I was just responding to an interview that will ultimately be available online (I’ll update with the specific link, but in the meantime, the interested parties—a lovely Canadian couple researching their relocation to London—maintain awesome blogs of their own at Got Craft?, Lotus Events, and Granville Online).  As I kinda London-infoed myself out on that for one day, I thought I’d share a sneak preview.

In response to their question, “What are the signs of a reputable relocation agent or estate agent?” I have the following to say:

Well, it certainly helps if they have their own car   They would also never require you to make a deposit and pay your first month’s rent upfront in cash—I’ve heard of this happening, and no reputable agency/respectable landlord would ask such a thing; bank transfers, checks, or credit cards should be accepted.  Similarly, being asked to transfer funds to secure a flat without your (or someone delegated on your behalf) having seen the property first in person is the sort of thing Craigslist scams are made of, so beware.  Okay, so, yes, there are reputable agencies out there that will allow this per the tenant’s request (upon which the tenant must sign an agreement confirming that they did not see the space and based their decision solely on the photos provided on the agency website), but you won’t want to try this with an agency that has a sketchy website that may be suspect (see below).

If many of the listings you enquire about through an agency are no longer on the market, yet still being advertised, this could be a red flag as well—they may be boasting more properties than they actually have or at least aren’t on-the-ball enough to respect the accuracy and timeliness of their own listings (cut them some slack, though, if a flat has only just gone off the market in the last day or so, as property does move very quickly here, especially in summer!).  It can be discouraging if an agent insists you’ll find nothing in your budget, but you may need to also take this with a grain of salt, as more often than not, flats are more expensive than people anticipate, so the agent may earnestly be trying to help you develop more realistic expectations.  That being said, do your research in advance to get a good idea of average rent prices to make sure you aren’t ripped off.

Agencies with various branches (an agency with at least 3 different offices is likely a safe one to try) are obviously quite successful and may observe stricter codes of professionalism to maintain their reputations—e.g., Foxtons, Marsh & Parsons, etc.  This is not to say that the smaller boutique agencies offer any less in service—indeed, because larger agencies may take for granted that they’ll have a steady stream of business, this runs the risk of breeding apathy toward individual clients.  So give the little guys a chance, too, if their office looks presentable and organized, their listings comprehensive, and their staff personable and professional.  My husband and I found our flat, for example, through FiveSevenTen (a single-office boutique agency that only services postal codes SW5, SW7, and SW10), and their approach was kind-hearted and truly looking out for our best interests.  I appreciate when agents can be honest about the flats they represent, especially if it’s pointing out their shortcomings—then I don’t feel like I’m being schmoozed and promised perfection when they can only under-deliver.

Agency websites can be a good indication as well.  You know a good website from a bad one when you first look at it.  Does it look like a respectful amount of thought has gone into its design?  Is it user-friendly?  Are there any client testimonials?  A blog or something that provides value-added information and shows some personality?  Is their contact info clear and thorough (address and phone number should be there at the very least—raises a lot of questions if they’re not!  A web form is nice, too)?

So, for what that’s worth, I hope it’s of use for your own move to London.  I’ll give the heads-up when my entire interview is available online.  In the meantime, much of the content I shared there can be found within this London Relocation blog as well, so if you’re searching for a specific topic and cannot find it through our categories or ‘search’ field, please drop me a comment and I’ll happily direct you if not elaborate further.  Cheers!

Because I think it’s valuable for you to learn about England for your London move, I’m continuing on with my Weekend Warrior Sunday series.  Last weekend, we briefly met the Anglo-Saxons who settled in Lundenwic, just outside of the Roman Londinium.

By the early 8th century, London had fallen under the control of Mercia, another Anglo-Saxon kingdom that was centered in the English midlands.  By now the destroyed St. Paul’s Cathedral had long since been rebuilt, only to fall again at the hands of…Vikings! More than a century before leveling poor Paul in 962, the Vikings had begun raiding England.  London itself was sacked in 842 and yet again in 851.

[For a great weekend-excursion after you've settled into your new London flat, head up north to York and learn more about the Viking settlements in England at the Jorvik Viking Centre.]

If you’ve already completed your London relocation, you’re just in time for the Notting Hill Carnival!  I originally intended to continue on with Part II of my Top 10 reasons to move to London today, but realized I’d be remiss to go into this weekend and not to mention the grand fete.

