Talk to me - moving to Scotland from England

[pooopypants]

So we currently live in Yorkshire but we're keen to move to Scotland. We aren't looking at big cities, definitely something more rural and out of the way. Has anyone done similar? How have you found it? What differences did you notice and were they difficult to get used to?

I think what I'm asking for really, are stories of people who have made the move and how they found it.

For background - we have a mortgage, DC4 and DC6, no indoor pets like cats / dogs, DH is WFH on a long term basis, I'm a SAHP but would be looking to return to work (C19 threw a spanner into the works on that) and have no family ties in Scotland that would mean moving to a particular part. We recently visited islands off the coast of Scotland and while we Loved it, I think that would be a step too far at this point, given that DC would need secondary school a few years down the line, so we're looking at the mainland vs island.

Any and all advice / hints / stories welcome!

I think you need to do more research. Your comment about your husband sounds a bit naïve sorry. Rural connectivity is a real issue and if it could be fixed that easily then, well, other people would do it.

Maybe somewhere like fife would be better? There are rural areas but you're close to cities like Dundee Perth and Edinburgh too. Also lots to go outdoors wise esp near St. Andrews.

Just following on from thaegumathteth's comment:

I'm not AT ALL saying that you would think this, but please don't assume that local people are stupid. Many are highly educated and intelligent and have decided to stay in (and often do 'lowly' jobs in) a place that they love. Others have returned home to do the same. Yet others have immense practical experience and resilience, and an invaluable detailed knowledge of the often tough local conditions.

My other point is that you will have to be prepared to sort out quite a lot of practical problems for yourself. Some villages will have a local handyman/plumber etc, but many will not. And if the local practical expert is any good, they will often be booked up for weeks or months ahead. And (as always) the weather will play a large part in what it's possible to do at any one time.

OP- you might benefit from popping this in Scotsnet (Talk>Scotsnet). I’d not be worrying too much about your broadband just now, but some of the rural communities are better served than some parts of the west end of Glasgow, for example.

If you haven’t already, you may want to explore how the 2021 election may advance the conversations around independence, so how do you feel as a family moving to Scotland with that possibly looming. It’s a very divisive and emotive subject here.

@florascotia2 I wholeheartedly agree with everything in your post (I'm on one of the west coast islands), especially ' listening carefully and learning before voicing too many opinions.' Even after several years in the community, always assume the person you're talking about is somehow related to the one you're talking to! The struggle to get deliveries is real. On the upside, there's a thriving market in second hand white goods etc. We've recently seen a lot of interest in people who have holidayed here wanting to up sticks and move. I've seen a good few who last one winter and move back to somewhere without quite so much weather and not relying on Calmac who can be cancelled for days in a row. I wouldn't live anywhere else now, but it's not for everyone.

Great post from @florascotia2 which says everything I’d say. 200k is not much in most areas of Scotland - and houses in beautiful rural areas are currently selling like hot cakes, surprise surprise. And you need to be aware that we have ‘offers over’ and that in a hot market can be 10-15% over the asking price. And the lenders will only lend you the valuation, so in practice this could be:
Valuation 200k
Offers over winning bid*: 215k
Deposit @ 10% = 21k
Cash to offer over = 15k
You need 35k in hand to get that property, so it’s not as straightforward as it looks and your money won’t necessarily go as far as you think it might.
As an East coaster there are freezing cold winds and it gets dark a lot earlier in winter but is lovely and light in summer. My family - Aberdeen bred, so no strangers to a chilly breeze - moved to Yorkshire and whenever they’re back here make noises about the cold so there is a real difference.
All that said it is a good place to be

Thank you for very kind comments.
It IS great, isn't it, but there really are differences......

OP was there a particular reason that you can't get what you're looking for in Yorkshire?

While I like living here, I'm in a city with 24 hour shops and everything on my doorstep. And I often wonder about posts that say they want to move to "Scotland" without narrowing that down to a particular area. Although you did acknowledge that and it is like me saying I want to move to England, where will I go

Where I live there is a fair amount of anti Westminster bias which for some of the harder of thinking manifests itself as anti English feeling. How would you cope with that

And as a previous poster mentioned, locals in many places resent incomes who can afford to buy the nice houses.

Just something to think about

I also second Moray. We live part of the week in Aberdeen and part in Moray. I love Moray but have too many ties in Aberdeen, husband’s work for eg so have the best of both worlds really.

I think you really need to do a bit more research before picking an area OP. Be careful when considering distances to the nearest towns or cities, some of the roads are terrible so what might not seem that far in mileage can take a lot longer to travel than you'll be used to.

I've lived all over from the North of Scotland to the South of England and the differences in various parts of Scotland can be night and day. I'm currently living in the central belt because of work, like the majority of the population (so that should tell you something). I love it here because we have the easy access to excellent services and it's a short journey to proper remote countryside. However houses here are not cheap because of the two big cities close by, the great transport links and other services like broadband etc. £200k might get you a nice 3 bed terrace or semi if you're lucky.

Rural Scotland, particularly the West Coast is stunningly beautiful, and away from the cities (1hr plus drive) the houses are much cheaper, unless they are in a touristy area. However you will be less likely to have mains gas, sewage, possibly only one choice of internet provider, no super fast broadband, poor transport links, infrequent or non-existant public transport, kids will have to bus to school, often living miles from their friends, if you're rural and so on.

