Posts Tagged ‘relocating to London from US’
Friday March 11th, 2011
Author: Colleen
If you’re moving to London and have already “Liked” us on our new Facebook page, awww, we’re sure feeling the warm fuzzies! If you haven’t yet, perhaps you aren’t aware that London Relocation is in the process of phasing out its Facebook profile in favor of its PAGE: www.facebook.com/LondonRelocationLtd.
Liking us there is so simple, really…like a flick of the wrist, literally accompanied with a click of the mouse. Bodda-boom, bodda-bing. That easy, so why not try it now? www.facebook.com/LondonRelocationLtd
(in case you missed it before).
And wait! Oh look what we have here…why yes, that would be a Facebook icon on the right-side of our screen here where you can access that same Facebook page link.
Hint taken?
Okay then, moving on. What you stand to benefit from “Liking” us on Facebook are daily updates on what’s going on in London, our blog posts, and, oh, whatever’s on our minds that we think you’d be interested in whether before, during, or after your London move. This is yet another way for us to open the lines of communication with you for more personalized interaction than mere words on our website. We’re interested in hearing from you, too! What questions you might have, what advice and notifications you think we and your fellow London Relocation-Likers might benefit from—throw us what you got! And in the meantime, you can also expect to see these regular features on our page:
Monday Moving Tips - Advice on how to prep for moving to London and settling into your London apartment.
Thankful Tuesdays - An opportunity for us to thank our London Relocation clients and share their testimonials.
What’s On Wednesdays – What’s going on in London that particular week.
Travel Thursdays – Ideas for where to travel with London as your new departure point.
Friday Night Out - A new venue featured each week for steppin’ out for a night in your new city.
We thrive on the quality interactions we continue to have with folks like you, so do pop by and visit London Relocation on Facebook!
Tags: american expat london social network, american expats in london, americans moving to london england, canadians moving to london uk, flats to let in london, london apartment rentals, london relocation agency, london relocation facebook page, london relocation on facebook, London Relocation Services, relocating to London from US, relocation specialist, rent london apartments, tips for moving overseas to london england
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London Relocation & What People Say About Us
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Saturday February 26th, 2011
Renting your house out before you rent in London - Image via Wikipedia
Author: Colleen
Hey there, Weekend Warriors! Last week I addressed how relocating to London means not only having to rent the London apartment you’ll be moving into, but making plans for the home that you’re moving out of. So, in addition to all the previously discussed packing tips in this series, you need to determine whether you’ll sell or rent your house. Piggy-backing off that post, today I’ll share my own homeowner experience as impacted by our London relocation.
Prior to moving to London, my new-at-the-time husband was still renting an apartment in New York City while I lived in our co-owned condominium unit in the suburbs of Chicago. Our London move was concurrent with the infamous economic downturn of 2008, so even if we had wanted to sell the condo, it was disastrous timing with falling real estate prices. Fortunately, we had always intended the unit to be a long-term investment regardless if we occupied it ourselves, so for us the decision to rent it out to a tenant versus sell was a no-brainer.
While our condo association employs a third-party property management company, procuring tenants is our responsibility. For the last three tenants, we have so far had good luck using Craigslist to advertise. Response has been immediate and fielding the enquiries easy enough over email or Skype. As for paperwork, we were able to obtain everything online—our application form came from On-Site.com and our customized lease contract from LawDepot.com. For credit checks, we use e-Renter.com.
One aspect of property management for which we continue to be beyond grateful is the fact that our lovely and loyal family members who live in the area of the property are willing volunteers! I was still living there and able to show the property to prospective tenants myself in 2008, but, for subsequent renters, I’ve had to coordinate viewings with either the existing tenant or my sister/parents if that tenant is unavailable. My family likewise tends to check-in/check-out procedures, and I’ll be damned if those stinkers don’t also insist on doing the house-cleaning, too, before move-in! I fully realize that not everyone has this trusted and ridiculously inexpensive service, so your alternative in that case is to obviously hire a property manager and cleaning service to do your bidding.