This is one of those events that makes me give the Notting Hill neighbourhooda double-take.  Just when you might fear it will become too gentrified to appease tourists, its diverse background rears its head and strikes out with a lashing of eccentric, multicultural festivities to remind us of the Caribbean demographic that once dominated these streets and celebrate the general joy and debauchery of life.  Ever since 1964, this has been a time for Notting Hill to really let its hair down and deck itself out in color and glitter, entertaining the masses with vibrant costumes and ethnic music and cuisine.  Sunday is Kid’s Day, which will appeal to you if you’re looking for a lower-key experience of Carnival; otherwise, if you’re ready to swim in the sea of parade-watchers, mark down the bank holiday Monday in your diary.

If you come to the area this weekend, commit to the Carnival experience–your other favourite shops and eateries will likely be closed if not boarded up to brace against the onslaught.  Cheers to those of you moving to this London neighbourhood this week–what better way to kick off your new tenancy!  If you’re looking to move to the area after things settle down a bit (you know, when you can actually see the buildings, London Relocation Ltd. will have braved the eclectic storm to still be here for your call!

A few years ago, the film V for Vendetta prompted me to learn more about Guy Fawkes, as the film’s character ‘V’ adopts Fawkes’s image in rebelling against Parliament.  A big fan of Antonia Fraser’s comprehensive and engaging books on historical figures (Marie Antoinette is a favorite, which inspired Sofia Coppola’s film of same name), I discovered that she’d written a book about the conspiracy in which Guy Fawkes was involved and ultimately lost his life over. 

Faith and Treason chronicles England’s infamous Gunpowder Plot.  In 1605, thirteen conspirators attempted to blow up Parliament in order to assassinate the king and his heir so that the persecution of Catholics would end and England could be restored as a Catholic nation.  While he clearly did not act alone, Guy Fawkes is nonetheless singled out as the namesake of England’s holiday, Guy Fawkes Day (a.k.a. “Bonfire Night“).  Held on 5 November, people mistakenly think that the public is celebrating Fawkes’s attempt to overthrow government; rather, it is a celebration of the plot being thwarted thanks to Guy (or Guido, as he preferred to be called) getting caught on his way to ignite the powder kegs.  Nice going, Guido.

“Remember remember the fifth of November
Gunpowder, treason and plot.
I see no reason why gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot…”

So goes the poem…

The reason why I bring this up now in August is simply because my fascination with this story has unintentionally converged with my UK life.  I am entertaining family that is in town, and last weekend we wandered through the Tower of London for six—count ‘em—SIX hours (just goes to show you how much there is to see there—you’ll get your money’s worth!).  This was my fourth time touring the inside of the Tower, and yet my previous visits must have been too cursory, as I hadn’t yet seen all the prisoner graffiti carved into the walls of the individual towers.  This feature is particularly gripping, as it really brings the Tower to life when you realize you are standing within walls that confined convicted souls for months if not years until their release or execution.  There are so many to take in that I scanned at a relatively quick pace, but then I saw inside the Broad Arrow Tower the inscription by Sir Everard Digby, one of the gunpowder plotters who paid the ultimate sentence there.  Also to be found on these walls were the prayers of Catholic priests and sympathizers likewise imprisoned.

This was enough to make me want to pull Fraser’s book back off my shelf, yet then lo and behold, just a couple nights ago I learned that my husband and I will be staying in Ashby St. Ledgers tonight on our way up north for a wedding tomorrow.  Apparently, this town is home to the Manor House where a significant amount of the Gunpowder Plot was developed—the very room can be found above the Gatehouse, which we’ll hopefully have a chance to visit in the morning.

I…am…PSYCHED.  Speaking of which, I’d better wrap this up so I can go home and pack.  Happy weekend, everyone!

* * SPOILER ALERT if you haven’t seen the movie Closer!!! * *

After a nice walk through Notting Hill, Kensington Gardens, and Hyde Park yesterday with my cousins who are visiting London, I caught the Tube to the City to meet my husband and friends for dinner.  Quite pathetically, I had confused the days (it’s actually tonight that we meet ), so there was a period of time when he was underground on the Tube when I was trying to reach him and figured he was in a meeting or conference call; to kill some time, then, I strolled across the street to Postman’s Park.

