Live Like A Local While You Choose Where To Settle Permanently
American by origin, Merilee Karr is an adopted Brit, having lived in London for the last 18 years, always in the southwest in Fulham and Putney. She founded her short-term lettings company back in 2014 and has built everything to deliver the vision of providing responsible home letting solutions in and around London ever since. Passionate about providing guests with a ‘home from home’ experience and not leaving homes empty when their owners are away, when others could enjoy them, meant that her company UnderTheDoormat was born.
Coming to the UK from America is a big step which takes a huge amount of planning and organisation. It’s not just a case of buying all new appliances or knowing the difference between pants and trousers (which can be very valuable to know in certain situations!), but finding a whole new community and moving your family away from everything they know takes a bit of getting used to. The concept of ‘moving to London’ is exciting but in reality ‘London’ is huge, and it is always difficult to choose which part of London is most suited to you and your family’s needs. Having been an expat herself, here Merilee gives her top tips for relocating to London and how it can definitely be one of the best decisions you will ever make;
• Make plenty of trips before the big move: Take advantage of the relocation package before you arrive. Visit London a couple of times and check out everything from potential areas to live, social clubs, schools etc. Finding an area that you feel comfortable in and can feel a part of the community will make all the difference
• Make contact with others in the same situation: Social media is great for this. There are so many groups, for example ‘Americans in London’ on Facebook, that you can connect with and get into the nitty gritty of living in London
• Get comfortable that things take longer than you think they should: From setting up Wifi to getting your furniture in your new home, the instantaneous approach you are used to in the States doesn’t always happen here, so being comfortable with extra patience will make your transition smoother
• The very first thing to do is to open a local bank account: Having a UK bank account will help you get a mobile phone, sign a rental contract and everything else you might need. Having a letter from your employer will help you do this, and you may want to enquire with your bank in the US so you can set up with the same or an associated bank here
• Choose a frequent flyer programme: For Americans who know they will be going back and forth to the US a few times a year, I highly recommend that you pick one airline and stick with it. Membership has its privileges and the occasional upgrade on the overnight flight is always a bonus.
Finding a new home is undoubtedly one of the toughest challenges when relocating. Even though the job opportunity is likely to be in central London there is no reason why you should have to live right next door – you might decide on a completely different spot and it is very normal for commute times to be anything up to an hour in London. London has superb transport links and thinking about direct transport links rather than distance is an important perspective.
It’s a good idea to try short-term rental options whilst you figure out the right area for you. Our own company is proud to offer over 200 homes across London where guests can stay for short periods to really get a feel for the location. St Pauls is very different to Wandsworth and Waterloo to Notting Hill. Our ethos is to enable guests to ‘live like locals’ – so what better way to research an area or try 3 in your visits so you can find the one which is right for you.
If you can find an option which gives you the chance to stay in a home until you can move into your permanent accommodation, then this will certainly make life and your move a bit easier. Most companies will pay for 1-3 months of temporary accommodation when you arrive, and it means you have a wonderful home to live in until you own things arrive and you can move into your long-term home in London.
Once you are all settled, it’s also a great service to use for friends and family who come to visit. London homes often don’t have as much space as you are used to in the States, so having people stay at your own home isn’t as easy as your friends and relatives might think.
Being American herself, Merilee’s team has been handpicked to help people with a personal service and they can explain everything from the difference in king size beds in London vs. the US, to what to look for in a bathroom - the cute little separate taps in bathroom sinks for hot and cold water can get annoying when you are used to a single faucet. So, fun for a few days but something to avoid when you plan to live there for a few years! We look forward to welcoming you to London as you begin your move so you can make your transition to London as smooth as possible.
Merilee Karr, Founder & CEO of UnderTheDoormat
Website: www.underthedoormat.com