Why can't I find a house to rent

[shinybaubles]

We are looking for a house to rent in or within 20 minutes drive of Canterbury, and we need 4 bedrooms, 3 receptions, garden and parking , and I am really struggling to find anything - I don't think budget is the problem - am happy to pay 2000 a month. There seems to be very little available. Any ideas? I can only look on websites as we are outside the UK. My stress levels are soaring at the moment.
One options is to buy we could buy a house but if we wait a year or two we could double our budeget when we buy, so renting seems the sensible option.
I can't tell if I am being picky or there is really nothing much available.

I don't know of any 'normal' house that has 4 beds and 3 reception rooms! Do you need 3 or is that just what you would like? Don't know Canterbury though so can't help there I'm afraid

Just had a quick look on rightmove, seems to be a lot of student lets in Canterbury but I did see this

this and this both look nice too.

We do need 3 - we need one as an office, although dh currently works in a shed in the garden - I think he's looking to upgrade. - He is perfectly happy to increase the budget to 3000 - but I feel that is an absolutely ridiculous amount to spend on rent.
Thanks Akiss - I had seen the first one you linked to before, it comes furnished - and we need unfurnished, we did call the agent and they were not flexible in terms of furniture.
Can't see the other two you linked to.

I'll try again
m.rightmove.co.uk/quickPage.html?page=8&cc=html5%2Fhomepage.html%3Fpid%3D32827225%26goto%3DLETTING_PROPERTY_DETAILS#details

m.rightmove.co.uk/quickPage.html?page=8&cc=html5%2Fhomepage.html%3Fpid%3D33014179%26goto%3DLETTING_PROPERTY_DETAILS#details

Is there any reason why you can't rent it furnished, and then pay to put the rented furniture into store? It may be cheaper than upping the rent, and stops damage to the furniture that comes with the house, so less arguments when you move.

m.rightmove.co.uk/quickPage.html?page=8&cc=html5%2Fhomepage.html%3Fpid%3D21903609%26goto%3DLETTING_PROPERTY_DETAILS#details

Thanks so much Akiss - I can't get any of those to open - I am probab;y being a bit dim - they go to right move but there is nothing on the page - are you signed into a right move account? But it's very kind of you to try.

Scary teacher - hadn't actually thought of that.

Why don't you put a "Wanted to Rent" ad in the Property section of the local paper - Kent Gazette - Canterbury Area. It comes out every Thursday.

You may well find someone who has a property that meets your criteria before they approach an Estate Agent to rent it out ???

Brilliant idea - lookoveryourshoulder - will certainly do that we will be in Canterbury to look at schools early next week and if we have still not found anything will do that.

Also try signing on at some of the smaller Estate Agents that deal with properties in the "country/village" locations.

Try:-

www.brownscountryproperty.co.uk

www.angela-hirst.com

www.gwfinn.co.uk

Good Luck and if I can help you with anything - just shout...

Wow I thought from all the hours I have spent looking for properties I had heard of all the agents - and I haven't heard of any of those - duh

...Also try Caxtons or Maxwell White- they have a couple of properties in a village called Bossingham - there is a small school nearby and a great pub...

www.zoopla.co.uk/to-rent/details/15962933?search_identifier=26c8ea00e51347b5cd59a197cbf2929d

www.zoopla.co.uk/to-rent/details/11853695?search_identifier=26c8ea00e51347b5cd59a197cbf2929d

Thanks lookoveryourshoulder - you have been really quite helpful, I was looking at one of thouse you just linked to.

You could also try putting an ad on gumtree, its free to do, and the way i now got my two bed house that i am moving into in april, and cant wait, it wasnt something i was expecting to happen but it did and i am so happy. I thought i would never get anywhere, so when i did i was over the moon!

Thanks MyLittleMiracle have just done that.

Hi There....

How did you get on - did you like any of schools / places you visited ??

Just interested (& nosey) and maybe trying to round up some potential Kent people for a knees-up ???

Hi lookoveryourshoulder - yes we're moving along nicely, thanks for asking, we got offered places at both the schools we were looking at and have accepted a place at the one we liked the most - so we will be moving to somewhere near Canterbury soon hopefully.
Not doing to great with finding a house to rent - well we did find one but the drive to the school was almost 40 minutes in the middle of the day - too long.
We have seen another house but the owner is on holiday for another week - but other than that there seem to be not many rentals available - or we are supremely picky -.