Chicago to London with child

[Shrh4veus1]

Hi everyone,

I've wanted to move to Europe for several years and I'm finally getting the opportunity. I'm not getting the traditional expat package with paid housing and school for my 11 year old daughter.

I've interviewed for several international positions over the years and have either turned them down due to too much travel or didn't get an offer. Last time I interviewed for this same position was about 6 months ago and would have been offered 90k GBP.

Things are different this time. The hiring manager came to me. Two of his best people are moving into different positions and he wants someone experienced to fill the gap. In our first conversation I told him 90k wasn't going to be enough. He came back a day later and said 108k. I told him I just don't want to move there and worry about money when I don't think twice about spending money now. He proposed I come up with a number and he'll "go to bat" for me but to make sure the number I give him is right, because he's only going to do it once.

If we move to London, I'd like to rent a two story house with at least 2 double bedrooms, 1 bath, and a private yard (I'd REALLY like 3 beds, 2 baths - this is downsizing from what we have now. I know it's larger than what most people can afford, or even find, in or around London) in a good secondary school area and an excellent soccer/football program.

My office would be in central London near the Liverpool Street Station and my customers would be all around London. I currently make 150k USD in Chicago. I don't understand why salaries are so much lower in London when the cost of living is so much higher.

I'm looking to you guys to suggest some great neighborhoods and what you think it would cost to live in that neighborhood.

It would be great if comments could be like: You should look at Hampstead and you'll need X amount of GBP to live there comfortably or Richmond and you'll need this amount, etc.

I look forward to all of thoughts and suggestions!

[Shrh4veus1]

We have two little dogs which is why I'd like a garden. It's not a must, but it would be nice.

[LeftRightCentre]

Oh, god. It can be quite tricky to rent with dogs in the UK. A lot of places are 'no pets'. Quite a few are 'no children', too. Yes, it's legal to do that. They'll also need the pet passports and those are about $1000 each.

[pumkinspicetime]

I agree with pp renting with two dogs is massively going to reduce your options. It reduced our options a bit in Chicago but on one previous move the company was considering renting a house for us in the UK for a while for complicated reasons. They had to give up on this idea when the relocation agent couldn't find one rental to accept our pets. It is possible to find pet rentals but it is hard, to get an idea of this try a search in a possible area with the term pets allowed or pets considered, it will bring up very few results. It is quite normal for whole apartment blocks to ban pets even if you buy, my MIL lives in one in London.

[juneau]

We have two little dogs

Oh ... that's not good news. How long are you planning on being over here for? If it's short term, then you might want to consider getting them fostered - or even re-homing them. Importing animals is expensive and trying to find a decent place to rent that allows pets - particularly dogs - well you should do some research. I have a friend who emigrated here from the US with her two dogs and she ended up renting a real sh*thole, because nowhere nice would accept her dogs. She ended up buying a place as quickly as she could, simply so she could have somewhere decent to live.

[lexi727]

Renting in London with two dogs is going to be a nightmare. You will need to look further afield.

[LIZS]

Are you intending to leave the dogs unattended during the day in a rental, or would you find doggy daycare or a dog walking service?

[marmaladecats]

I live in east London and also commute to Liv St on the central line. Jump on Rightmove, put in your parameters eg flat, 2 bed and so on, you can try areas like Stratford (the east village, it's the former athletes village for the 2012 games, lots of nice cafes and right next to the Olympic park). Also look at Wanstead, it's leafy, very nice high street, great butcher and greengrocer etc

[marmaladecats]

Eg in the east village www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-56340561.html

[LeftRightCentre]

People are really tetchy about dogs being in a house or flat all day without a person and kennel-training is seen as cruel; that is, if the landlord will even allow dogs and that can be tricky in London and its environs indeed because there is such a demand for housing. And again, secondary school pupils are expected to get themselves to school and back on their own, there's no school bus, you'd have to hire someone to drive her if you're not in walking distance and it's a hard job to fill because it's not enough hours and hours that would cut into a nanny job.

[00100001]

when are you plannign to move here? You say that friday is the deadline for Salary. but when do you actually plan on moving to the UK?
Presumably new year-ish?
As for schools, has your DD Done the common entrance exam (at least?) Or are you planning on sending her to an American School?