Where I grew up was about 50 miles from the nearest big city, or around 2 hours car or train journey (see what I mean about journey times?) There were 3 buses a day to the nearest town. We had a big house, huge garden, but no mains gas or sewage and I thought power cuts were normal! The surrounding area was lovely, but teenage me couldn't wait to leave. I lived miles from friends, I couldn't get to see them without a lift from my parents, the job prospects locally weren't great, and, though teenagers say it all the time, there was nothing to do. It was also a proper 'locals only' area, which you'll find much of Scotland is. Some such places can be unwelcoming to incomers, particularly those with English accents. This is not so in the more populated areas or touristy areas where there are more people coming and going.

If I were you I'd look at living rurally but close to one of the cities if you're looking at working again soon. What you can afford will depend on your budget of course. £200k on an island will get you a 5 bed former Manse or similar, but in Edinburgh it may get you a two bedroomed flat in a not so nice area. Be wary of the 'offers over' system too.

Just don't be so dazzled by the beautiful scenery that you fail to see the potential downsides of living away from populated areas.
That said, I love Scotland and wouldn't want to live anywhere else

One wee political point. I hope you take it the right way - meant in a spirit of welcoming and encouragment to you. You will be made very welcome and so will your laddies. But PLEASE do not move to Scotland and then vote against our independence. It is not fair. Unless you've been permanently here for 5 or 10 years or something it's not right you should be moving to our country and voting to block our independence. Please do not. Morally it is not right. The 2014 referendum lost. Scottish born folk actually voted 53%/54% for independence in 2014. If you cannot bring yourself to vote for independence, just abstain please. Come join us - just don't please stand in the way of our political will by voting against independence. Good luck and hope it works out.

Please vote against independence if you want to, the majority living here did!
If you move and want to vote against independence as it’s the best economic decision for Scotland then go ahead.
After all the SNP are always asking for more money no idea how they think they will manage when independent! They have one agenda independence without thinking how they can fund all the services we require.

^MairiAnnaMc18700* Your post is the very opposite of "welcoming and encouragement" - it's the same old, tired, anti-English rhetoric that is becoming more and more prevalent from some, and the antithesis of the idea that anyone who chooses to live in Scotland has a part to play in Scotlands future.

Please get a grip and stop spouting such nonsense.

Ehm everyone i’ve ever known here has GCH, we even have those new fangled movie boxes!

The islands are beautiful but can get cut off if the weather turns so that’s always something to consider. I live on the west coast, and love it here but also love Edinburgh and Oban.

@MairiAnnaMcI87000 I am Scottish right back to the clams and will vote against independence.

We have family on Mull and have visited at various times of the year.
It has no airport. The only way on and off the island is by ferry (some routes are seasonal). This also means that supplies are affected by cancellations if the weather is bad.
There's no mains gas.
Some businesses are seasonal.
There's no cinema (it arrives on the back of a lorry).
There's no hospital. I know people who have had to be airlifted by helicopter to Glasgow in an emergency.
There's only a Spar and a small Co-op in Tobermory. You need to go to Oban or Fort William for Tescos etc.
Petrol is expensive because it needs to be ferried over from the mainland.

I’m in the south west coast, and also an estate agent! Remember the legal systems between here and England and totally different. We have home reports, you don’t need your own surveys before you buy somewhere, and if you’re trying to time your English sale and Scottish purchase together it can be incredibly difficult. If you aren’t selling first we have the Additional Dwelling Supplement (ADS) which is a 4% tax on second homes, which it would be classed as if you aren’t selling first. It’s 4% of the purchase price on any property over £40k so factor it into your budget if need be. Even if your English sale goes through a few weeks after you settle your purchase in Scotland you still need to pay it, then claim it back through revenue Scotland.

I’m half an hour from the main county town. The main supermarkets all deliver here (but not Waitrose/Ocado), even the tiny villages get fibre broadband but aren’t on the gas mains. Properly rural properties have septic tanks but even the tiny villages have mains drainage. Mobile reception is terrible. A 3 bed semi in my town will be anywhere from £150-180k but my town has much lower prices than even twenty miles up the road (houses are ridiculously cheap here!) You mention your husband works in the emergency services, if it’s fire brigade the smaller towns mostly have a retained fire service made up of local volunteers so factor that into your location.

Have lived in Scotland all my life and always had GCH, been very close to local amenities, shops etc. No need to make life difficult for yourself, OP.

If you plan to move to Scotland, there's a variety of places to settle.

Great thread resurrection.

@bashfulClam

Would that be the McOyster or the McRazor clam?

I am as Scottish as they come and against independence! It’s a difficult time to come as it’s so divisive - as you have seen from this thread. Education is pretty shocking under the SNP and there are some other real issues going on that isn’t right to mention here. We are actually considering a move south. I can’t believe I’m saying that but we have had enough of the sub standard government. We are considering Yorkshire or Northumberland!

Anyway, what are you into/hobbies etc? Scotland is pretty big and varied! The central belt feels very different to the highlands which is very different again to the lowlands.

I honestly would move somewhere remote like Gairloch as I adore it. But it would be a huge huge change for you

Whereas if you moved somewhere within an hour of Edinburgh you would have access to a major city - which is wonderful - but with gorgeous more gentle countryside on your door step. Eg Dunbar for its beaches or Peebles for forests and hills.

But PLEASE do not move to Scotland and then vote against our independence. It is not fair. Unless you've been permanently here for 5 or 10 years or something it's not right you should be moving to our country and voting to block our independence.
If/when you move up op, ignore this. Once this is your main address and you are eligible to vote, vote how you would like in all elections or referendums, even if you've only been here a couple of weeks. Once you live here, regardless of where you come from it, any results will affect you and its important you vote how you want in it.
I voted for independence in '14, morally I find it perfectly fine if you move up here and vote against it, it will be your home too, vote how you want.