The building was brand new when I first moved into it in 2005, so luckily there haven’t been any real maintenance issues until this past year (faucet repair). In that case, we simply entrusted our tenant to find a recommended plumber on her own that quoted reasonable cost estimates and simply deduct the expense from her next rent check. However, if you have specific preferences, you may want to leave your tenant with a list of service repair contacts and/or somehow stipulate how to field such events in the lease agreement. Basically, think of everything you hope your London landlord will do for you (though won’t necessarily, quite sadly!) when you move into your London apartment and aspire to be that kind of landlord yourself 
.
Tags: canadians moving to london, london apartment, london apartments, London Relocation Services, moving to london england from canada, Moving to London from US, overseas moving tips, packing for an overseas move, packing tips for moving abroad, packing to move abroad, packing to move overseas, packing to move to London, relocating to london from overseas, relocating to London from US, rent london, renting versus selling a home, tips for moving overseas
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Saturday Moving Tips
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Tuesday February 22nd, 2011
Image via Wikipedia
Author: Belinda
If you are going to be making the leap over the pond and moving to London soon, then you will want to know as much as you can about living in London before you get there. Of course, nothing can substitute the experience you will get when you are actually in the city and cosily ensconced in your new London apartment, but a bit of intel before you leave will mean that you can be settled that much faster.
Tips For Tippling
London is a vibrant city and Londoners have active social lives that usually involve quite a bit more drinking than you are used to. It is very common to go out for drinks with the lads after work, any day of the week. It is a form of bonding and can carry on quite late into the night. If you are starting a new job, this is a great way to get to know your colleagues and co-workers and it will help you fit in and feel like you are part of the team.
Sometimes it can even be a part of the working day and it is quite acceptable for a work team to go to a pub at lunchtime and discuss business over a couple of pints and a pie. While drinking during the working day is a dismissible offence in many countries, it is the norm to have a tipple during working hours in London.
Boozy Tip: Do not try to keep up with the amount of alcohol that Londoners can consume. They are notorious for being able to really put it away and still walk straight at the end of the evening. Four pints of British beer will have a decidedly greater effect on you than the same amount of American beer, which has lower alcohol content.
Tags: british real ales, canadians moving to london uk, drinking in uk, flats to let in london, london apartment, london move, London pubs, london relocation agency, London Relocation Services, Moving to London, relocating to London from US, rent london
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Living in London, London Food & Beverage, Moving to London: Tips & Culture
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Monday February 21st, 2011
Image by Calotype46 via Flickr
Author: Belinda
While London looks quaint and charming on postcards, you will have to prepare yourself before you get here for the fact that your new London rental will be something the size of a postage stamp. Moving to London means that you will be living in one of the most fascinating and cosmopolitan cities in the world. You’ll be able to immerse yourself in British culture and have the opportunity to see some of the marvels that London is famous for, like architecture. It’s just not as pleasant when you’re living in it.
One thing that will take some getting used to is the size of your new London apartment. It’s the one aspect that can really bother people, especially if they’ve decided to ship all of their appliances over from home. Chances are that you’ll have to sell them, or hire a crane to get them into your apartment, if you can find space for them at all. The reason for the smaller properties is historical. London was built hundreds of years ago, and while this might make for a fascinating historical tour, it can mean that your living conditions are more cramped than you are used to. Many of the properties in London date back to the Victorian age and a house that once had 4 floors with servants accommodation is now a block of 8 or 9 flats. And if you do have the top floor then you will have to lug your parcels and groceries up the stairs.
Storage space is limited in London flats and not all of them have cupboards so you may have to purchase a wardrobe once you are in London. Bathrooms and kitchens are particularly small and the best advice is not to bring any appliances over with you. Purchase smaller ones here that will fit into your space. Most people have a combination washer/dryer to save space and hardly anyone has a dishwasher.
You will get used to it though and the flats will not seem so small anymore. The little differences will not be issues because after all, there is something wonderful about waking up in central London and being able to see the view of this amazing city and knowing that you are now a Londoner.
