Moving To/Living In London Megathread - ALL QUESTIONS TO GO HERE

jazzzzy

Hi all,

I am moving to London with three others at the beginning of June until the end of August to work for the Summer. I am quite overwhelmed with the daunting task of finding a house / flat as it is proving very difficult. Does anyone have any advice on the best way of going about finding accommodation for the three months in the London area? We wouldn't have a very high budget, but I know that prices in London are going to be particularly expensive with the Olympics. We're only students, so the cheaper the better!

Thank you!

djpbarry

jazzzzy wrote: »

Does anyone have any advice on the best way of going about finding accommodation for the three months in the London area?

Where will you be working and what's your budget?

jazzzzy

We'll be working in the area of Zone 1 and 2.

Haven't decided on a set budget, but is it wishful thinking to hope for somewhere under £100 a week?

Louche Lad

jazzzzy wrote: »

We'll be working in the area of Zone 1 and 2.

Haven't decided on a set budget, but is it wishful thinking to hope for somewhere under £100 a week?

Probably you'd have to share a room in a shared house, something like that. Have a look at sites like Prime Location and Rightmove to get an idea of what's out there.

Edited to add: have just re-read your original post - there's four of you, not two, so I guess you mean £100 per person which isn't totally unrealistic.

djpbarry

jazzzzy wrote: »

We'll be working in the area of Zone 1 and 2.

Can you be a bit more specific?

jazzzzy wrote: »

Haven't decided on a set budget, but is it wishful thinking to hope for somewhere under £100 a week?

You might be able to rent a room for that. You could try this site:

http://www.airbnb.co.uk

Choccie Lover

Hey guys,

For those of you thinking of coming over to London or just arrived, I just want to give you the lowdown on setting up a bank account.

I set up one today with Llyods (classic account). It was easy as pie. All I needed was a passport. That was it. There is no fee for the account and it was all sorted out in a matter of ten minutes.

Anyway, that was my experience of it.

iambrazil

Choccie Lover wrote: »

I set up one today with Llyods (classic account). It was easy as pie. All I needed was a passport. That was it. There is no fee for the account and it was all sorted out in a matter of ten minutes.

Anyway, that was my experience of it.

That was my experience too.

My girlfriend set up an account with the Co-op when she moved over here in 2010. Three months after opening it they shut it down without telling her. She just went to take out money from an ATM and wasn't allowed. Having a passport, National Insurance number, letter from her employer, letter from her landlord etc. still wasn't enough for them.

who the fug

iambrazil wrote: »

That was my experience too.

My girlfriend set up an account with the Co-op when she moved over here in 2010. Three months after opening it they shut it down without telling her. She just went to take out money from an ATM and wasn't allowed. Having a passport, National Insurance number, letter from her employer, letter from her landlord etc. still wasn't enough for them.

many moons ago a certain bank lost my account, with my first months salary cheque in it

woof im a dog

Didn't realize how easy it is to open a bank account with Lloyds. I had awful hassle trying to open a bank account when I first got here, even with proof of address and national insurance number.

xtina89

Hi all,

I'm moving from Ireland to the UK with work for a year and have been given the option of being paid through either the UK or Irish tax system, i'm on a salary of under €30k so am just wondering if anyone on a similar salary knows where i'd be better off paying tax to? ie less tax.

any info would or advice would be greatly appreciated

Thanks in advance

also does anyone know anything about the relocation tax benefit offered by the UK?

djpbarry

xtina89 wrote: »

Hi all,

I'm moving from Ireland to the UK with work for a year and have been given the option of being paid through either the UK or Irish tax system, i'm on a salary of under €30k so am just wondering if anyone on a similar salary knows where i'd be better off paying tax to?

The UK tax system will make deductions totalling about 21% of your income. The Irish equivalent would be about 16%.

