Belfast - London Relocation

skint_chick

I think you need to speak to your company about a payrise as B/S is an expensive place to live. Car wise if you're renting somewhere close to the station properties in your price range don't usually have off street parking, but depending on location you shouldn't need a permit. I would look for somewhere you can walk to the station as I got the bus home from town recently and it was £1.80:eek: Socialising costs more than Belfast for drinks, eating out cinema etc and don't even get me started on gym costs. For clothes shopping it's London or Lakeside. The train gets very full at commuter time and is expensive for a season ticket - and don't listen to any of that 41 minutes to Liverpool St nonsense - that's specifically for airport trains that don't stop til they get there.

Rent doesn't usually include council tax so you should budget another £100 a month for this - the lowest band is £972 a year:eek:. Car insurance should be slightly cheaper than NI but we're talking 20%ish not half the price. It's hard work getting a taxi from B/S station if you stay out in London after work too but I've never had any probs walking around late at night

kgrant

Well, I had a talk with work and although I wont get any increase on their offer for a basic salary they will offer 2 weeks temp accomodation, pay for all relocation costs and offer a £1,000 net fund to use for miscellanous costs - a final decision is to be made by the end of this week. We are also looking into potential employment for my wife too before we say 'yes' or 'no' .....
Work are also going to have an external support team look at where would be best to set-up based on our main requirements such as; essential car park space, close to an Airport and within budget for montly rent (£800) and commuting (£325)....Apart from the area of Bishops Stortford (close to Stanstead Airport) we are also looking at the area between Wickford to Southend (close to Southend Airport)....anyone any views on this area of Essex?

Out,_Vile_Jelly

I would only consider the upheaval of moving city for three reasons; 1) significantly more pay, 2) clear career improvement prospects or 3) threat of imminent redundancy. Are you quite sure your relocation is worth it?

I don't wish to be rude, but the budget you're suggesting doesn't sound like you're being paid much at all for a City of London job. Have you looked to see if there are jobs at a similar level advertised in other London companies so you can check whether you are being remunerated competitively?

dkmax_2

Out,_Vile_Jelly wrote: »

I would only consider the upheaval of moving city for three reasons; 1) significantly more pay, 2) clear career improvement prospects or 3) threat of imminent redundancy. Are you quite sure your relocation is worth it?

+1

Too many people get lured to London on the basis of apparently high salaries, failing to take into account the vastly increased cost-of-living and other considerations. If you are prepared to slum it for a few years in case of 2 or 3 above then it can be worthwhile.

skint_chick

Unless your wife has a specialised career or is also considering a commute to London then wages are roughly around the same as NI for jobs in retail/offices - maybe £1-3k more if you're lucky and you're going to need the money from the sound of it! The area around Southend is ok for a commute the train line takes around the same time as B/S but the area isn't as upmarket IMHO, if you're used to leafy south Belfast then B/S area is probably a more suitable area, unless you move a village outside of the town - but then the transport costs increase dramatically. If they're not prepared to offer you more money will it do improve your future career prospects? If not and you can stay put then I would as the cost of living in NI is so much cheaper

Curlywurli

I live in a town on the C2C line. I know Wickford and Southend quite well. Personally I think there are far nicer places to live. If you were to go by train from Southend to London Fenchurch Street it would take you an hour to an hour and a half then you'd probably have to go on the underground. My husband gets the train and it costs him £3500 for a yearly train ticket (his journey is 45 mins).

Chelmsford is nice. I think the trains go to Liverpool Street Station as well. You also might want to look at Colchester. There are so many potential places you could live. If I were you I'd look on right move, type in a central postcode and then select miles and see what you can get for your money. Good luck with your decision.

kgrant

skint_chick wrote: »

Unless your wife has a specialised career or is also considering a commute to London then wages are roughly around the same as NI for jobs in retail/offices - maybe £1-3k more if you're lucky and you're going to need the money from the sound of it! The area around Southend is ok for a commute the train line takes around the same time as B/S but the area isn't as upmarket IMHO, if you're used to leafy south Belfast then B/S area is probably a more suitable area, unless you move a village outside of the town - but then the transport costs increase dramatically. If they're not prepared to offer you more money will it do improve your future career prospects? If not and you can stay put then I would as the cost of living in NI is so much cheaper

Thanks for all the above - we think future career prospects for both of us should be a lot more higher than here in Belfast, BS looks the mostly suitable please to date and the opportunity is probably the best chance of moving to 'try before we die' - it will be sorted either way this week!

totallybored

Out,_Vile_Jelly wrote: »

I would only consider the upheaval of moving city for three reasons; 1) significantly more pay, 2) clear career improvement prospects or 3) threat of imminent redundancy. Are you quite sure your relocation is worth it?

I don't wish to be rude, but the budget you're suggesting doesn't sound like you're being paid much at all for a City of London job. Have you looked to see if there are jobs at a similar level advertised in other London companies so you can check whether you are being remunerated competitively?

I agree, if you can only afford £800 a month rent then I'd be questioning if this move was the right thing to do. You might think the salary you're getting in London is good comapred to Northern Ireland but when you get here you could be in for a nasty shock. There is no point in living and working in London if your standard of living is going to go down.