Tags: canadians moving to london uk, flats to let in london, london apartment storage, london move, london relocation agency, London Relocation Services, Moving to London, relocating to London from US, rent london, size of london apartments, storage space in london
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Living in London, Moving to London: Tips & Culture, Rent in London: London Apartment Tips
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Saturday February 19th, 2011
Image via Wikipedia
Author: Colleen
Welcome back, Weekend Warriors! Relocating to London means not only having to rent the London apartment you’ll be moving into, but making plans for the home that you’re moving out of. So while we provide a lot of these Saturday packing tips for moving your belongings out of that house, perhaps we should address the house itself.
A while ago, one of our London Living Londonistas shared a blog post with the forum about the decision to sell her home, the darling house so conveniently situated in Montreal that had been her address for fourteen years prior to moving to London. Such is the dilemma of expats; whether you’re a tenant or a home owner, you might face some hairy logistics settling your property affairs on your originating side of the pond.
If you’re currently renting your apartment or house, perhaps your move will coincide nicely with your lease. If not, you might find that there is a break clause in your lease contract that stipulates your ability to discontinue your lease after a specified amount of time—these are very common features of London apartment tenancy agreements, though may not be in your home city; in which case, it might all depend on how understanding your landlord is about moving out and discontinuing your rent payments prior to the originally agreed-upon term. You may end up having to forgo your deposit, paying the remaining rent installments, etc., but if you’re being transferred overseas by your employer, your company’s coverage of such penalties might be part of your expat package (if not, see if you can negotiate that in!).
Employers may likewise cover any costs related to the sale of your property—again, if you’re being transferred. Moving by your choice diminishes how much leverage you have with an expat package, if you’re granted one at all (see “Relocating to London: Negotiating an Expat Package with Your Employer“). Likewise, you may have costs associated with finding a tenant.
And therein lies the big decision to be made with a property that you own: sell or rent? If your move to London is only temporary (perhaps a year or two), you might deem it makes sense to hold onto the property if you know that’s where you’ll return upon repatriating back from the UK. It is also a desirable option simply as an investment; these days, a lot of folks want to hold onto their properties until real estate values rise up again to render the investment an ultimate gain in capital. Having to sell at a loss could hurt, but, then again, so can having to pay mortgage on a place where you no longer live in the event finding a tenant to cover the cost is unfruitful. Such was the concern of the aforementioned Londonista, who stated in her blog post:
“The decision [to sell] came from a combination of logistical hassles – finding tenants, managing the property from afar, monetary concerns – and also the realisation that we wanted to make a real commitment to our new life in London and fully close our Montreal chapter before heading over. Which just goes to heighten the anxiety, nausea and excitement of the whole endeavour.”
Everyone’s circumstances and priorities are different; I couldn’t possibly provide you the specific solution to your situation in one blog post without knowing the particular factors involved. What I do hope to achieve today, however, is setting your mind to thinking through this if you haven’t already:
- If you’re renting and need to move before the lease term is up, read through that lease agreement and inquire with your landlord to understand your options/consequences.
- If you own an apartment/condo and are looking to rent it out, consult your building association by-laws to ensure you’re legally allowed to sublet. Not every owner within a multi-unit building has that option!
- And if you have the option to either sell or rent, determine what you’d personally prefer to do either out of sentiment or practicality, weigh that against your finances and your willingness to commit to the money/efforts/time your decision could involve, and determine whether it’s something you might receive assistance for from your employer.
I’m hoping to follow up on this eventually with personal anecdotes of expats living in London (including myself) who all owned (or still own) homes in the States prior to their London relocation, how we arrived at our decisions, what circumstances we had to work with, issues faced, success stories, etc. So stay tuned, as hopefully one of them will resonate with you and further help with your London move.
