Internet reliability — the make-or-break I underestimated

Never trust the host's screenshot. I now ask for a live speed test on both a video call, and specifically the UPLOAD number, since that's what dies on calls. If they won't do it live, that's my answer.

Backup is everything. A local SIM with a generous data plan as a hotspot has saved more of my meetings than any fibre connection. Assume the primary will fail during the most important call of the month, because it will.

I check coverage maps for the actual mobile networks before I book, not just 'does the flat have wifi'. In a lot of places 5G on a good carrier beats the building's ancient router by a mile.

Ask the host what happens in a power cut and whether the area has them. Gorgeous rural spots often come with an asterisk. I lost a day's work to a scheduled outage nobody mentioned.

Nomad-focused rental listings sometimes have verified wifi with real test results. Filtering for those saved me from a lot of hopeful 'fast wifi!' descriptions that meant nothing.

My rule after one bad month: no place is 'cheap' if the internet costs me a client. I'll pay more for a boring flat with rock-solid fibre over a dream apartment with a question mark.

OP here — the 'upload number specifically' point is the one I'd been missing. I only ever checked download and wondered why calls still stuttered. Thanks all, adding the hotspot backup too.

Also scope out a coworking space nearby before you commit to the flat, as insurance. Knowing there's a reliable fallback desk ten minutes away lets me sleep even when the home connection wobbles.