I’d always wanted to visit this park ever since I saw the film Closer with Jude Law, Natalie Portman, Clive Owen, and Julia Roberts.  Once the lunch-break area for workers at the old post office nearby, the consequently named Postman’s Park is a sweet little haven from the bustle of London’s financial district, which also coexists with much tourism—in the case of the park, it is located very near the popular St. Paul’s Cathedral, but its low-profile entrances maintain it as a virtual London secret off the worn touristed path.  In addition to its intimate seclusion, the charm of Postman’s Park lies in its gallery of beautifully hand-painted tiles that memorialize everyday heroes.  It was founded by artist and philanthropist G.F. Watts in the Victorian era as a tribute to the self-sacrifice among common citizens, who all gave their lives in trying to save others.  Gazing upon them in solitude, I was very affected by the bravery of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances and marveled that so many of them were children.  Be it rescue from drowning, fire, trains, or runaway horses, each individual’s selfless acts will forever blossom from those tiles.

Just over a year ago when chilling in a hostel in Pula, Croatia, a friend lent me a book:  Longitude.  Cool, I thought, seeing it simply as something that would help me pass the time as I laid around on the beach.  A literary dork, I don’t often read nonfiction, so I was surprised how much I ended up enjoying this story of sea clocks that I read through as quickly as I would have a novel.  If you have the slightest interest in British history, seafaring, navigation, clocks, or astronomy, I cannot recommend it enough.

To get on with it, the book chronicles John Harrison‘s journey toward solving the problem of longitude.  We take for granted the globes we’ve grown up with that are stratified by their degrees in both longitude and latitude, never really thinking about what mankind had to undergo to come up with this.  How on Earth did they figure this out way back before today’s technology?  The problem was so dire that, in 1714, the British Parliament offered a monetary prize of £20,000 (worth millions in today’s terms) to whomever could solve it.

As Harrison (a self-taught clockmaker by trade) determined that being able to accurately track time was at the crux of the matter (such that the local time of a destination could be compared with a basis such as Greenwich Mean Time), what was needed was an accurate clock.  Sounds easier to us than what the issue really was at the time.  In the 18th century, clocks didn’t exist that could keep ticking with accuracy for a long duration of time, and certainly not against conditions at sea of varying temperature, moisture, and pressure.  And so, Harrison proceeded to build his clock, refining it through 5 different versions for over 4 decades of his life, all the while running neck and neck with competing clocks and the other dominant school of thought, astronomy (which relied on the stars as a measure of position…which works great until it gets cloudy!).  It’s a fascinating story of dedication and precision and such a testament to man’s perseverance and innovation.

Harrison’s “H5,” is located in the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers‘ collection in London.  H1 through H4 of the sea clocks (technically referred to as “chronometers”) are on display and still tickin’ in the National Maritime Museum‘s Royal Observatory in Greenwich, where time begins

This guest post comes to us compliments of one of our fabulous London Living Londonistas, Jessica.

When my husband and I moved from our corporate flat to our own place just a 25 minute walk north to Hackney, I didn’t know what to expect and oddly enough my main concern was “Where am I going to go grocery shopping?” Our last place was in walking distance to a Waitrose, a Tesco and most importantly, Borough Market where we had become familiar faces on Saturday mornings to our favorite vendors. Walking back from these places without a full backpack is not an option.

One Google search later and wouldn’t you know it these are our local markets:

Broadway Market.
Open Saturdays 9am – 5pm. Lots of fresh produce, meats, cheeses, clothes and hot lunch options.
The street is lined with shops and cafes to poke in and out of as you shop. Grab lunch and take a walk through London Fields or along the canal.

London Fields Market
Open Sundays 10am – 2pm. Lots of fresh produce, meats, cheeses, pasta and more.

Columbia Road Flower Market
Open Sundays 8am – 3pm (ish). Flowers, flowers and more flowers. Oh and plants, herbs, cafes and pubs too! Go at the end of the day for great deals.
The street is lined with shops and cafes to poke in and out of as you shop.

Back Yard / Up Market
Back Yard Market is open Saturday 11am – 6pm and Sunday 10am – 5pm
Up Market is open Sunday 10am – 5pm

You name it, they sell it. There are food stalls inside and out, a beer garden, vintage warehouse, art galleries, produce, music and that doesn’t even include the shops along the street!

Spitalfields Market
Thu: Antiques & vintage 10am – 4pm
Fri: Fashion & art 10am – 4pm
Sun: Busiest day – all shops & all stalls 9am – 5pm

You name it, they sell it. Sometimes there is music or an outdoor beer garden happening.

Hoxton Street Market
Open Monday through Saturday 7:30am – 6pm. Go on Saturday, it has the most stalls open.

You name it, they sell it and it is good and cheap!

