When moving to the UK, the true meaning of the words ‘cultural differences’ becomes all too apparent.  Families are confronted with many obstacles such as a new job, settling children into a foreign school system, sometimes learning a new language and generally trying to adapt to a new country and culture.

In our role providing relocation services to those moving to the UK, we understand that it is not only the property that is of great importance to the client, but also the lifestyle that comes with it. As part of our Home Search service, the Search Consultant will not only source a selection of properties to choose from and deal with the paper progression, but will also give detailed information on the location, local shops and restaurants, transport facilities, dentist/doctors surgeries and schools if required. This makes the UK Relocation a much more simple process. Feeling at home in your surroundings is vital to make the experience of moving to the UK a memorable one. The first step however is finding your new home which is the main focus of this blog.

When considering moving to the UK it is important to ensure that there is a clear understanding of the rental process which can be very different to what one is used to. The rental market in the UK is very much an entity in its own right and can sometimes be hard to navigate. Due to the lack of quality property in the UK housing market, it is advisable to view a selection of properties and to act quickly once the most suitable property has been found before moving to the UK. Prior to agreeing to rent the property, be certain to ask the estate agent what is included in the rental (white goods/parking space), if any utility bills are included, who manages the property in case there are any issues and so on.

Once the rental has been agreed, the paper progression is done which can often be confusing to a prospective tenant, particularly if they have never lived abroad before and this is their first time moving to the UK. Credit checks will need to be carried out and most importantly the tenancy agreement will need to be signed. This document can often be up to 20 pages long stating legal terms such as; ‘assured short hold tenancy’, ‘break clause’ and ‘option to renew’ which can be daunting to any tenant that is moving to the UK from another country. After the agreement is signed and the final payment is made, the checking in of the inventory takes place which is done by an independent inventory clerk at the property. The inventory states the condition of the property on possession and vacation.

In circumstances like this the value of being represented by experienced and professional UK relocation companies such as Garrington Relocation becomes clear to assignees and businesses alike. It makes moving to the UK much simpler.