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Original poster

Relocating north - rent first?

27 replies

RidingMyBike · 20/07/2021 17:10

We need to relocate north for my work. We'll be moving from SE to NE, which has been a long term ambition of ours.

But I'm trying to work out timeframes. I have a 3 month notice period so have to be up there by November, ideally so DD (5) can start at a new school after autumn half term. I'd have some flexibility around hybrid/WFH initially but priority is getting her settled in a school.

We'll need to sell existing house. Houses on our road are taking a while to sell (but have needed lots doing as they're elderly owners whereas ours is more recently upgraded). I don't think it's realistic to think we can sell in SE, buy somewhere in NE and it'll all be done in 3 months so we're thinking about renting. This would also mean we got a feel for the new area.

But there don't seem to be many rental properties on market, those that are want a 12 month lease minimum. Anyone done this and rented inbetween? Or had a short term rental? What happened with school places - did you have to move your child again?

OP posts:

uktrippin · 20/07/2021 17:12

Once you've got a school place you've got it. So choose the school and area you want to be in and look for something there.

You won't be able to complete on something new and sell yours by half term

Salome61 · 20/07/2021 18:36

I sold my house in Warkworth and rented a cottage with Hotspur Residential, they seem to get a lot of nice rentals?

NelleBee · 20/07/2021 18:51

Whereabouts in NE? We have a similar issue relocating from one part of the NE to another. We’ve got an offer in on a house but it’s taking ages (searches are averaging 13 weeks), we were hoping to be moved before September as child has school place in the new area and not where we currently live. We had thought maybe we could rent but there are absolutely no suitable houses to rent. The plan now is to have a long drive to school and back each day until the sale goes through. Which I’m hoping will be before the end of September.

Africa2go · 20/07/2021 19:20

You need to check out the admission policy of the LA that applies, and the particular schools that you're thinking of applying to. When we were in the same position (not quite as big a move but about 60 miles), the LA required at least a 12 month tenancy in order for an address in the "new" are to be considered as your permanent address, otherwise, we'd have been considered as still residing at our old address - given that the schools we were applying for were massively oversubscribed, we'd never had got places.

Original poster

RidingMyBike · 20/07/2021 21:14

It'll be a 180 mile move - to Yorkshire. There seems to be only 3 rental properties with at least 3 beds in the area we're looking in at the moment although I've signed up for daily alerts so will at least get an idea of how often they come up.

There's nothing on the in year admissions on the council website about length of tenancy, just that proof of residency may be required for over-subscribed schools. The rental properties on Rightmove all seem to have 'requires improvement' schools nearest!

In my head I don't mind renting for a year to get a feel for the place and let our house sale go thru, then make us chain-free to buy, especially as Covid is causing so much uncertainty with timescales. It would also be a LOT easier to do viewings once we're actually in the area! We did this when we originally bought our 'now' house and ended up renting for ten months which gave us some flexibility, but the school places thing is worrying me.

There seem to be a lot more schools where we're moving to - several primaries within a mile of each house which is a lot better than where we currently live.

OP posts:

Original poster

RidingMyBike · 20/07/2021 21:19

Does the church school priority order still take precedence over distance for in-year admission? DD isn't currently at a church school (none locally) but I've been a regular churchgoer for years and she comes too, so that would be feasible if it applies.

OP posts:

Original poster

RidingMyBike · 20/07/2021 21:21

And thank you for the info about searches taking at least 13 weeks. I know of that happening to a couple of people so it sounds like it may be the 'new normal' at least for the time being. Which totally definitely completely rules out buying in time as that's my entire notice period. Think I knew that in my heart really!

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Neondisco · 20/07/2021 21:31

Yorkshire isn't the North East.

Africa2go · 20/07/2021 21:31

There isn't a blanket response I'm afraid. You need to look at the admissions policies. Some church schools rank church going above distance or siblings, but my DDs school specifies fortnightly attendance and requires a form to be signed off by the local vicar.

Bubbean · 20/07/2021 21:34

We’ve just done this. Moved from SE to Yorkshire. We rented in East Riding as it was cheaper (and still beautiful) We got into the primary school of our choice in a york village after chatting to the head, and there was a space available. We spent several months commuting to school by car. Our house purchase fell through but another one came up quite quickly and had lovely sellers that moved into rental so it was chain free. We did offer to completion in 12 weeks! Now we are in and 2 minutes from school. The rental was for 6 months in the end but the Landlord was flexible. It’s a good move to be local to be able to view properties quickly especially for us it was still duringlockdowns so travel was restricted. Good luck with it all!

Original poster

RidingMyBike · 20/07/2021 21:40

If it isn't NE what is it then?! It's definitely not the Midlands!

