Moving to Helensborugh? What would you do? Advice any help needed.

[IWanders]

Basically my dh is now based in Faslane, we have 3 dc and another on the way my dh is based there for one maybe two years. I think the move would be good as we would be saving a lot of money on travel costs, car maintenance and on housing costs.

But these are my only worries:
*With four children what size house would we be entitled to, we are currently privately renting a 5 bed which to be fair does at times feel too big but I wouldn't want to be in a 3 bed for example.
*How good are the schools in the area?
*Is the area safe and nice, good for little kids?

My dh is currently working there but he is hopeless at looking into this as he loves were we are currently living so is digging his heels in and refusing to be helpful. So can any of you lovely ladies help. Thanks as I feel moving would be for the best but I'm just really nervous about it.

I do recommend the village Rhu, very nice and friendly.

I live here, but I'm not navy, I used to live on one of the navy estates when they sold off some of the houses, but don't anymore.
It's safe, and fine for kids, if not massively exciting.
Avoid JLB Primary, I've just moved DD from there, but the others are all fine.
Rhu is lovely, but it suits me more to be in Helensburgh.

With 4 DC you're entitled to a 4 bed. If they have any.

I lived in Helensburgh for 6 months, it was OK, weather was depressing but the locals were friendly and the area nice.

Thanks, the move will be quite a big one away from school and nursery, friends and family so just needing to make sure I have done as much planning and research as possible.
Good to know we would be entitled to a 4 bed. Rhu looks lovely but the cost of private rents is almost a months salary which is why I have been put of renting privately. Thanks again.

Rating or Officer OP?

He's a petty officer, but not a real officer so rating. So I know houses will be under par, which is a bit outdated but hey ho. If he was an officer I know the houses and areas would be better.

You would think they'd be better wouldn't you but they really aren't. Churchill is undergoing a much needed face lift and that's where all the hard won money for renovations up here has gone. The officers patch in Rhu is very much the last on the list of things to do which is the way it should be, ratings and their families come first

As a PO with 4 kids there's a good chance you'll get a 4 bed house. If he was a Lt. then there would be no chance.

My friend is on Colgrain, her H is a PO. They've just had their bathroom and kitchen done, she says the houses up there are lovely now.

Ah, this is good to know, I am going from experience of friends about 5 year ago now. So all my info is outdated. I knew some housing was being done but I wasn't sure which areas and I thought larger housing was lacking, sort of demand not meeting supply. When we thought of moving to Plymouth a few years ago there were only 2 beds available or 3 beds in areas we would of been unhappy in. Hence why we still rent privately miles away from any where dh would work.
Helensborough was lost on me as I never thought dh would be posted there as he is a surveyor but it was a shore position and he's never home so he took it. Dh said he would look into housing this week so we will see how he feels. Thanks again.

Availability is the key thing here and it's getting tight. Speak to the Hive to get a feel for what's around, find the facebook page for Churchill Estate and ask lots of questions.

Bear in mind that just because Mrs Smith knows that %231 CE is a 4 bed and empty it doesn't mean it hasn't already been allocated. Our MQ was allocated to us 3 months before we moved.

Good luck.

I really don't think there are many 4 beds on Churchill.
So much of that estate was sold 11 years ago, which is why I lived there.
It's safe though, and as you would expect, full of young families, plus has a school including pre 5 unit, though tbf I've just pulled DD out, after 8 years, but there's a new head, so maybe it'll improve again.
I actually live in the roughest part of town now (totally outing myself!), and have never felt unsafe here.