Nicoleide

Hi guys,

Just to confirm a couple of things that might be useful for people going over to London:

A) Bank account: in fairness the most straightforward request to open a bank account can be placed with Lloyds TSB. Before going to their branch just beside Notting Hill Gate, I went around many branches of other banks based in Sheperds Bush ( which is the area where I will be working). Snatander, HSBC, Barclays, Natwest etc. for one reason or another, I was refused to open a bank account on the spot. Llloyds did it in 30/40 mins and when I left I had my online banking set up perfectly.

B)To get the National Insurance number is a very smooth process: ring up the number 0845 600 0643 they will ask you if you already are living in the UK and then they will set up an interview to check your identity. I received an appointment 2 days later and everything was sorted on the day of the appointment as they don't send a card anymore but only a letter where you can take note of your National insurance number and pass it on to the employer. They told me that they stop to send cards out.


Thanks to all for the advice I received. Very helpful!

in terms of area where I will live I think I am going to try to stay either in Hammersmith or Chiswick (I really like but in terms of connection to the rest of London (central and east) is a bit out of the way and the district line is really a pain in the ass). However from now until June 1st I will be just off the Battersea bridge. Not too far from Clapham junction (15 mins walk). It's only temporary though.

I did not like at all Acton and partially Sheperds Bush.

I would be happy to hear opinions about Hammersmith or Chiswich or tips about these places, if anyone has any.

Cheers!

djpbarry

Nicoleide wrote: »

I would be happy to hear opinions about Hammersmith or Chiswich or tips about these places, if anyone has any.

Chiswick is a nice area, as is neighbouring Ravenscourt Park. Few decent pubs and restaurants around there. As you mention yourself, the main drawback is a total reliance on the not-very-reliable and slow-at-the-best-of-times District Line.

Choccie Lover

Nicoleide wrote: »

Hi guys,

Just to confirm a couple of things that might be useful for people going over to London:

A) Bank account: in fairness the most straightforward request to open a bank account can be placed with Lloyds TSB. Before going to their branch just beside Notting Hill Gate, I went around many branches of other banks based in Sheperds Bush ( which is the area where I will be working). Snatander, HSBC, Barclays, Natwest etc. for one reason or another, I was refused to open a bank account on the spot. Llloyds did it in 30/40 mins and when I left I had my online banking set up perfectly.

B)To get the National Insurance number is a very smooth process: ring up the number 0845 600 0643 they will ask you if you already are living in the UK and then they will set up an interview to check your identity. I received an appointment 2 days later and everything was sorted on the day of the appointment as they don't send a card anymore but only a letter where you can take note of your National insurance number and pass it on to the employer. They told me that they stop to send cards out.


Thanks to all for the advice I received. Very helpful!

in terms of area where I will live I think I am going to try to stay either in Hammersmith or Chiswick (I really like but in terms of connection to the rest of London (central and east) is a bit out of the way and the district line is really a pain in the ass). However from now until June 1st I will be just off the Battersea bridge. Not too far from Clapham junction (15 mins walk). It's only temporary though.

I did not like at all Acton and partially Sheperds Bush.

I would be happy to hear opinions about Hammersmith or Chiswich or tips about these places, if anyone has any.

Cheers!

Yeah, have to stress again, that setting up an account with Llyods was so easy, so anyone coming over should definitely consider it.

Like Nicoleide, my NI interview was very straightforward. I had it today. (I had to wait a week for my appointment though).They just wanted my passport. That was it. I should get my number in the next 2-4 weeks.

I'm temping at the mo in Chiswick. It's a lovely area, but apparently quite expensive to rent there, based on some chats I've had with the locals.

S.M.B.

Nicoleide wrote: »

I would be happy to hear opinions about Hammersmith or Chiswich or tips about these places, if anyone has any.

I work in Hammersmith but I'm not sure how interested I'd be in living there. My knowledge of the area is pretty much confined to about 2 streets and a shopping centre though.

djpbarry

Choccie Lover wrote: »

I'm temping at the mo in Chiswick. It's a lovely area, but apparently quite expensive to rent there, based on some chats I've had with the locals.

I wouldn't have said Chiswick is particularly expensive. Certainly not relative to more central areas.

