Well, today is already shaping up into an interesting (if not a bit nerve-racking) day…we’re trying to act normal and go about our day-to-day business with a camera on us.  No, we’re not on the latest episode of Big Brother, and Yvette Fielding isn’t here trying to stir up paranormal activity in our old mews office—we’re filming a promo video for our business!!  We want to give our prospective clients a sneak-peek at the people behind the scenes—behind the web forms, emails, and phone calls—so that when you do arrive in London to attend your property viewings, you’ll know exactly who you’re working with.

We like to think of ourselves as a small business with a heart—we’re all expats here in London from the United States and Australia, so we’re each personally invested in what we do, mentally and emotionally.  We know how many varied stressors a relocation can entail no matter what the circumstances are that bring you to the UK—whether you’re a student, transferring employee, or professional beginning a new job and a new life overseas, and whether you’re moving over as an individual or a family.  London Relocation Ltd. has experienced it all, and we want you to benefit from this collective experience so that you don’t have to waste your time, money, or peace of mind unnecessarily.  We hope that our new video montage will provide you this reassurance in our services in advance of your travels.  Cheers!

The upper deck of the 328 bus brought me eye-to-eye this morning with the yellow-green buds starting to sprout from the trees.  Ah, Spring is in the process of springing in London!!!  I’ve just returned from a wonderful week-long visit to my hometown, Chicago, and am delighted to be returning to the noticeably Springier weather.  Sure, it’s still overcast and taunting us with an impending rain shower, but the milder temps are already giving us free license to shed our woolen winter coats for lighter-weight trenches.  And the fashion is back on the streets!  When not having to layer and dress practically against the winter elements, I am finally getting my sidewalk catwalk back and giddily observing more fun footwear and colorful, whimsical clothing peeking out from thinner jackets.

Photo credit : (cc-by-nc-nd) Bruno Monginoux / www.Landscape-Photo.net : nature and urban photography, free stock photos

I will give my hometown props for its beautiful Spring weather that for the most part still trumps London’s…with the EXTREME exception of, um, well, yeah, okay, a couple days snow.  Yep, snow.  Last Friday, I had skipped into a delightful coffee shop (one of my favorite old haunts back home) to meet good and dearly missed friends—I was sans coat as it was sunny and 65 degrees Fahrenheit.  When I skipped back out a few hours later, it had since dropped 20 degrees to 45 F, and the next day we all woke up to snow-cover.  Crazy.  But that’s spring in Chicago, where March both comes in and goes out like a lion, always testing its loyal residents to the brink with one random snowstorm before officially yielding to bluer skies and greener grasses.

This weather has me feeling really restless.  Just as you will likely encounter when you move to London, we’d hosted a slew of visitors last spring through fall, but this year we seem to be hitting a slow-down.  This warming climate has me antsy to go touring London’s city centre and hopping a train out to the neighboring countryside to wander…guests are the perfect excuse to do this, but we shouldn’t wait for them—we need to almost build in a playtime discipline by which we can structure our days around the fun stuff as much as the everyday responsible adult stuff.  London is a massive playground to frolic within and climb and slide upon, so don’t make excuses for not taking advantage of this immediately after your London relocation.

Because London Relocation Ltd. specializes in quick-turnaround flat-hunting and moving in, that’ll carve out that much more time for you to venture out and do the things you really want to do, the things you moved here for.  Happy Spring—now get out and play!

London is a city set up well for walking and public transportation–I simply see no point in having a car here and would never want to fight that traffic on my own.  Whenever you need to plan how to get from A to B via train or bus (and would like to gauge the amount of time to allow for this travel), we recommend that you bookmark the Transport for London website:   https://www.tfl.gov.uk

Here, you can find route maps, timetables, how to buy tickets (including procuring your Oyster card) or use the Journey Planner feature to enter your starting and destination locations.  The site also posts live service updates or, for your added convenience, you can consult the Travel Tools page to sign up for mobile travel alerts or email notifications of weekend closures–there is always one line or another that is closed for scheduled engineering works over the weekend, which definitely cramps one’s plans when you show up at the station expecting service to run the same as it does any given weekday.