Tags: canadians moving to london, london apartment, london apartments, London Relocation Services, moving to london england from canada, Moving to London from US, overseas moving tips, packing for an overseas move, packing tips for moving abroad, packing to move abroad, packing to move overseas, packing to move to London, relocating to london from overseas, relocating to London from US, rent london, renting versus selling a home, tips for moving overseas
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London Recreation, London Weekend Warriors, Relocating to UK: Visas, Banking, & Other Logisitical Issues, Saturday Moving Tips
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Tuesday January 18th, 2011
Author: Colleen
Moving to London in and of itself is an exciting undertaking with loads of cultural possibilities, yet when the relocation anxiety dies down and the familiarity sets in, you’ll find yourself eager to jet off to other foreign lands in search of new environments and experiences. A UK winter in particular will be enough of an excuse—hey, I’ve said time and again that this Chicago gal is not one to point a finger at London for weather (the year-round green grass and milder temperatures are awesome!), but even snow-blanketed, frost-bitten Chicago can see a clear blue and brightly sunny sky this time of year.
And so it was that at the end of a grey, rainy London week, my husband and I headed south for the winter…well, for the weekend at least. Destination: Morocco! Marrakech, to be more specific…a dry, hot, and sunny escape that’ll have you humming a whimsical tune when the UK otherwise has you singin’ the blues.
Marrakech is precisely the exotic experience you’d expect it to be, something out of an Indiana Jones movie or tales of the Arabian nights. True that you’ll notice modern, Westernized elements (not least of which the motorbikes zipping through the souks), yet you’ll be astonished by the extent to which traditional culture and architecture has been preserved. The souks—i.e., markets—are a labyrinth of colorful delights, donkey carts, and haggling. Just be aware that you’ll invite the hard-sell whether you’re interested in their wares or not; also watch out for random locals in the street who offer unsolicited directions to a popular site; it’ll come across as an unexpected favor out of the kindness of their hearts, but result in an expected gratuity in the palms of their hands. Nonetheless, conical spires of spices will tempt your nose, and the signature mint tea (the beverage of hospitality) will treat your tongue; kaleidoscopic patterns will feed your eyes, and Moroccan flutes and drums will charm your ears. It’s a sensory stimulation out of your imagination.
In addition to being only a three-hour flight from London, the fact that the joys of Marrakech lie mainly in walking around and absorbing the atmosphere renders it a locale very conducive to a quick weekend getaway—and a discount airline like EasyJet makes it an inexpensive one as well. For accommodation, 
consider selecting among the numerous riads, which are basically like bed and breakfasts and also reasonable in price. We stayed at the French-owned Riad Nafis, which I’d recommend to anyone for its friendly staff, quality service and aesthetic, and easy walking distance to the city center. For traditional Moroccan dining, I likewise can’t rave enough about Dar Essalam, which Hitchcock film buffs will recognize from The Man Who Knew Too Much, starring Jimmy Stewart and Doris Day.
I could go on and on about our own experience, but you’ll have to experience it for yourself once you move to London. And I think one of the best aspects of traveling anywhere after your London relocation is the so-very-cool realization that when you return “home” to London, it’s like you’re still on vacation .
Tags: colleen, flats to let in london, flying to morocco from london, london apartments, London Relocation, London Relocation Services, london side trips, london sightseeing, marrakech morocco, Moving to London, relocating to London from US, rent london, weekend excursions from london
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London Recreation, Moving to London: Tips & Culture, Moving to London: Weekend Excursions
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Friday December 3rd, 2010
I imagine there are a lot of pouty footballers out there today, lower lips protruding and quivering over England’s loss in the World Cup 2018 bid. Awww…I guess Beckham can bend it but not necessarily persuade it.
Chin up, England. You have the 2012 Olympics! Isn’t that exciting? Isn’t that enough? Sure, you designed a rather ugly and disappointing logo and mascot for this very important and global event, but we’re not holding that against you (much)!! My sweet 
home Chicago recently lost its 2016 Olympics bid, but, you know, in these cases we have to pick ourselves up and, as your own nation’s slogan went at the outset of the second World War, “Keep Calm And Carry On“…you remember, the one advertised by your Ministry of Magic, I mean, Ministry of Information?