Check out the individual website for events happening in and around the markets. Up Market and Spitalfields Market specifically have various free events happening all the time. Enjoy!

This guest post comes to us compliments of one of our fabulous London Living Londonistas, Emily, who maintains her own fun and quirky blog on the life of an American expat at Redenni in Wellies.

I believe the signs have a lot to say about the UK and what it has to offer as a host country.

You aren’t here long of course before you notice these. Surely, they aren’t intended for the locals; they must know when to look left. The government seems to be investing serious resources in looking out for our survival. I think it’s sweet that they don’t want us to die.

This one really made me giggle. How slow? Do they want me to drive as if I were dead? But that would be a stop, wouldn’t it? It’s on the verge of being oxymoronic. At least unlikely. I like that I live somewhere where they’re not afraid to make bold adverb choices.

So after admitting me without cost to Tate Modern, they take the time to keep me abreast of their lighting situation and apologize for any potential disappointment. That’s charming. I was in another museum that apologized that a certain display was missing a fish. Here it is.

They clearly care about my satisfaction and hate to see me disappointed or inconvenienced. I’ve never been so overwhelmed by politeness.

Nor have I ever been so tickled by a subordinate clause. This sign in Canterbury doesn’t really rule out drinking; it just seems to say that it’s fine to drink unless you’re such a joker that you attract the attention of the cops and they tell you that you can’t. Message received: Be cool.

And I love spotting ghost signs. Seeing faded, hand-painted advertisements never fails to remind me that I live in a place oozing with charm and history and that I really have to pay attention to appreciate it.

Ha!  Thank you, Emily!  I’ve never giggled so much posting on this blog…you’re a great wit, girl.

Woo-woo!  I mentioned Partridge’s before as a great grocery store to hit for your fix of American products not otherwise to be found in London.  Well, another treasure has been discovered in Holland Park:  The American Food Store!!!  Quite the aptly named retailer; leaves no question that, yes, they will have your Kraft Mac-n-Cheese and Aunt Jemima syrup!  And apparently, they will order the items you crave as well…or maybe that’s only if you get in good with the owner, as my friends evidently did with their friendly banter, those saucy minxes

As I do say time and again, of course moving to London means having the opportunity to explore new cultures and the cuisine that goes with it—as we should.  The remarkable aspect of this city, however, is its variety of ethnic cuisines, so why not throw some American pancakes and ready-made-pie-crust into the big ol’ melting pot?  Just a pinch here and there to please the palate…it’s natural to crave the flavors you grew up with, after all.  That’s why we see so many people getting busted on those shows they air here like Passport Patrol—people are always trying to smuggle goods in from their homeland without claiming it at customs!

And I shall be one of them.  Folks, I’m Chicago-bound tomorrow, so I’m making my list and will check it twice…to make sure it’s airport security compliant, naturally   And when that stash runs out, I’ll be heading to the American Food Store at 2 Ladbroke Grove, W11 3BG.

Relocating to the UK with a spouse and/or children?  A move to London is difficult enough to undertake on one’s own, so throwing additional numbers into the mix takes it to another level with different things to consider.  While by no means an exhaustive list, below are some items to consider as you start wrapping your mind around the task ahead:

1. Join clubs!  Be it sporting clubs for the kids or social/professional networking clubs for the parents.
2. If children are of school age, research schools and get them enrolled (the Good Schools Guide is a great resource to start with).  Knowing what school your children will be attending may dictate where you choose to live.
3. Having children likely necessitates having your own car, so it will be important to make arrangements for either shipping your vehicle or buying a new or used one here (the latter is probably your best bet).  You can drive on your home driver’s license for at least up to a year, but beyond that, you would need to get a UK license.
4. Is there a family pet coming in tow as well?  Some resources for relocating your pet can be found in my previous blog post, “Pet Relocations” as well as our London Living discussion thread, “Dogs in London?“.  As far as getting sorted with a pet-friendly flat and services, I also address this in, “Relocating to London with Man’s Best Friend.”
5. As an accompanying spouse myself, I had literally read cover-to-cover a book called, A Moveable Marriage by Robin Pascoe.  She has other titles about expatriation as a couple and family at http://www.expatexpert.com, and I cannot express enough what an empathetic and practical resource she is for not only validating the negative emotions that can arise in the face of challenge, but also addressing how to proactively and constructively convert them into positive ones by working as a team.

There are assorted other factors to consider as well, so never hesitate to contact us here at London Relocation Ltd. to field your additional questions.