School applications: how far away from your previous home can/should one rent?

[SouthLondonDaddy]

We currently live in South London and will start the application for our child's primary school next year, in Sep-2018.
Our work situations are such that, by the summer of 2018, we might:

1. move to a city about 50 miles from London, or
2. move to another area of London, about 6 miles away

In either case we'd be looking to move, and we'll most likely rent for at least a year, because we will most likely not have the time to find a property to buy (we can rent in a non-ideal property, but, with stamp duty so high, we'd much rather get a purchase right).

My questions are:

1. If we move to the other city, could we rent out our property in the meanwhile? The new city would be about 1 hr away from London, but, with changes etc, at least 1hr 45 min from our property by train, and easily more than 2 hours by car. Surely the council cannot think that our application is fraudulent and that we'd subject ourselves and a child to such a long commute?

2. If we move to the other part of London, I suppose I should sell my property, otherwise the council would think that we cheated on the application. Or not? Even though the distance is only 6 miles, it can easily take about 1 hr on public transport, and way more by car, because there are no direct links. I'd never impose such a commute on a child, but I understand other parents might.

What sucks is that we are in the process of remortgaging and, if selling the property is the best option, then we need to drop the lender we were considering and remortgage to one which doesn't charge early repayment penalties.

Can I ask what you mean by "the council will think we have cheated in application" does that mean the school you have chosen for your child?
Either way i would say stay close to your child's school, if you are out of zone of the school area they can deny the child and ask you to take them to the school in your catchment area. I would say renting out your current property after moving as it will give you the income needed from the rent to be able to pay off your monthly mortgage payment. Hope it works out for you all X

I suppose I wasn't too clear.

We own a place in Southwark, London. The options are:

1. the new job opportunities don't materialise. No change, nothing to discuss.

2. a job opportunity materalises in Brighton. We keep the Southwark property, move to a rented accommodation in Brighton and apply for primary school places in Brighton. Surely the Brighton council won't think that we are renting just to cheat the system, that we intend to move back to Southwark and subject our child to a daily commute from a Southwark home to a Brighton school? Or will it?

3. a job opportunity materialises in SW London. Commuting from our current property would be possible but a pain. I'd much rather move closer to this new job, eg to Wandsworth (a SW London Borough). Now this is probably trickier because the distance between these two parts of London is "only" 6 miles or so, so there is the risk that, if I apply for a Wandsworth school while still owning a property in Southwark (property I used to live in), Wandsworth might think I am cheating the system, that I intend to move back to Southwark after securing a school place in Wandsworth, and void my application.

The problem is that we are remortgaging, and have already paid a hefty booking fee to secure a mortgage with a lender that charges early repayment penalties - which would mean we wouldn't be able to sell the property and move to rented accommodation unless we pay these penalties.

An alternative would be to write off the booking fee we already paid, and apply to another lender for a mortgage with no penalties.

It is up to the LA concerned. This is an aspect of school admissions where each LA makes its own rules. However, if you move to another city it would clearly be unreasonable for the LA to insist on using your London address for admissions purposes. If you move to another part of London you are more likely to have problems unless you sell your current property. But, if you are open with the LA about your situation, it may be ok. Make sure you get anything the LA say in writing. If necessary send them an email setting out what was discussed in a phone call. That way you will have evidence if they do something different to what they say.

If you move to another part of London I honestly don't think you'll have any problem at all. The problems arise when people rent, and rent out their owned property, all within a small area.

Actually I think Wandsworth are one council which does insist on using your owned property rather than your rented one so you'd be wise to be cautious particularly as 6 miles isn't that big a commute.

Well, distance itself doesn't mean much in London; it can take much less to cover longer distances. Those 6 miles can take over an hour by car (I don't even have a car) and at least 45 minutes by public transport. Not to mention, that, with the ongoing Southern Fail shambles, it may literally be quicker to walk (a union has advised its members not to work overtime till further notice, and Southern Fail will be cancelling lots of services).

However, I understand councils must be tough to prevent widespread abuses, and I understand this can sometimes affect people who are not cheating.

It seems the best way forward would be to write off the booking fee we have already paid for the remortgage, and start the process all over again with a new lender that doesn't charge early repayment penalties. The whole process is unlikely to be complete before my current mortgage switches to a much higher rate, but all in all it will still be cheaper than paying those early repayment penalties.

wandsworth seems to have several schools rated as good and not oversubscribed, is it really an issue?

Your times for Southwark to Wandsworth seem over the top to me, I could do the journey from outside London in less time. But that is the only one of your scenarios that seems a problem.

it can be 2 lea's away and easily 90 min on public transport or by car.

Yes of course (6 miles in London can also be a 20 min train ride, but that's by the by) - the point is that it is a doable journey, and one which some parents may be prepared to do, which is why LEAs often use an owned home if there is one in preference to an rented one.

Wandsworth schools not oversubscribed? Really? Which ones?
Also, even if one weren't oversubscribed now, who knows in 2 years?

@mummytime, trust me, I know what I'm talking about, I timed the journey multiple times!

Be careful with Brighton - they operate a lottery system for primary school places so no matter where you live in Brighton you have no guarantee as to which school your dc will end up at.

For primaries, too? I thought the lottery was for secondary schools only, and the system has now been changed so that lotteries are within (rather broad) catchment areas.

Wrt primaries:

www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/content/children-and-education/primary-admissions-booklet/admission-priorities-primary-community

"If there are more children applying than places available in any given priority, the available places will be offered to those children living closest to the school, up to the published admission number. Home to school distance will be measured by the shortest route from the child’s home to the nearest of the school’s gates."

I thought the lottery was for secondary schools only

It is. For primary schools they use distance as the tie break.

Yes indeed my bad, should have read your OP more carefully!

Brighton and hove council won't have a problem with you renting. Schools are oversubscribed but not to that point.

Recent years have not been as oversubscribed as others so does also look like the big birth rate years are over.

You would be wise to think carefully about where you live and what schools you would realistically get a place in.