But I shouldn’t tease. Though it’s difficult for an American expat in London to get what the big deal is about soccer, I mean, football, I can obviously equate it to the sporting frenzy in the States over basketball, football, and baseball. Wow, can those competitions bring out the worst in mankind, the drunkest and most ornery states of being. So I won’t giggle as much when I hear your chants outside my window as you parade from the pubs to Chelsea Football Club, nor tremble too much when I see how much security is staffed at one of your games, I mean, matches. And I believe you all remember the tragic extremes to which football fandom extended during that Liverpool FC match of 21 years ago at Hillsborough, which crushed and killed 96 fans. So keep calm…
I’m already concerned enough about what London will be like during the Olympics, not even certain if I still want to be living here for it (not to dissuade you if you’re moving to London at that time!). Sure, hosting these major events is an honor and generates much revenue for the cities that host them, but you have to also consider the toll it takes on the locals that have to coexist with the traffic and chaos of it. And whose taxes have to pay for it. It was unpleasant enough for me to experience the 2010 World Cup in the pubs…So, I reckon one event promoting world unity for the decade should be enough of a serious point of pride for London, rather than another that seems to generate more anger and attitude that separates us. But that’s just my two cents, I mean, pence.
Tags: american expats in london, colleen, expat london blog, london apartment, london apartments, london move, London Relocation, Moving to London, moving to london england from canada, moving to london from america, premier league football london, relocating to London from US, relocation advice blog, rent london, uk sports
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Moving to London: Tips & Culture
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Monday September 27th, 2010
Author: Colleen
Welcome back from the weekend, folks! I hope it was a splendid one indeed. I’d say it certainly was over here on my end, though London weather has officially entered fall mode. Brace for it: I wore my first turtleneck sweater of the season today.
Despite the decreasing temps and increasing rainfall, my husband and I enjoyed a leisurely walk around the city center and west side, getting to play tourists all over again with our guests in town. We started by catching a quick Tube ride to Westminster station so they could immediately catch a glimpse of Big Ben (factoid: the bell inside the tower is Ben, actually, not the tower itself). We then walked north along the Thames, strolling through the lovely Victoria-Embankment garden before crossing over the river at the Golden Jubilee bridge (rather than the always-congested Westminster bridge) to get a nice view of Parliament. Once at the South Bank, we also got a closer vantage of the London Eye and street performers. Eventually, we made our way back east of the river to Trafalgar Square, gawking at the massive model of Nelson’s ship in a bottle on the Fourth Plinth near the National Gallery. From there, we were feeling a bit peckish, so meandered into Soho to find a cozy pub just off Carnaby Street for lunch, after which hitting the Liberty store (an atmospheric faux-Tudor style building that looks like what Anthropologie would be if it were a department store…and also where I suspect Admiral Nelson purchased the fabulous fabric for those ship sails 
).
And then the day got rather interesting. Just as we descend the steps down into the bowels of Oxford Circus Tube station, I notice my vision going wonky and realize I’m coming down with a migraine. If you haven’t suffered one of these, let me just say that the last time I wasn’t able to thwart one in time with aspirin, I was left writhing in pain and vomiting. Yeah, it’s that bad. Public transportation is not where you want to be at such a time. Fortunately, one of our visitors has Bayer aspirin in her purse, so I pop 3 and watch my field of vision diminish with every second, the blind calm before the piercing-nauseating-headache storm. After a couple stops, I’m able to curl in a seat and await my fate, so I close my eyes and realize ever so soon that the train is no longer moving, though we aren’t yet to the next station. An announcement from the driver blares through the car to inform us that “someone decided to go for a walk on the tracks between Lancaster Gate and Queensway stations,” so we’ll be held there until further word. The electricity needs to shut off, so we’re left with the emergency lights and the stuffy heat of the Underground tunnel. Subsequent announcements yield little additional information, other than that the culprit is believed to have stolen a handbag before fleeing along the tracks (rookie mistake, I say), so we need to wait for the authorities to capture him. Meanwhile, a request for a doctor comes over the loudspeaker, as a pregnant passenger is now suffering complications. Even in my comatose state, I can’t help but smile at the drama of it all.
