₦airaland Forum

RalphJean:
Talking about Moving House
Dear Good People on this thread.
Please what is the best way to move in this country?
We need to move from London to Peterborough.
We are a fairly small family. Husband, wife and a 4 year old child.

Any practical advice please?

Try gumtree and shpock for man with a van and that way you will be able to compare quotes. The Ghana must go bag to helps as I prefer them to boxes

wonlasewonimi:
Ghana must go bags.. And get on the train

Lol, imagine pots and pans doing coink coink on the train .

Mamatukwas:
So After 2 fails I’ve sha finally passed my Practical Driving Test. Grateful to God.
.
Decided to post incase someone is failing and feeling bad, don’t! I felt very bad too initially, especially because the 2nd fail In particular was cause of a very silly reason IMO... But the experience has sha made me a better driver. So incase you’re here and seeing stories of people passing the 1st time and wondering why your case is different , don’t worry; You’re not alone and you will definitely still pass.

Yay, let's enter motorway oooo sharply..Congratulations sis. Success story is loading......

wonlasewonimi:
Funny story. You should have stayed with BT. They provide the backbone which all other providers piggyback on.

Netflix 7.99 per month would have solved your problem.

Yeah true, BT is excellent for broadband but TV ehn no no. Netflix doesn't have a lot of the movies I follow thats why oo, then also sport is greatly needed in our laif, hence the switch

sutelk:
@ the bolded. Don't have broadband yet but was seriously considering BT because I believed I will get BT sports. So you are telling me to stay away from BT? Sure say I no go tell madam to bring GOTV when she de come?

We subscribed for the BT sport as well but we discovered most of the stations don't show alot of matches, basketball etc and if we wanted we have to upgrade with like £40 more. Also no naija station featured

Phenmeson:
I beg na who know best Housing association wey dey for average income earners in South East England because all my paddy wey dey London don migrate go Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Newcastle because you can get 2bedroom flat for £400.
Mine rent here for Sussex na over £1000.

Yepa, is it a mansion? Better move to the Midlands oo . You can try your local authority council group, they do have some houses to rent if application won't be a hassle

Lesson Learnt on cancelling TV/Broadband contract

If possible, I will advise one to stick with any of the service providers until the end, if not be ready to make lots of calls and fight your charges.

On one cool windy day as I was going on my way o, d SKY agent sha lured me to their kiosk and with all amazing offers (box sets, kids, full sports package, latest Qbox with voice control remote and broadband) all for £61 for 18months.

Ofcourse I was reluctant because we still had 6months left with BT( £46) but the boring channels kept pushing me to.stay put and hear what he had to say, then he told me SKY can pay up to £200 of my termination charges once I am.able to send my final bill over and all that. That was how i was completely sold on to the idea but still told him I had to contact BT to know the actual cost before terminating.

I called BT and was told the only charges I would pay will be 80 pounds as long as I return the broadband and TV equipment so that sealed the deal and we proceeded. Then came the final day of the contract and suddenly I was updated with a final bill of £318, my brain went into fireworks mode oo.

I called them and made my case to the agent and she didn't really know how to handle it then offered to raise a complaint for me and have her manager call me in 4days. The manager called and apologised and said it will be difficult for them to trace the call that assured me £80 pounds but he can remove my last month charges which was added twice to the new bill and also once i return the equipment another £65 will be removed, so the new bill came to £245.

The next day, I sharply posted the equipment and all back to them even with the carton it was sent in and waited few days and still my bill was not changing, I called them again and then the agent I spoke to, told me I have to pay for the equipment as it is useless to BT bla bla, I just referred him to my call with the manager who assured me of the refund, na so he put me on hold oo for some mins and then apologised that he was not aware they do that etc so eventually I paid £180 for termination and hoping sky will redeem theirs even if it is £100 out of it, I still feel it is to my benefit.

So in one talk, if you are not ready to make call and fight your charges and also get a good deal from the provider you are changing to as per they are all poaching customers, don't end all those contract. Just push till the end

Update on Moving house:

Moving house in this country is sooo stressful but for this our own move ehn it's worth it. After battling rats and mould everywhere in our old place (story for another day).

