Accommodation

“There’s no end to what people will do for the love of money”.
– Nick Abbot, LBC (1152).

This page is about my renting experience in Alexandria (4th March until 3rd May 2014).

I hope others can learn from my mistakes and not be put off from the city of Alexandria.

Here is a summary of what happened.

I had started off with staying in a hotel.  Thought I had good deal, 2000 EGPs per month.  When I joined the TAFL center at the university, Dr Lana Habib initially recommended I stay at the halls of residence, but I was a little hesitant with that idea.

Then she described to me of a lovely and cheap apartment in a nice area called Ebrahemia.  I said I was interested in looking into it and she gave the name and number of the contact (Dr Nevin).

After a week, Dr Nevine sent me down to the apartment to meet the landlord, Dr Emad Khalil Helmy.

Originally, I was told by the Dr Emad (the first time I visited the place) that
the flat (Omar Zafan Street, Ebrahimia) was ready in 20 days (mid Feb).

Close to the time Dr Nevine (the intermediary) told me the place was ready and that I should go down to the apartment to visit the landlord family (Dr Khalil was working in Saudi).
When I arrived at the flat, the landlord’s wife (Ghada Khalil Kamal) and his son (Omar) told me they needed another two weeks, but that the place was ready to move my things in.

This was one of many deceptions.

Like when Dr Emad assured me that the water pressure was fine by itself and usually did not need the pump to be activated (minor).

Or that when I was informed by Dr Nevine that Ghada had told her that the AC/heating device had been serviced, but on the day I moved in, I was told it would be done at the beginning of Summer (minor?).

Or when Omar was in denial that fleas bite humans even after I had been bitten all over my body and I had sent him web links (see below) stating that they do (minor??).

Or when the land-lords famly sent round a ‘professional’ insect extermination company (Abo El Atta) that turned out to be a one-clown band that was actually a friend of the family.  He appeared to be more concerned that I might just decide to move out.  He lied a number of times about the nature of fleas and whether they would come back (minor???).

How did things escalate? The landlord owned a few cats, which they had introduced me to, but what they had not introduced me to was the fact they might have hundreds of cat fleas in the apartment.

Cat fleas generally don’t mean to target humans, but with the absence of cats, they are not fussy, blood is blood.

In the end, I moved back to the hotel, but that was not the end.

I then required medical treatment for a peculiar skin condition that became worse every week (until I was not able to walk without agonizing pain and thereafter a continuous headache).

Three doctors later (including Dr Leech), minor surgery, medicine and 1000 EGP my symptoms finally started to reverse.
http://www.orkin.com/other/fleas/cat-fleas-on-humans/

http://www.fleafree.co.uk/solutions/en/eliminate.shtml

http://insects.about.com/od/fleas/f/can-fleas-live-on-people.htm

http://homebuying.about.com/od/sellingahouse/qt/Getridoffleas.htm

http://ucipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7419.html

http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/health-and-human-body/human-diseases/plague-article/