Long story (not nearly as long as the freaking wait on that train) short, after 20 minutes or so, we got rolling again and were let out at Lancaster Gate, where I opened my eyes and realized I wasn’t blind anymore, nor with headache. Bravo, Bayer! Ascending back into the glorious daylight with our little mole eyes, we saw Kensington Gardens directly across the street and decided to frolic—well, no, walk—across it and catch a taxi home on the high street opposite, bringing us to the peaceful conclusion of our eventful day.
The following day made up for everything in its sheer fabulousness—it was London Fashion Weekend! I went with a few gals to shop around the sample sales and view the catwalk show at Somerset House near Temple Tube station, and how psyched was I to see one of the runway models was Jade from the last season (Cycle 5) of Britain’s Next Top Model! I had rooted for her all along… I ventured out of the swarm of fashionistas having done no worse damage than purchase a couple pairs of sunglasses to shade my eyes the next time an unruly migraine comes on .
Just another weekend when you’re living in London…
Tags: colleen, london fashion week, london fashion weekend, london move, London Relocation Services, London relocation specialist, london tourism, moving to london england from canada, relocating to London from US, things to do and see in london, walking around london, weekend events in london, what to do in london after you move here
Posted in:
London Recreation, Moving to London: Tips & Culture
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Monday August 9th, 2010
Author: Colleen
Now, I might sound like I’m stating the obvious, but there are certainly plenty of people moving to London who would benefit from following this advice as they schedule when to property-search:
The sooner the better.
That’s right. Especially now with the summer rush to snatch up reasonably priced properties, you’ll want to get the head start. Generally, in this local property market, you can secure your London flat up to 6 weeks in advance. So, if you can look this far ahead, please do. Otherwise, last-minute finds may only stay on the shelves within 24-48 hours of your viewing them, leaving you little time to search for other properties as a basis of comparison to feel confident in your decision.
That’s why when you employ an accredited relocation specialist like London Relocation Ltd., you will see around 20 properties to show you the full spectrum of what’s out there in your desired area and price-range. You can feel secure that deciding within a day or two is not a rushed judgment, as we will also educate you before and during that viewing day to better inform your choice. Never to fear, though, if you don’t have that much lead time. It can make for sparser pickings, but that’s why we’re here—to optimize your findings.
Tags: colleen, london flat, london move, London property market, London Relocation, London Relocation Services, London relocation specialist, move to London, Moving to London, relocating to London from America, relocating to London from US, relocation agent
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Rent in London: London Apartment Tips
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Thursday April 15th, 2010
Here’s a quickie-but-goodie if you’re relocating to London from America, Canada, or elsewhere outside the UK:
image credit: http://wallpaper-s.org/
If you forecast that your currency is going to weaken against the British Pound Sterling over the course of the year following your London relocation, you might want to consider paying additional months’ rent in advance. Of course, this is a massive expense, so you would want to ensure you could fund such a transaction without depleting your bank account, but, if you have the means and will be at the mercy of fluctuations in exchange rates, it’s just a thought. An American client that we recently placed chose to do just this—he paid 6 months up front beyond the requisite 1st month so that he would not have to lose out when converting USD to GBP going forward in the event the pound strengthens and thus requires more $$$ to cover a £.
This applies if you’re transferring with your company and will be receiving your salary in your home currency or are otherwise choosing to fund your housing through a non-UK bank account, thus entailing continual currency conversion. If, on the other hand, you will be paid in GBP and will be paying your rent with GBP, then obviously it’s all relative and you can simply pay month-to-month.
For additional tips on renting in London, please do contact London Relocation Ltd. at any time—we’re more than happy to offer advice, as well as take it a step further and assist with your flat-finding and lease negotiation if you choose. Either way, we’re here for you!
Tags: British pound, currency conversion, london property, London Relocation, London Relocation Services, london renting, relocating to London from Canada, relocating to London from US
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Relocating to UK: Visas, Banking, & Other Logisitical Issues, Rent in London: London Apartment Tips
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