London Relocation Ltd. has your flat-searching transportation covered, as we hire a driver for the entire day–but when you’re officially on your own, TFL will be a necessary resource.  Happy travels!

Whether you’re coming or going, transportation to/from any of London’s airports isn’t always easy.  Heathrow and Gatwick have decent commutes by rail (via Underground, the Piccadilly Line will get you all the way to Heathrow, and the Overground “Gatwick Express” will take you, well, to a quite self-explanatory destination from Victoria station, both approx. 30 minutes).  Stansted and Luton are a ways out there in the countryside, but offer bus and train connections as well.  Regardless, if you’re not keen on taking public transportation but don’t want to have to empty your bank account to take a taxi, I highly, highly recommend To And From Airport service.  The name essentially says it all, and this has been the trusted transport that my husband and I have relied on and continually arrange for our visitors.

Drop off at Heathrow is only £25, and pick-up is £30 + cost of parking–in the latter case, the driver will be waiting just outside customs for you with a sign printed with your name.  They have always, always, always, been on time, and every time I’ve used this service, the professionalism of the drivers and their quality of car/van has been commendable, so I obviously don’t hesitate to commend them now in this blog.  Their international booking numbers are 1 626 227 0125 from the U.S. and 1 647 724 8754 from Canada.

So when you’re moving to London, make arrangements with To And From Airport for your pick-up, get settled into your hotel and rest up, and then London Relocation Ltd. will be picking you up the next day to show you your eligible properties.  Life doesn’t often get easier than that…

Oh, if only I knew how to crack the Cockney code! No, today’s post is devoted to the more mainstream oft-used words and expressions that you’re likely to hear on a daily basis. As you’ll see, it isn’t so much that this particular word list isn’t shared with American English, but, rather, that even these shared words will have subtle differences in meaning. To illustrate, I’ll start out with:

brilliant = great (as in, “That’s brilliant!” instead of “That’s great!”)
lovely = great, wonderful

no worries = no problem

hiya = hello / hi there

cheers = goodbye, thank you (also used to toast drinks)

mate = friend (it’s used much more often, though, as male Americans would probably say, ‘man’ or ‘dude’ than as’friend’–often accompanying greetings and goodbyes; e.g., “Hiya, mate,” “Cheers, mate”)

bollocks = literally means “testicles,” but is used in the same sense as a hearty American “bulls**t.”

rubbish = nonsense; used similarly as “bollocks” (e.g., “Oh, you’re talking rubbish”)

bloody / bugger = essentially curse words in the vein of the “F” bomb.

cheeky = being a smart alec

chuffed = pleased, excited

daft = stupid

dodgy = shady, untrustworthy

engaged = busy

fancy = desire (e.g., “Do you a fancy a pint?”)

peckish = hungry

gutted = disappointed, upset

gobsmacked = surprised, shocked

knackered = tired, exhausted

Sorry? = Pardon?

pissed = drunk

taking the piss = making fun

posh = fancy, high class

straightaway = right away

Quite! = Absolutely!

quid = British pound

right = okay  (not as in, “I’m okay,” but such as,  “Okay, I’ll get to that.”

ring = call

row = argument

sacked = fired

fit = hot (as in very attractive: “You’re looking quite fit!”)

sod off / piss off = get lost, beat it

ta = thanks

whinge = whine

And when it comes to property, London Relocation Ltd. will do the translation for you!

Recently received this lovely unsolicited testimonial through a discussion forum on our new social network, London Living (www.londonrelocation.ning.com):

“I also highly recommend using London Re

location–and no, I do not work for them!

If you are not coming from NYC, then the idea of paying someone 1 month’s rent to find an apartment may seem excessive. And it usually is. But for a major overseas relocation (especially for someone who either doesn’t travel extensively or has not lived overseas before) the service was invaluable.

Even picking neighborhoods in London is tough, as it’s like New York–many amazing neighborhoods, all with different cultures and sets of pros and cons. My firm paid for me to come over for a week to look for a flat. Most people I know took multiple weeks to find a place.

