Where would you live in England..

[Allboundformoomooland]

A colleague has just moved to England from abroad and needs to find somewhere to rent for her and her 13 year old daughter. She can work remotely and priorities are:

• safe area
• reasonable rent
• excellent secondary schools
• no need for a car so good access to amenities and transport

Which towns or cities would you recommend? Thank you

What is the budget for accommodation and what do they want?

Does the child speak, read and write English to a good standard? Might they pass a selective school assessment for in-year admission?

Single sex or co-ed school? Is state boarding up for consideration?

A town on a South coast sandy beach not too far from London.

Open on budget but just one income so not too expensive. English is good (they are from South Africa). State single sex or mixed, would be going in to year 8.

North Wiltshire (not Swindon). Good schools, lovely market towns with great communities, central so easy to get to coast, airports, cities, motorways to every direction

We love it here.

As they can live anywhere for work, I was thinking not near London due to cost of renting. Just struggling to think of options when the criteria are so open.

Thank you. Any towns in particular?

The set of criteria you've provided is far too broad. Is there any more information you can provide?

Start with Leeds, Birmingham, Liverpool, maybe even Manchester.

Good luck.

Marlborough, Devizes, Royal Wootton Bassett, Cirencester (just over the border in Glos), Purton, Highworth, Lechlade (also Glos), Malmesbury, Minety, Brinkworth, to name but a few.

She would need to research schools. Lots of good ones are full. Selective ones certainly would be.

It would depend on access to London for me and what my feelings were about facilities and the countryside. What do I want from where I live? How will I meet people? What are my interests? No car would limit my enjoyment of Wiltshire I think. In fact no car limits enjoyment of just about anywhere except London although cities might be ok if you never want to venture into the countryside.

What is reasonable rent?

if she doesn't need to be in the south east I'd say York, has some of the best state secondary schools in the country, lovely small city and excellent transport links. Also people are very friendly so she'll make friends. Or if she wants something similar area but smaller Harrogate or Ripon.

I was mainly thinking from the no car perspective if that won't change. A large town wouldn't cut it unless it was near London.

Otherwise, maybe other cities (Glasgow?) But they might come with school issues.

She's truly open to anywhere as other than schooling and no car, nothing else is essential. I'll say £1200 a month rent for a 2 bed room flat or house. She says that she's not worried about things to do for herself, but her daughter might want some action. Good suggestions so far, thank you.

York, Leeds, Sheffield

Good transport links, good cities with lots of nice suburbs, good schools.

Leamington Spa, good schools, central for work in various commutable places no need to have a car and lots happening

I'd agree with a Yorkshire city. Loads of good ones and close to stunning countryside.

I’d vote York. I have a job which means I get out and about quite a lot meeting people. York is always friendly, and the community has a nice mix of ages, plenty of touristy things (thinking if daughter wanted a part time job in future the tourist stuff gives options etc), transport is good, it’s flat so nice to walk around. And it’s such a pretty city!

Smaller market towns and cathedral cities are always a good choice for schools and some culture. Look North, midlands though for affordability

Chester, Ripon, Worcester, Lancaster,

When were you there?

I know Leamington v well, went to college there and used to live there. The residents in the (posh) North like to pretend that the South doesn't exist

As soon as you cross the river it gets quite grim, go under the railway bridge and beyond and very grim

Lots happening? Only if you class lots of hairdressers and coffee shops as lots happening