Using the advise I got here for house removals on gumtree and shpock, I was able to get someone to move all our stuffs for £40 and he also did pick up a wardrobe from store for £30 which was not a bad deal, I guess.

Now onto the business of organisations to contact. I wrote a comprehensive list from this link
http://omarsguidelines..com/2017/07/checklist-of-things-to-sort-out-when.html?m=1, which was helpful as a Tier 2 migrant (for doctors migrating, it could be nice to check the guys diary, it helps with some guidelines).

My Own list:
1. UKVI
2. Utilities (Gas, Electricity, water and internet)
3. Banks
4. Car Insurance
5. DVLA for licence and V5C docs
6. GP
7. HMRC
8. Employers
9. Nursery
10. Pension provider
11. Council Tax

It was straight forward contacting alot of them and updating the details, though we have issues with SKY because it is a new build property. We recently switched to Sky because we were absolutely tired of boring BT channels so getting open reach to come out and do the installation is still a lot of hassle so we are "broadbandless" and hopefully will be sorted in 2weeks.

On Assembling things, omo!! I appreciate my handy Nigerian men more oo. I had to post the job (wardrobe assembling) on my builder website because all the shpock and gumtree people were quoting high figures and eventually I got it for a reasonable amount on there.

perfectme:
Hello house,

I've followed this thread from the beginning and I was earnestly hoping that someday I too will be able to share my experience of living in the UK.
And finally I got the break I was hoping for, got to UK late last year on a tier 2 visa.

I'm in Salisbury  ( Wiltshire ), it's a small but lovely town, there are few blacks here from different African countries cos by their accent you shall know them and some few Nigerians.

My flight down here was amazing, had a stop over at Dubai airport then finally Heathrow the next morning plus i got a window sit.

I had just one luggage which weighed 22kg plus one hand luggage, no food stuffs cos I like travelling light. Just my clothes plus winter kit .Was really prepared for that and was disappointed when I got to London and there was no snow ( don't yab me please )

My employer arranged an airport pick up for me plus accommodation so it was easy getting to my accomodation and they already got me a giffgaff sim card which only gave me unlimited phone calls and sms to UK numbers plus 3g data.

I've been able to get around town, got my BRP, opened an account with HSBC, registered with a gp and all

Found an asian store, the only one in Salisbury. They have basically everything from indomie to garri to yam, palm oil, egusi, semo even wooden mortar.

I generally do my shopping at tesco and pounland for groceries and charity shops for shoes and clothes in the mean time. I hope to upgrade when my account gets bigger . Plus I found the brioche bread at tesco , I finally felt like I was eating bread after a long time, not all those tasteless oyinbo bread.

I've really learnt a lot from this thread and I'm happy to be here finally.
Just want to say thank you to all the people that added useful information to this thread and kept it going

P.S
I made my own UK survival guide from all the information I got here.

Congratulations on your move and welcome to the brioche gang

Rubyventures:
A lawyer for that matter?

A sitting MP for that matter, she stuck to the usual lie of no be me drive am

Lexusgs430:
Just take pictures yourself, hope you took pictures upon resumption of tenancy?

Normal wear and tear is allowed for.....

..

Thanks will do

Lexusgs430:
Are you talking about inventory on a property you are about to rent?....

If it is, the inventory is not a lawful position, but it is the best route.......

You should also request a copy of the inventory report and also take clear pictures of all inventory in the property (before you move in) .......

Noo, meant the check out one done at the end of the tenancy. It is usually a 3rd party that does it for my current letting agent but I got a call to cancel my appointment with the inspector, and was informed that it will be done by the letting agent themselves.

So I was wondering if this is right in case there is dispute on d deposit payment because it will be our key evidence. Just trying to pre-empt anyway they may want to siphon our deposit

Guys,pls is it right or lawful for the letting agency to do the check out inventory of the property. We were already scheduled for an appointment with the company that does the inventory only for them to call us to cancel.

For those interested in holidays and new comers like me, I was recently introduced to this sun holiday promo,where you gather like 10 codes from their January paper sales and get holidays for a group of 4 adult to cost at most £300.