I went with London Relocation (which the firm did NOT pay for) and true to the adverts I saw somewhere between 20 and 25 flats in one day. You get coverage you simply won’t get on your own dealing with letting agencies in London which have different offices and contacts for every neighborhood.

The biggest value-add, however, was the negotiation piece. Unlike in New York, in London one is expected to negotiate on price. AJ worked to find something in my budget and then got my landlord to drop the rent by about 12% off the asking price, and by almost 20% off what the previous tenant was paying.

So I basically spent 1 day (15 hours) looking for flats and had a lease signed that night. So the rest of the week was essentially a paid vacation.”

–Nathan Mackey

Thank you, Nathan!  We’re so happy you had a positive experience and can attest that what we promise really is what we deliver!

* * * View more client feedback on our website’s Testimonials page. * * *

LIKE A BEACON - Grace Nichols (b.1950)

In London
every now and then
I get this craving
for my mother’s food
I leave art galleries
in search of plaintains
saltfish/sweet potatoes

I need this link

I need this touch
of home
swinging in my bag
like a beacon
against the cold

The London Eye was erected as a big Year 2000 gift to the city, granting residents and visitors alike a lofty, bird’s-eye panoramic vantage of its vast territory.  Now that you’re planning to relocate to the UK or perhaps have already moved to London, 2010 is the time to descend and look the city in the eye within its street-level intricacy.  Even better, capture the sights to behold for a permanent memory of your time here–no need to feel too touristy toting that camera.  Come on, that’s right, out with it!  The structures we see in place here may have withstood the decades if not centuries, but Time, that fickle mistress, is fleeting for us, so we need to preserve our moments.

Whether you’re a professional or amateur photographer, Frui holds photography socials all over London throughout the year.  Meet fellow expats and locals for casual outings of picture-snapping and pint-sipping for only a tenner (10 GBP, to translate it for us Yankees).  This month’s photographic destination: Soho.  Tutors are on hand to offer pointers on your technique and composition if you genuinely seek to develop your craft, and it’s all conducted in an easy-going, non-intimidating atmosphere along the London streets.  And better yet, there are PRIZES!  Woohoo!!  Check out this January 28th event at:  http://www.frui.co.uk/.  If you’re more serious about cultivating your photography education, also consider Frui’s photo courses, which always partake in scenic locales either right here in London or exotic destinations like Marrakech (be sure to book early, though, as these can rapidly fill!).  The next scheduled course is January 23rd at Hampton Court House in London.

London Relocation Ltd. maintains profiles on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and a brand-spankin’ new social site of its own on Ning, London Living, so please do visit us there and post those pretty pictures!

Author: Anthony

The tube notting hill gate

Some History of Notting Hill, for the London Move

It’s quite hard to believe that what’s currently London’s most fashionable area was described as “a massive project in American terms, crawling with garbage” only 50 years ago. Such a place would not have warranted a second glance by London’s trendy and famous, let alone have inspired a film starring a bumbling Englishman and an American actress.  The area had always been thought of as the bad part of the Kensington and Chelsea, yet in the past 25 years it has seen a massive transformation to the high status it holds now.

Notting Hill also became home to a large number of Afro-Caribbean and Irish immigrants, and racial tension often followed. Britain’s first race riots occurred in the area in 1958.

But now with its diverse culture and great mix, it’s a safe and fantastic place to live.

Notting Hill is perfect for students, professionals, and couples of all ages. The transport to the rest of London is perfect no matter which way you’re going.

Speak soon!

What Documents do I bring For My Flat?

Renting a flat in London is not the easiest thing to do. Money’s simply not enough unless you pay 3 to 6 months up front.
There are many key factors that attribute to obtaining a good flat.
One, bring the right references.
Two, go through a reputable estate agency or real estate company.
Three, Pick the right Relocation Agent or Broker like London Relocation Service.

Most important, make sure you never ever secure a property from your home country. Too many of my clients have been scammed prior to coming to London.

Wiring money to someone you’ve never met is never a good idea.

Through London Relocation Services, you can land on a Sunday, search 20 flats on the Monday and move in on Tuesday.

You’re Needs assessment work will be done on phone while in the home country.
You see the flats, you get educated, you feel comfortable, you move in

That simple!