OP posts:

Original poster

RidingMyBike · 20/07/2021 21:45

Oh thank you @Bubbean that's really helpful and I'm glad it worked out for you.
We're more limited area wise as DH doesn't drive and would be doing almost all the school runs so I'm hoping that the apparently vast number of primary schools within a mile of the various rentals would be able to have a school place available somewhere!

OP posts:

teass · 20/07/2021 21:55

Always allow extra time for the house sale!

We did similar thinking that we could rent a house for six months, sell up and then buy easily enough within that period.

When we left our previous house we had agreed a sale but it dragged on and on so it got to the point where it took 10-11 months in total. The buying of the new house was taking place alongside this. We managed it but it was touch and go towards the end and we had to give our two months notice to end the tenancy at 10 months praying that everything would go through. In the scheme of things six months extra rent isnt a great deal and it will remove hassle and give you certainty about the process.

And as you say it is far easier to look at potential purchases if youa re on teh ground in the area rather than having to do it long distance.

For us we looked at schools before starting contacting them to see which ones had vacancies, this gave us a focus for where to look for the rented house and ultimately where to buy.

Lochroy · 20/07/2021 22:19

It's Yorkshire! The NE would be Teesside and surrounding areas, County Durham and Northumberland incl. Newcastle IMHO (slightly tongue in cheek but I agree with pp who said it's not NE. It wouldn't be what I'd expect if someone said they were moving to the NE).

Anyway, sorry for the digression. As you were.

Original poster

RidingMyBike · 21/07/2021 06:21

LOL, thank you, @Lochroy
at least I won't now put my foot in it when we move there
It's funny, I'm originally from the Midlands and always thought of the bit below us as the South, and the bit between us and Scotland as the North (both divided into east and west!)

OP posts:

Original poster

RidingMyBike · 21/07/2021 06:25

@teass thank you, that's really helpful
and does indeed sound like the only feasible way forward.

It sounds like there's a lot more conversation to have with schools than going thru the normal admissions round when we went to open days, asked a few questions but didn't really engage with individual schools?

OP posts:

Ifailed · 21/07/2021 06:40

Yorkshire isn't the North East.
if you divide England into quadrants, most of Yorkshire is in the NE.

Shelby10 · 21/07/2021 06:40

In Yorkshire too… that’s by the by though. I have friends who’ve moved and rented in between. Made it much easier when it came to buying

Ragwort · 21/07/2021 06:47

We moved from the the East side of the country to the West and rented before buying, it was a good idea as we had never lived in that part of the country and wanted to find out about different areas etc before committing to buying. However it did mean our DS (9) went to three different primary schools within a year ... but it didn't seem to do him any harm (incidentally the one he was at during the period we rented was the best by far!). It would depend on the nature of your DC though, our DS is very confident and sporty and seems to fit in fairly easily .... it was 10 years ago now & he's still got friends from all three schools.

PotteringAlong · 21/07/2021 06:53

You need to look for holiday lets if you want to rent for 3 months - I was going to suggest one but it’s definitely north east and not Yorkshire!

(I’m in the north east - Yorkshire definitely not the north east!)

RampantIvy · 21/07/2021 07:01

Which Yorkshire - North, South, East, West?

Is it in a university city?

AaronStampler · 21/07/2021 07:14

Here's a handy guide to the regions of the UK. It's labelled with the old European Constituency names, but the NUTS1 divisions are the same.

Ellpellwood · 21/07/2021 13:21

I was going to ask where as rent will cost a fortune if you need to be in York/Leeds/Harrogate, not so much in Bradford , but if you need to be near your eventual school it is a bit moot. I'd be looking at an airbnb or similar for such a short time, or phoning local estate agents direct.

Original poster

RidingMyBike · 21/07/2021 20:12

I think the problem is is that we don't definitely know it would be for a short time. Our house is about a month off being ready to go on the market (did quite a bit decluttering etc during lockdowns but we also have a snag list to tackle which is underway), although I haven't resigned yet so that clock hasn't started ticking yet.

Yes, it's one of the university cities so more expensive. But still cheaper than where we're moving from.

If it sold in a week, and we almost immediately found somewhere and even if the solicitor stuff took 13 weeks, that's 14 weeks at least, which would mean 5-6 weeks in a short term/holiday type let. Would we even be able to apply for a school on that basis? Probably not as the house purchase wouldn't have gone thru.

One of the houses I liked online was a previous rental that a landlord was selling so it was vacant. Maybe it would be possible to rent it whilst purchase of same house goes thru - bit of a long shot though.

I think it's looking like we need to be looking for a rental from mid-September to make sure of getting something in time to move at half term?

OP posts:

Chipsahoy · 22/07/2021 12:27

We are moving to the north east. Northumberland. Exchanged contracts this week and desperately trying to secure a rental.
We found trying to view houses from so far away was just too hard, so we decided to rent for 12 months first.
Good luck it’s very stressful but exciting too!

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