This cost includes 4 night stay in a self catered accomodation and entertainment passes at any of the location u choose on the list. They have alot of good places on the list all around UK and Paris e.g Butlins and co..It's worth a try

LagosismyHome:
For student who want to save money then Aldi or Lidl. Things are cheaper there .

Brioche isn't that bread too sweet ... you can easily spot Johnny-just-come . You still have sweet mouth from naija. You dont want to join brits and eat tasteless regular bread

Yesso awa JJC, their bread here is too tasteless abeg. I no like am..try it with beans and moinmoin like butter u go sabi

Rubyventures:
These people are based in London(Essex Rainham), I know they pick up in London, your best bet is to phone them and enquire.

Thanks will do

Mamatukwas:
I do £4 to Lagos and £5 to Abuja. Delivery to your door. No minimum weight charge. You either send to us in Enfield or we arrange paid pick up. Pickup is free for really large shipments.

From the UK right? What if i want to send things to the UK from Nigeria

Mamatukwas:
Na wa! M&S does Brioche but it’s not better thank Tesco IMO. Just also good. Asda’s too is good. But all these stores are pricey. Want to switch to something friendlier on the pocket.... but with good brioche

You can do all normal shopping at Aldi or Lidl and then settle for brioche at Tesco

Yinkzy03:
Aldi is got some sliced Brioche loaves, regular and with chocolate chip, not bat at all....

It does taste nice but all dose extras takes d feeling of bread away, it tends to feel like cake to me

Mamatukwas:
Thank you. Let me go and browse @ Aldi. I’ve checked Lidl and its ok. Which one has sweet Brioche like Tesco’s own please

None oo my sister, either too dry or gets stale easily. Don't know if M&S does brioche dough, could be better

Rubyventures:
Its called Layo ventures
07951939197

Thank you for sharing, it's not bad at all. What about to send from Nigeria? Currently I do have 520 per kg(10kg minimum) and then you collect with £20pound in Birmingham but won't mind switching

Grumpychick:
Dont blame me. When you meet the one, you dont mind screaming it at the top of a building.
Thanks to Nairaland.

Come give us gist now, don't hoard it. Congratulations

All this money on school fees Toor, make my son grow up small small oo. Though I still don't understand a lot of details on public, private and grammar. Would have thought public school is free. Till then sha

sgtponzihater1:
Thanks. Great response. I will search those sites now and rigorously at that.

It's really difficult advising a particular city to settle in as so many factors needs to be considered as earlier stated, but I can understand your dilemma as I was recently in your position.

If You have families in the UK, I may advise choosing there as it helps settling in for the first few months and sometimes with childcare as well. Note that, when you choose a place, d recruitment agency may not necessarily have openings available for you and thus extending your move.

However, to make things sort of easy for you I will suggest option 1 if affordable housing and cost of living, multicultural balanced environment, accessible african foods that are not too pricey, fair access to jobs in different backgrounds, fair weather, Nigerian churches (think they are everywhere)

1. West midlands (most places in this region is close to Birmingham which is like the 2nd biggest city in the UK after London and houses are quite affordable. You can use the picture attached to search for house prices on rightmove and zoopla)

2. Anywhere outside London but within England (Because of fair weather and probably more blacks)- you will save good money on housing and maybe cost of living, but note that is like the happening city just putting it mildly...

If you choose London, your wife stands a higher chance of getting a job in her field than anywhere else I believe, if that matters to you.

All the above is just from my little experience of being here and also deciding to choose between scotland and england for a start and I haven't obviously explored other parts of the country.

Lastly, pray for guidance in choosing the right place that will favour your family.

sutelk:
Very very very very important question
My eyes couldnt miss the bolded. How you take get one year visa?
Always assummed the dependents visa has to have the same end date with the main applicant. Is it that you applied to join your partner when his Tier 2 visa had one year remaining?
Or did you apply for just 1 year instead of the 3/5 years that your partners Tier 2 visa has, and now you are renewing?
I'm about applying for my wife and kid to join me, my Tier visa expires 2021, Please tell me I can apply for a 1 year Tier 2 dependent visa for them and renew later, meaning I have to pay only 1 year visa and IHS for now till I renew.
Please tell me this is possible.

