Best way to find a place to live in uk?

I have been searching like crazy online to find some things for us to view when we arrive next month. Most either don't quite meet the criteria or they don't give enough info for me to know if they meet the criteria. I've contacted a couple of estate agents who said they would contact me if they get anything, but I'm not so sure how hard they'll look for me.

The options are to try to set up viewings, get there and stay in a hotel or B&B for a week or two and hopefully find something. Another is to use a service that will hunt down a property for us and when we arrive drive us around and hopefully get us into something in a couple of days. This costs 450 pounds! And what is the liklihood that when we find one we like, we can actually move in right then? We may still have to spend a week in a hotel!

It will be bit harder for us to find a place as we have some special requirements due to my knee problems -- no stairs to get into the place and if it's a house, then a double bedroom and full bathroom must be on the ground floor. We also need allocated parking so I know I don't have to walk far. Other things we just really want -- like washer/dryer dishwasher and a big fridge. Or space to add those things ourselves. And bedrooms that will hold queensize beds, and wardrobes!

Any suggestions?

What city are you relocating to?  Have you tried www.rightmove.co.uk?  Really, it's almost best to just wait til you get over here to start your looking process.  While you are looking, you might want to check out living in a corporate apartment or as they call them "serviced apartments" to have all the conveniences as well as save $ by cooking your own meals.  Good luck

The options are to try to set up viewings, get there and stay in a hotel or B&B for a week or two and hopefully find something.

This is what I did. Properties come up and leave quickly so this is generally the best thing to do especially since you need such specific requirements. I contacted several agents and fortunately found my ideal place on my last view of the first day looking. I had to wait several days for the place to be cleaned and new appliances put in but it fell together pretty quickly.

I hadn't checked rightmove before, thanks! It will help, along with findaproperty.com and Ashley Charles Web sites. I think we will just get there and hunt for ourselves, maybe rent a car to get around (I can't walk far with my bum knees).

The area we are going to is Reading, if that helps as far as suggestions for what we should do there.

It will be bit harder for us to find a place as we have some special requirements due to my knee problems -- no stairs to get into the place and if it's a house, then a double bedroom and full bathroom must be on the ground floor. We also need allocated parking so I know I don't have to walk far. Other things we just really want -- like washer/dryer dishwasher and a big fridge. Or space to add those things ourselves. And bedrooms that will hold queensize beds, and wardrobes!

Any suggestions?

It sounds like some of your requirements may narrow your options a bit, especially the double bedroom with full bathroom on the ground floor. You could convert a room downstairs to a bedroom (if its a large house with an extra reception room) but its the full bath on the ground floor that is going to be very difficult to find. Most houses will have a washer and a fridge but not a dryer or necessarily space for a big frig. Again, if you find a large house...all of it can be doable, it depends on whether or not you have a big budget.

Here is a link for serviced apartments in Reading.

http://www.readingtourism.org.uk/accommodation/readingserviced.htm

Hiya

Reading, just down the M4 from me and some ex work colleagues live around there (or used to just before we all lost our jobs!)

From the sounds of it, you have some specific requirements due to your knee, access and property style requirements - these will narrow down your choice of course but on the other hand, seeing as you've chosen Reading it'd be wise to include surrounding areas/towns as well.

I'd say you do have a reasonable to good chance of finding a ground floor property, with a decent sized bedroom and a bathroom - more than likely in a large converted victorian, or big house with letted/rented floors etc. Another choice would be a 1 or 2 bedroom gorund floor flat/apartment (my rental apartment is ground floor, 2 double bedroom, large/easy access bathroom and 2 allocated parking spaces! - sorry it's rented out!)

Next idea is to contact as many local Reading estate agents as you possibly can, tell them of your needs/requirements and get them working on finding places for you.

Drawbacks would be finding places big enough to accomodate a Queen size bed, and wardrobes as well - you may need to look at downsizing the Queen size bed idea - unless a really spacious property comes along. I'd also say the same for the large Fridge, usual is a slim fridge/freezer - unless a large spacious property comes along, keep these factors in mind.

Reading itself is quite cool, excellent shopping, plenty of nearby stuff to see, easy accessible, job opportunities as there's alot of companies around. some parts of Central reading as some surrounding areas are a bit crap but thats the same for any town or city. The surrounding towns and some properties in semi rural areas are fantastic though, you may find what you're looking for a little further out !

Cheers!
DtM! West London & Slough UK!

Reading itself is quite cool, excellent shopping, plenty of nearby stuff to see, easy accessible, job opportunities as there's alot of companies around. some parts of Central reading as some surrounding areas are a bit crap but thats the same for any town or city. The surrounding towns and some properties in semi rural areas are fantastic though, you may find what you're looking for a little further out !

Some areas of Reading are spotty (stay away from Oxford Rd, the Whitley Wood area and some bits of east Reading). Dennis' suggestion to look further out (surrounding villages is also a good option).

I live in Reading so if you have any questions about certain areas/roads.....PM me.

Thanks for the tips, you Reading locals! I may be in contact as we get closer to actually flying over to look for a place to live. I'm not sure when that will be yet as there was a screw up with the paperwork, and now my husband's new employer has closed offices until Jan. 2! (He was supposed to start work Jan. 15.) So we won't know anything until after the holidays. But we did go ahead and get married Tuesday, so now things are all clear for them to take care of my spousal visa!

Any nearby towns that you can recommend living in? Somewhere for which Reading would be easily accesible by car or bus?

But we did go ahead and get married Tuesday, so now things are all clear for them to take care of my spousal visa!

A big congrats!! 

Some other areas close by are Caversham (very good and not so good depending on street), Earley, Tilehurst and Calcot (suburbs of Reading), Wokingham, Pangbourne (I love it but its pricey), Purely, Tywford, Henley, Sonning (all pricey).  As with all areas you need to check them out as places can vary from street to street.

Best wishes on your move over!

I forgot to mention that if an Estate Agent says that a place is in "south" Reading or even "University borders" most likely its Whitley Wood (the actual University area is ok in spots). So be cautious with their description (they will never say WW)....while its cheaper than other areas of Reading, its not a place you want to live (similar to Oxford Rd).

Groovy, if finances allow, I would highly recommend using a relocation agent. We just used one to find us a place in Scotland, and it was a really good move. They basically act on your behalf and go and view properties for you, after you have given your specifications, and email you pics and tell you all about them. They usually have good relationships with letting agents in their locality as well so you can bypass some of their crap as well.  If they find a place you like the look of, you should be able tp pay a small holding deposit to have the agent take it off the market til you get here and view it.  They can also give you info about local amenities, schools etc etc.

ps one of our requirements was a master bedroom big enough for a kingsize and we have ended up with enough space for two!

Groovy, if finances allow, I would highly recommend using a relocation agent. We just used one to find us a place in Scotland, and it was a really good move. They basically act on your behalf and go and view properties for you, after you have given your specifications, and email you pics and tell you all about them.

I condsidered doing this and contacted a lady who would find us a place -- but her fees are 450 pounds. Plus whatever estate agent fees there may be if she finds a place with an agent. My husband said if I think it's a good idea, go ahead and hire her. But that's so much money, I can't bring myself to do it. Maybe I will hire her before this move is done, but I know we could find something on our own -- it will just be a lot more trouble.

how is everyone getting past the need to specify a residence address on the visa application?

how is everyone getting past the need to specify a residence address on the visa application?

The visa application isn't asking for your permanent residence, it's asking for an address where you'll be staying. Which means you just need to be sure to procure a place to stay in advance, be it a hotel or a B&B or a friend's house.