You may renew your tenancy, move somewhere else or wait for a decision that will shape the next few months. Meanwhile, an invitation arrives and you wonder whether it is worth getting to know people before you know how long you will be around.
You do not need a permanent address to accept an ordinary social invitation. What matters is being honest about commitments that depend on your future plans, rather than promising certainty you do not have or withholding all contact until life is settled.
01Separate this week's plan from a long-term commitment
Meeting someone for coffee next week does not require knowing where you will live next year. Agree the plan you can make now. A recurring group, a shared booking far ahead or an organising role may need a different conversation because other people will rely on your availability.
Ask what the commitment actually involves before deciding. A group that welcomes occasional attendance might suit you, while a fixed course or team with attendance requirements may not. Do not assume that every local activity requires you to promise a long stay.
02Give a plain answer when future plans come up
“I'm here at the moment, but I haven't decided what happens after the summer” is enough if that is what you know. You can share more if you want, but a new acquaintance does not need the details of your housing, finances or family decisions.
Avoid saying you will definitely stay because you worry uncertainty makes you less worth knowing. Equally, you do not need to introduce every conversation with a warning that you might leave. Tell people when the information matters to a plan or when you naturally want to discuss it.
03Choose something you would enjoy in the present
An activity can be worthwhile because you like doing it and enjoy the people there, even before you know whether the connection will continue. A walk, shared interest or ordinary meal gives you something real to participate in now.
This does not mean treating people as temporary entertainment. Be interested in their lives, keep the arrangements you make and allow the connection to develop at a pace that suits both of you. Uncertainty about your location is not permission to disappear from commitments without explanation.
04Keep forward planning proportionate
If a friend suggests something months away, distinguish interest from confirmation: “I'd like that, but I can't commit until I know where I'll be. Please don't buy a ticket for me.” Give a decision point if you have one, and accept that others may need to proceed sooner.
For closer dates, account for any known moving tasks and journeys. You can make a smaller plan while arrangements are unsettled. The goal is not to avoid all commitments but to make ones that are realistic with the information available.
05Do not wait for a home that is ready for visitors
You can invite someone to a public place or suggest an activity without hosting. There is no requirement to reciprocate a friend's invitation by offering your own living room. Choose a plan that fits your circumstances and explain practical limits without apologising for them.
If your accommodation is changing or shared, our guide to social life in temporary accommodation covers meeting arrangements and privacy. Not knowing your long-term plans does not mean new acquaintances need your current address.
If you do move, tell the people you want to keep in touch with. Ask what kind of contact would be welcome rather than promising constant visits. Some friendships may continue through calls or occasional meetings; others may remain a valued part of the time you spent in that place.
You cannot know the outcome before getting to know someone. Nor do you need to guarantee a lifelong friendship to justify a sincere invitation. Our guide to keeping friendships through changes of address covers updating established routines when the move becomes real.
07Make one invitation you can follow through on
Choose someone you enjoyed talking with and suggest a manageable next meeting. “Would you like a coffee next Sunday?” is more useful than keeping every connection at a distance until your future is resolved. Accept their answer without making the uncertainty a reason they should agree.
If you are in London and want to meet new people, check KF.Social's available six-person dinner. The booking fee is £15; food, drinks and travel cost extra. Check the date before paying. It is an introduction, not a promise of lasting friendships or a reason to make plans beyond what you can currently commit to.
You can build a life where you are while still deciding what comes next. The useful commitment is to treat people considerately now, not to pretend you know how every connection will end.
KF.Social