S.M.B. wrote: »

I work in Hammersmith but I'm not sure how interested I'd be in living there. My knowledge of the area is pretty much confined to about 2 streets and a shopping centre though.

That's pretty much all there is to Hammersmith.

caesar

I second what others and Nicoleide have said regarding the bank account.

I was convinced you needed proof of address to open an account. I wasted weeks trying to sort the change of address and statement re-issue on my Irish account, not to mention the fees I was paying for withdrawals. With Lloyds TSB you just need passport, it took 15-20mins to sort during lunch on Monday. Got my bank card yesterday.

Fiii

Hey guys

Just wondering if anyone can help with any ideas on this...
I just moved to London yesterday, have myself a 7month work contract, so staying for the duration (maybe longer).
Just in regards to paying a deposit/ first months rent when sorting a place to stay - how did everyone go about doing that?
I can't set up a bank account without an address (not proof of address, just an actual address to give them), but I can't make a bank transfer etc for the rent without a bank account!
Can an Irish cheque be paid in to a bank account over here?

Any advise much appreciated.

F

djpbarry

Fiii wrote: »

Can an Irish cheque be paid in to a bank account over here?

Not unless it's a Euro account (which it probably isn't) - you have to pay sterling into sterling accounts.

This may be of use:
http://www.currencyfair.com

Lump

You can pay to transfer the money from your irish bank account - Costs €25 from memory + The exchange rate etc.

djpbarry

Lump wrote: »

You can pay to transfer the money from your irish bank account - Costs €25 from memory + The exchange rate etc.

Yeah you can do a for-ex transfer, but it's usually far cheaper (and often faster) to use a third party. Banks charge absolutely ridiculous fees for international transfers.

JasonBourne1

Hi all,

So i'm moving over to London next week, very excited!

I've worked out a budget and after rent/bills/train ticket and money for my loan is taken out of my account i'm left with about £650 a month. I'm panicking a little as this doesnt seem like a lot.

Am I being realistic here? I wouldnt be doing any more than the average person - i.e. few drinks, cinema maybe a new outfit once a month. I've a pick of somewhere to live either in Liverpool St or further north and the one further north would save me the train fare but I'd rather be somewhere central if I can afford it!

Thanks!

Lump

Living in Liverpool street would be my idea of hell! It is so central you'd probably never sleep.... it'd be like living on O' Connell street on crack!

£650 a month after bills rent etc is more than enough.... if it isn't you're living well beyond average in my opinion. If you're worried do a big online shop at the start of every month, then at least you've taken care of the basics.

djpbarry

JasonBourne1 wrote: »

Am I being realistic here? I wouldnt be doing any more than the average person - i.e. few drinks, cinema maybe a new outfit once a month.

I might be completely out of touch here, but a new outfit once a month does not strike me as average.

ballsymchugh

djpbarry wrote: »

I might be completely out of touch here, but a new outfit once a month does not strike me as average.

def not out of touch..... i hope! :eek:

who the fug

djpbarry wrote: »

I might be completely out of touch here, but a new outfit once a month does not strike me as average.

Are we to long in London

djpbarry

who the fug wrote: »

Are we to long in London

Or not long enough, perhaps?

Choccie Lover

Just thought I'd give a breakdown of my NI number timeline for others who are planning on applying for theirs.

I called the Central Job Centre number on Friday April 20th, had my interview exactly a week later on Friday April 27th and got my number today Friday May 4th, exactly a week after my interview.

So pretty quick!

rbag

Hi great thread
I'm moving over in September. Was a tad scared until I came across this.

I'm hoping to find work around Holborn as I'm in the legal field.

If anyone can recommend an area to live that would be great. Moving over on my todd so would prefer a studio.

Bluezar

Hey guys,

I have recently moved over to London after finishing college. Got lucky and got offered a job already in the city of London (beside Bank tube station) so starting there in a few weeks. Looking for somewhere to live and would appreciate any advice ye could give me on best way to find an available room in London.

Does'nt have to be right in the center of London as i'm aware how expensive it is so something commutable in would be grand. Budget is about £400 a month.

Cheers for any help ye can give me