems with your landlord? What were they? What happened?

5. Does your building have a superintendent? What does he do? Do you know him? Does he help you sometimes?

6. Is your building in good condition? Why or why not?

Group Problem Solving: Problems with Your Landlord

Read these situations. Decide on a solution. Report your solutions to the group.

1. The tenant can’t pay his rent in time, but the landlord wants the money to pay utility bills.

2. The tenant wants to nail bookcase shelves to the living room walls. The landlord doesn’t want nails in the walls.

3. The tenant hates the neighbours. He wants to break his lease and move. The landlord says ‘No’.

4. It’s May 25 and it’s cold. The landlord turned off the heat on May 15. The tenant wants the heat turned on.

5. The landlord is raising the rent again. He says taxes and utilities are more expensive. The tenant says he cannot pay more rent.

6. The stairs are broken. The tenant wants them fixed. The landlord says he cannot find a carpenter.

Exercise 10

Choose the most suitable word for each space.

When I first arrived here to take up my new job, I stayed in a hotel, but I soon started looking for some permanent (1) …… . The first flat I (2) …… over was in (3) ……, and was obviously extremely damp in winter. Quite apart from the fact that the only (4) …… was of a brick wall. Then I had a look at a small flat in a modern (5) …… . It had a (6) …… space and a garden, but the (7) …… was far too high for me. I didn’t want to (8) …… up in a tiny place, so I answered an ad for house-sharing. The house was in a quiet (9) ……, and as soon as I saw it I fell in love with it. There was a high overgrown (10) …… around the front garden, and (11) …… to park cars in the drive. The room to (12) …… looked out (13) …… the back garden, and had a big bay window. Although it meant (14) …… the kitchen and living room, I did have my own bathroom, really just a shower and washbasin (15) …… into what must have once been a cupboard.

1. A) home B) accommodation C) house D) landlords

2. A) passed B) viewed C) came D) looked

3. A) an attic B) a basement C) a cave D) a bedsit

4. A) view B) entrance C) distance D) bathroom

5. A) tower B) department C) block D) square

6. A) living B) breathing C) working D) parking

7. A) lift B) roof C) area D) rent

8. A) end B) live C) shut D) pay

9. A) surroundings B) neighbourhood C) context D) premises

10. A) fence B) bush C) hedge D) lawn

11. A) room B) permission C) areas D) place

12. A) let B) myself C) pay D) luckily

13. A) in B) over C) at D) for

14. A) without B) in C) sharing D) having

15. A) poured B) crowded C) cluttered D) crammed

 Reading and  writing

Read the advertisement for a house swap.

SWAP HOUSES? Our house is free in January. It’s next to the beach in Westport. Sleeps 6. All modern conveniences. Write to: Suni and Barry De Millo, Box 61, Palmerstone, New Zealand.

Here is a letter asking Suni and Barry some questions about their house. Complete the gaps and add one or two questions. Suni and Barry write and give you some information about their house. They also ask questions about your house or flat. Write a letter of reply. Start like this.

Dear Suni and Barry, Your house next to the beach sounds great! Can I ask a few questions about it? Has it got a large kitchen? Is there a fridge? How many bedrooms has it got? Is there a … for the car? Have you got a television? ………………? ……………..? I’m sorry to ask so many questions! I hope to hear from you soon. Goodbye for now, ……………(your name)

Dear Suni and Barry, Thank you for your letter and all the answers about your house. Here is some information about my house to help you …………………………….. See you soon, ……………………