Top tips for finding a good property agent
Regardless of location, it’s critical to find a good real estate agent. Here are our five top tips for finding the right agent.
Moving and getting set up
The advice in this section is aimed mainly at people who are looking to settle in the UK on a permanent basis, rather than those merely investing in property.
Currency
The exchange rate that you secure for transferring large sums, such as the proceeds from the sale of a property in your home country, will have a huge bearing on your spending power once you arrive to live in the UK. You should start thinking about exchanging your currency for British Pounds soon after you start on the long road to emigration. Forget moving money through high street banks, though; the best exchange rates are available through currency exchange specialists, like Halo Financial. These companies can arrange ‘forward contracts’, allowing you to secure a good rate of exchange up to two years in advance. Such an arrangement can mean peace of mind as you know your nest egg is protected from any devaluation of the pound. You may find yourself obsessing over getting the best possible exchange rate, but rest assured this is quite normal; after all, it is an important exchange. If this is the case, speak to a foreign exchange specialist as early in the process as possible – they watch the money markets constantly and you can instruct them to watch out for the sort of rate you are after, and can help you place a market order to target that rate. Visit: <www.halofinancial.com> for more information, email us at help@halofinancial.com or call us on +44 (0)20 7350 5470.
Removals
Arranging for removal firms to visit your home and offer you quotes for shipping your belongings should not be left to the last minute. By taking this step early on, you can be sure of a competitive deal and ensure you select the firm that you feel most confident entrusting your treasured belongings to. When making your selection, it is important to check your preferred removal company holds the international movers’ quality standards marque – FAIM (FIDI Accredited International Mover). The UK has certain rules on what you can and can’t take with you (or what will incur hefty customs costs). A good removal company will be able to advise you on what’s worth shipping and what isn’t.
Pet Removals
If you want to take your furry, feathered or scaly family members with you, then you will need to find out the rules regarding the transportation of pets. These rules will differ slightly depending on where you are travelling from and the type of animal you wish to bring. Unsurprisingly, bringing animals that are native to the UK is more straightforward than bringing those that aren’t. Pets will usually need to be microchipped before they are allowed to enter the UK, possess a pet passport or third-country official veterinary certificate, and have been vaccinated against Rabies. However, it’s always worth checking with a pet transportation specialist first, as they will be able to advise you of all the rules and regulations.
Healthcare
When you arrive to live in the UK, you will need to apply for a National Insurance (NI) Card, or number, at your local Jobcentre Plus. For this, you will need to arrange to sit a one-to-one interview (unless, for example, you need an interpreter) and bring with you a number of forms of identification – including passport and residence permit. Once you have done this you will then be assigned a National Health Service (NHS) number through the post. Once this is received, you can apply to a local doctor’s surgery for a doctor, or General Practitioner (GP) – however, you will only be accepted by a GP if they have space available, so you may find that you’ll need to look around to find a doctor nearby who is willing to take you on as a patient.
All GP consultations, hospital stays, treatments and use of emergency services are free for UK permanent residents. If you are not a resident – or don’t have a residence permit – then you may still be covered for treatment, depending on where you are from; the UK has reciprocal health agreements with a number of countries, including EU Member States, Australia and New Zealand. If you are not from one of these countries, you are strongly advised to take out some form of private healthcare insurance (although you will still be covered for hospital care).
Education
There are many different types of schools that your child may attend. However, the majority of parents choose to send their children to state schools, which are free for all permanent residents of the UK. The school your child will be able to attend will be based on your locality and you will probably need to apply to a number of schools, listing an order of preference for the ones you’d most like them to attend. Depending on where you live, you may be able to send your child to a grammar school – which is a more academically-orientated type of secondary school (although these do not exist through all areas of the UK). Like state schools, Grammar schools are free to attend, but in almost all instances, your child will need to pass an entrance exam (at the age of 11) to be accepted. Private schools are also popular (but expensive), while faith-based schools and home-schooling are other options available to you.
In the UK, children commonly start school when they are four or five years old. However, children are not legally obliged to be in school until the term following their fifth Birthday. After that, school is compulsory until they reach 16 years of age.
Halo handy hint: your last-minute checklist
No doubt you will have remembered to have handed in your notice at work, book your one-way flights and other such essentials. However, there are a host of other tasks than can easily be forgotten about in the excitement of emigration.
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It’s an obvious point, but it’s worth checking your passport is in date; this will save any unwelcome surprises at the airport. On the subject of important documents, make sure you also keep all relevant paperwork in one place and in a clear order so it can be easily accessed. These documents include: • all correspondence with immigration departments; • your medical records; • school reports; • references from employers; and • anything else you think you may be asked for.
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Make sure all bank accounts and similar services that you will no longer need have been closed and cancel any direct debits.
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Finally – and it may sound obvious – take time to say goodbye to all friends and family that you may be leaving behind. The stress of moving to a new country and sorting out all that needs to be done could mean that you run out of time to say proper farewells.