Discovering the U.K. 2017 for Chanel

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© 2017 Dwellworks Page 51 Discovering the U.K.
How can we make sure this move works well for my partner too?
Moving to a new country could be an intimidating prospect for your partner. Think carefully
about what neighbourhoods and outlying towns have to offer that could be important to your
partner, particularly if they won’t be working. You may wish to consider moving to an
international community, and there are a number of these around the city. If your partner is
able to work in the UK, then there are many opportunities for work and most industry sectors
are well covered. London is such a hub for employment and there are many industry specific
recruitment agencies and consultancies that will provide good guidance in this area.
Are properties typically furnished or unfurnished?
Commonly in London, 1-2 bedroom apartments will be furnished or part furnished. There is
no specific standard of what constitutes furnished or part furnished in the UK, so it is
important to make sure you know what is going to be left/included in the rent. What is the
norm, is that ovens, hobs (cooktop/hotplate), fridges and washer dryers are included, these
are known as “white goods”. As a general rule, the larger the property the less likely it will be
furnished.
What do I need to know about bringing children and pets?
Keep in mind that having pets will affect the amount of properties that you will be able to
consider. In London many apartment buildings do not allow pets. It is very important to check
that a landlord is able/happy to have your pets in their property, before you move in. The UK
however is generally a very pet friendly country.
In terms of facilities and safety for children, as with many large cities, there are some areas
that don’t offer appropriate facilities for children and it is important to identify what are the
key criteria for you as a family. Given the huge variety of neighbourhoods and nearby
commuter towns, there will certainly a number of good options for you to choose from.
How should we approach looking for a school?
It is important to understand the school admissions system/criteria in the UK as it is different
from many other countries. There are many very sought-after schools and some can be
quite difficult to get a place at. For many families, the choice of schools drives the housing
area to focus on. Working out how to balance school choice vs. housing location vs.
commute time is a critical factor, and there will be plenty of support provided to help with
this. (see our Schooling in the UK document for more details.)
What is a good resource for defining British terms?
Oxford Dictionaries has an extensive list of British terms with their American counterpart.
You can find it here: