Adewumi2888:


Are you already in the UK? Can I send you an email ?

I’m in Nigeria but will land next month. You can email me.

The truth is nobody can really answer this question...it is a very relative issue because different places have advantages and disadvantages that might meet the needs of different people

So just do a quick search of the towns with the things you think is important for you


https://www.uswitch.com/place-to-live/

RDMS:
Hello everyone, I will be relocating with my family to the UK and I would like opinions on Newcastle/Sunderland vs Nottingham/Leicester for settlement.

Considerations:
1. Safety and quality of primary/high school in the region
2. Affordability: I considered the North East because of average cost of 3bedroom around £500-600 . Is it possible to get a comparable rate in Nottingham or around?

What are the negatives and positives in these locations beyond cost of accommodation?

UK Please

bigtt76:
What country are you based or renewing passport from?

I have the international driving license.

Can this allow me to drive upon landing in the UK?

What else can I do so I can drive when I enter the UK?

I think you'd have to use this https://oisservices.com/

twizzie:
UK Please

kaze4blues:
I have the international driving license.

Can this allow me to drive upon landing in the UK?

What else can I do so I can drive when I enter the UK?

As a student arriving in the UK soon, is there a major reason why you would like to drive a car?

Buy a car
Get a valid insurance on the drivers licence you hold
Ensure the car has a valid MOT
Tax the car

Lastly ensure you know the rules of the road, especially when driving during different seasons.

CheesyTee:


I’m in Nigeria but will land next month. You can email me.

Please if your first degree in psychology as well? Thanks

Irenenwaka:


Hello lusco I replied to stenons post because he asked if anyone could help… i know of someone who could hence my reply.

But the person **only** helps with the 28 days money lodgement for student visa….. he doesn’t get involved with any other kind of loans.

good evening, can I contact you on this? Thanks

cutieb:
I need help o!!
I got an offer of employment at HMRC and I have been asked to provide one of the following documents:
*Suitable proof of residence for time spent abroad
*References from UK departments and agencies based overseas (e.g. FCO missions, British Council, non-Government Departments and agencies (NGOs)).
*Where available, official and verifiable overseas police certificates obtained from the country or countries of residence (Home Office Police Certificate link here)
*AirBnB receipts confirming dates and addresses of residence

I have gone to the NHC website and I saw that I need to book an appointment for thumbprint for the PCC, unfortunately, the number isn't available and the prompt says it's disconnected.

How do I go about this please?
Help me o

for police certificate u will need to visit FCID Alagbon Ikoyi or Zone 10 Abuja or Force HQAbuja. Better still if u have any one in the above three locations, you can send them to go to those places and get ur cert by proxy. They should not start announcing from the door that it is proxy o.. the orice will jump from there before u even get inside.
They will get the form for you, there is an instruction video that can be sent along with the form to whatsapp to you, you will then need to print out, complete and thumbprint in all sections alongside submission of the data page of ur intl passport and send back. It will be done and u get ur certificate.
The price going to government is 3500, anyone u are sending there should be a natural bargainer otherwise u will be very well extorted.
Lagos is faster.

Wristler:

Please if your first degree in psychology as well? Thanks

My first and second degree is in Psychology.

If you need pounds holla. good morning

Hi guys, so I have been wondering how to go about internet connection when I land in Heatrow next month. Is there a WiFi connection that anyone will be allowed to use or is there a mifi that works in UK that I can buy before traveling.

Kindly ignore my ignorance

Callmed:
Hi guys, so I have been wondering how to go about internet connection when I land in Heatrow next month. Is there a WiFi connection that anyone will be allowed to use or is there a mifi that works in UK that I can buy before traveling.

Kindly ignore my ignorance

LHR got free WiFi service.... Just log in and enjoy ......

And it works, unlike the one at Muritala Mohammed Airport ............

Lexusgs430:


LHR got free WiFi service.... Just log in and enjoy ......

And it works, unlike the one at Muritala Mohammed Airport ............

Is there any @ MMA?

AirBay:


Is there any @ MMA?

They said/claimed so ..........

.

Ticha:
Using our latest family home purchase as an example - we bought a 5 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 1 garage semi-detached in 2017 for £225k. We put down a 15% (£35k)deposit as we were buying as a family home. Interest was 2.18% so monthly payments just under £700pcm.

We then spent £55k (cash reserves) on the renovations. It included taking it back to brick internally, putting new windows (was single glazed), central heating, kitchen, re-wiring, created a 2nd bathroom by splitting the garage, carpeted it throughout. It took 5 weeks because we know people in the industry and also had somewhere else to stay so weren't living in a building site. Remember we have 3 children (they were 3, 1.5 and 1.5 then) so we're a family of 5.

All completed - we had spent £90k cash to include the deposit upfront luckily the money came from the sale of our previous family home. Let's imagine that we did it on a budget we would have needed at least a 10% deposit (£22.5k) and another £15k min for a cosmetic renovation (central heating, double glazing, new bathroom, and kitchen) and if we were living in it then it'd be a room by room reno - taking longer and most likely costing more. That's by the by. Our total expectation was that the value would be at least £300k. As it's now a 5 bedroom, 2 bathroom house. If we had taken a bridging loan for the £55k for 6 weeks, interest wold be around 8%, application fees about £1,500, broker fees around £500.

We then left the UK, asked for consent to let and put it in Airbnb for 1 year and did make quite a substantial amount of money from that because it can sleep upto 12 people. CTL was granted for the duration of the rest of our fixed period so 5 years and we were expressly told at the end of that, we would have to revert to a BTL mortgage. CTL cost £199 and we have to re-apply annually.

In 2019, we broke the fix and refixed it for 2 years at 1.8%. The bank did a valuation and the value came back at £265k. Remember adding all our costs means we need it to be £315k to break even. Anyway refixed and rented it out properly. Tenant was paying £980pcm. Mortgage was now just over £600 a month but a repayment mortgage. Meant we could square away £280 ish a month (agent fees and commission is 10%) Luckily, we're not working in the UK now so no tax but if we were working in the UK then £980 - expenses = whatever is left is liable for tax.
That tenant left Dec 2020 and we spent about £5k tarting it up for the new tenant. New tenant is now paying £1250pcm. The mortgage is still just over £600 pcm and it's repayment.

Now 2021 - we have overpaid that we now owe about £150k on the house. So have equity of about £100k. We are remortaging to refix again and take some money out to buy a house in Glasgow. First and foremost, we have to come off the CTL cos we want to leverage the existing equity. It means higher interest rates however it also means lower payments because we will move to an interest only mortgage.

The house is now valued at £290k 4 years later. We must leave a 25% equity in it and have a 25% deposit for the Glasgow house (Looking at max £80k (£20k deposit). It means we need £75k as deposit for the existing house and £20k for Glasgow. The equity just about covers it. Mainly because it's a cheaper house. Much more cheaper. Then we need solicitors fees, stamp duty (2nd home so 3% of purchase price), survey fees, application fees (all BTLs charge it) and the house must be in walk in condition otherwise we need reno costs so maybe another £5k/6k ish. Our new re-fix is for 5 years at 1.3% and interest only so our payments will around £360 ish a month. Remember the rent is £1250pcm. Then iya Charlie takes her cut re tax.

Now compare that to the very first house we bought in the UK in 2010. 2 bedroom leasehold flat - paid £105k in Bristol. It's now worth almost £300k. When we rented it out in 2012, the tenant was paying £280pcm. The current tenant is paying £650pcm and we've almost paid off that mortgage. 11 years. property is a long game.

Recycling cash out of property is the way to go however it pays to know exactly what you're letting yourself in for. Buy right and hold. Property is a long term game. You buy and sit on it and you make the gains. We haven't had to front up a cash deposit in a long time.

You want to go into property? Ignore all those property gurus on YouTube.
Do not pay for any training courses! Join a PIN (Property Investor Network) group in your area - they usually meet monthly and network.
Join Property Tribes.
There are some useful UK property groups on FB.
Get clued up on financing property.
Find a very good broker and lastly, have a source of income no matter how little.

Property goes through lean and good times. In 2015, 2 of ours were empty at the same time, one with extensive pet damage. It's also incredibly hard to remove a tenant. You have to go through the courts and in the meantime, they can stop paying rent. It currently takes at least 14 months to remove a tenant through the court system.

But it is by far the best investments we have done. So my advice? Do it but with eyes wide open.

“Rent Money is Dead Money”
- Lexusgs430, 2100 BC

I have a quick (but honest question).
How do people raise their initial deposit for a mortgage?
Please help a brother, with tips and tricks. Dos and Don’t’s.

Can i contact you for the loan

Irenenwaka:


Hello lusco I replied to stenons post because he asked if anyone could help… i know of someone who could hence my reply.

But the person **only** helps with the 28 days money lodgement for student visa….. he doesn’t get involved with any other kind of loans.

JustAPasserBy:
“Rent Money is Dead Money”
- Lexusgs430, 2100 BC

I have a quick (but honest question).
How do people raise their initial deposit for a mortgage?
Please help a brother, with tips and tricks. Dos and Don’t’s.

@Ticha

JustAPasserBy:
“Rent Money is Dead Money”
- Lexusgs430, 2100 BC

I have a quick (but honest question).
How do people raise their initial deposit for a mortgage?
Please help a brother, with tips and tricks. Dos and Don’t’s.

2nd jobs and savings. Print off 3 months bank statements - go through and highlight anything that you can live without. Cut it out. Shop around for utilities - several companies will pay you to join them(use QUIDCO to search), jump ship if it's cheaper. Pare down your food budget by batch cooking. Set yourself a target x amount in 6, 9, 12 months - and aim to meet it.

Go through your stuff - sell off anything you haven't used or worn in 3 months (raised almost 5k by selling off clothes, shoes, baby stuff that was just accumulating dust in my house) - do not spend the money!

If you're renting a larger house, take a Mon to Fri boarder.

With 95% mortgages, it's much more easier to get a mortgage.

Ticha:
Using our latest family home purchase as an example - we bought a 5 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 1 garage semi-detached in 2017 for £225k. We put down a 15% (£35k)deposit as we were buying as a family home. Interest was 2.18% so monthly payments just under £700pcm.

We then spent £55k (cash reserves) on the renovations. It included taking it back to brick internally, putting new windows (was single glazed), central heating, kitchen, re-wiring, created a 2nd bathroom by splitting the garage, carpeted it throughout. It took 5 weeks because we know people in the industry and also had somewhere else to stay so weren't living in a building site. Remember we have 3 children (they were 3, 1.5 and 1.5 then) so we're a family of 5.

Very nice! Property is not my thing but I love when fellow females have sound financial acumen to better their family’s financial future.

Good morning senior and experienced contributors, please, hope we can book Qatar Airways now that they've been moved to amber list.

Any alternative to stake, in terms of investments......

Etoro offers many more investment options, including access to HKD (Hong Kong stock exchange).......


https://etoro.tw/3s1BT6z

Hello everyone.
What MSc would you advise someone with BSc Philosophy to do?

Good day Fellow Nairalanders
We are coming to Oxford Brookes in September. Family of 6. My wife is the Student. I noticed of late that housing is very expensive in Oxford. 1,200 to 1300 for 3 bedroom. Is there a nearby town where we can have cheaper accommodation and my wife will commune to school from. Her physical lecture is twice a week. Town that has job prospects and cheap housing not very far from Headington

Good morning all
How do I pick a good LISA account to open
Any red flags?

Domistic:
Good day Fellow Nairalanders
We are coming to Oxford Brookes in September. Family of 6. My wife is the Student. I noticed of late that housing is very expensive in Oxford. 1,200 to 1300 for 3 bedroom. Is there a nearby town where we can have cheaper accommodation and my wife will commune to school from. Her physical lecture is twice a week. Town that has job prospects and cheap housing not very far from Headington

We are in the same shoe, looking at berkshire pls anyone which idea about this location should help us ooo

Thanks for this but I do not see where to fill the application here? Just option to book appointment.

bigtt76:
I think you'd have to use this https://oisservices.com/

1. Click here https://portal.immigration.gov.ng/passport/epassport/ptype/1By1C and go through the prompts

2. You get redirected here https://www.innovate1services.com/nis?appVars=cGFzc3BvcnQjIyNHQiMjIzE3MA== log in as required and continue with the process there

3. Look in here https://oisservices.com to book your appointment

twizzie:
Thanks for this but I do not see where to fill the application here? Just option to book appointment.

What about Coventry or Warwick? Coventry is about 50 minutes by train to Oxford Station with no change over while Warwick is 40 minutes with 1 change. Accommodation in Coventry/Warwick will be cheaper than Berkshire obviously but train fare needs to be factored in.

Josh121:


We are in the same shoe, looking at berkshire pls anyone which idea about this location should help us ooo

Thanks for your help so far, I kinda figured that out.
Another question please, can one request a new passport with a change of name due to marriage? I selected the change of name option and it took me to the NIS naija portal. I really do not mind using my maiden name but my NIN is in my marriage name. Do I really need the NIN cos on filling the application, the NIN part is not marked as compulsory.

Thanks once again!

bigtt76:
1.