An Expat Talks about Moving to London, UK

What is the name of the city or town that you are reporting on?

London

Name three things that you wish you had brought and three you wish you had left at home.

Brought:

1. a large supply of cosmetics (everything here is so expensive)

2. more of my cookware / utensils from home. (again everything is really expensive, including eating out).

3. Coffee (the tea here is fantastic, but the Brits generally do not know good coffee).

Left:

I am renting a furnished flat and came with only the bare essentials, so there is not much that I would have left in retrospect.

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Traveling Mailbox serves thousands of travelers, expats, digital nomads, businesses, individuals and others in over 47 Countries by scanning their postal mail so they can view it online anywhere in the world. They provide customer service 7 days a week so if you need assistance, it is just a phone call away. Traveling Mailbox works with Evernote, Bill.com and Dropbox. And, there are Traveling Mailbox apps available for iOS and Android devices.
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What advice would you give someone preparing to move to your area about the actual move, choosing a neighborhood and finding a home?

If you are coming here for work, try to get them to pay for a relocation expert. I also brought my dog with me and went through the PETS travel scheme. The process takes six months and you have to complete all the steps exactly in order and within the correct time frame or your animal does not get in. If you are even thinking about living or working in London and you have a pet then start the process asap. I also recommend Virgin Atlantic for pet travel. They are really efficient and good at what they do. I had no problems getting my dog over here. Probably the biggest obstacle so far has been the weather and people tend not to be friendly for a very long time.

What type of housing do you live in? Is this typical for most expats in your area?

I am getting a housing subsidy from work to make up for the increase in cost of living. Had this not been the case, I probably could not afford the flat I am in now.

How did you choose your neighborhood and find your home or apartment?

I used a relocation specialist and I live in central London. My flat is really nice, pricey, but the location is ideal and I am happy with the amount of space. I also have a dog and I wanted to be close to one of the major parks. I tried for three days on my own and got nowhere. The relocation specialist made a huge difference.

Are your housing costs higher or lower than they were in your home country? What is the average cost of housing there?

Much higher - about twice as expensive and I am from San Francisco.