Lol, in my own case, husband signed a 1 year contract so visa was given for the exact duration of the contract, unlike this renewal that they gave us 2 weeks extra.

In your own case, I doubt if you can apply for a lesser duration for your dependant as they are tied to yours, so they can't get lesser or more than that.

dupyshoo:
a. Try anyvan.com. You will put details of what you eant to move and then man and van will start bidding for the job. You will be able to see reviews of all the man and van that are bidding. You don't have to go with any of yhem if ypu are not happy with rhe quotes. I have used them thrice and the sercice was fantastic.

b. It can affect your credit rating slightly cos lenders like stability. As othershave said, make sure you register on electoral immediately.

c. Once you move out, initiate the recovery of ypur deposot on the deposit scheme website. If the landlord does not have any issues, you will get your money quickly.

Thanks sis. Does it even matter since my local council still remains the same? Wahala sha po

Rubyventures:
a- Man with a van is your cheapest option, moving is stressful enough you don't really want to be driving the van on that day and most time you will get physical help from the van owner. Check on your local neighbourhood forum or gumtree.

b- Moving home does not affect your credit rating, just make sure you register ASAP on the electoral register and redirect your post.

c- It takes roughly about 10 days maximum as long as there are no problems. just apply on line and as long as there is no contest from the agent . The money will be paid directly into your account.

Good luck with your move. When is the house warming?

House warming for winter, let's wait till summer now to warm it naturally . Thanks for the tips

nomad26:
Are you moving within the same town? If yes, search for 'man and van' on gumtree and call them to make enquiries. They are usually self-employed guys looking to make extra cash with their vans. Try look for ones that have had their gumtree profile for a while, so you don't fall for scammers.
This is what I did when I moved last year. I spoke to 5 guys I saw on gumtree and eventually settled for one that was available on the day I wanted. It cost me £60 (£30/hr, might be different for your area sha). I had already packed my things and I wasn't moving far away so it only took two hours. He also helped with loading into the van and unloading at my new place.

Will check this one too oo, but gumtree dey fear me especially after that baby kidnap some weeks ago

imnotconfused:
Fatima04,

£650 is amazingly good,I'm paying over double that for a 3 bed semi but it's almost over as we have exchanged on a house and will settle down finally in a few months.

You should get most of your deposit back,it's usually kept in a deposit scheme and you can even challenge whatever amount they are giving you back if it's not the full amount especially if there's no serious damage apart from the usual wear and tear.If you leave stuff for repair the agents tend to quote exorbitant amounts.
Timing of the return varies by rental agent..some could be days after,some weeks after.If there are deductions cos of repairs it lags on as they have to get quotes for the repair etc

Van hire: Enter Arnold Clark or the equivalent and rent a van for a day or two,it usually works out cheaper.I did this in one of our moves but for the cross country one,I paid some guys in church and they hired a van and did the same but at least they did all the heavy lifting and putting things together.

Thanks sis. Will research and explore. Moving is like dissertation

adrenaline02:
quick observation: you gat get better IQ to survive in the UK with their many jargons.they are organised though.... no time for cherekambia

Aswear, u must be ready to go out of your c9mfort zone to leave in all this countries oo, not only UK. Too much wahala

RalphJean:
3-Bedroom.
£650!!!!!!
Dear Lord, I need a job outside London and Cambridge.

Oya come now, that is even expensive for this region oo. But then you are chopping London money now

Lexusgs430:
- You old deposit should have been placed in the deposit scheme. Did you receive an email about your deposit lodged?

- Van rental - If you have a driving license or know someone with a DL, just hire a van for a day or 2..... Renting a van should not exceed £50.00..... Just walk into the nearest van rental office closest to you.........

- Moving houses should not affect your credit rating at all.....

Yes, it was paid to the DP scheme, however our letting agent did not want to release the last occupier (who was a Nigerian), even gave her a bill to pay them, she challenged it though but not 100%certain she got it back.

Didn't know one could rent van dt cheap..will explore the option. Thank you.