Is it a mistake to move to UK?

[dragonflyblu]

We have accepted a job in Bath, we are now waiting for the work permit and then we will get the visa. A very long expensive and complex process compared to our job in germany.

This is the offer we have accepted

OFFER A
Salary: £28,000
Relocation: £2,500
Benefits following completion of 12 week probation period:
- 21 days holiday a year (+ bank holidays)
- private health insurance
- life assurance
- company pension scheme
- productivity bonuses (currently £500 quarterly)
- profit share scheme


But now I am getting nervous. This is more thann we earn in germany, but the percentage of income to live in Germany seems to be much lower.

we are a family of my husband myself and our 10 month old. We need to send 750 pound a month to aust to cover our bills there. So we are left with about 1000 a month (after tax) to pay rent/bills.

Now its not all about money. I mean being an expat is the experience first al foremost for us. But are we going to manage. Should we even be going to the UK?

[dragonflyblu]

Thanks Colin, I am pretty sure we will love the lifestyle. I am excited about walking around the city (both bristol and bath) and going to the seaside sometimes, which i understand is not too far away in the train. I guess i am just afraid that we will struggle too much. i dont mind money being a bit tight but I dont want to not afford food or that train fare. I suppose many families in the UK live on much less a year and they manage?

[Stravinsky]

Yes Bath is a very nice place indeed. You are also within striking distance of beautiful Devon & Cornwall, and over the Severn Bridge to Wales.

Depends what kind of a house you want to live in, but for instance my daughter lives in a two bedroom flat in the middle of Solihull, a very nice town south of Birmingham, and she pays £500 a month rent plus bills. Her Council tax is around £900 a year, her electric is about £45 a month

I just found this property site for you .... which doesn't make good reading ... most of these will probably be open to a bit of bartering

Find a house to rent in Bristol - Property Management - Grant Management

Petrol is just under or around £1 a litre

[dragonflyblu]

it sounds wonderful. We have puppet shows here and I suspect they are very funny but they are in german and alas we dont understand the language!

Thabjs for all your thoughts, memories, responses. I have been looking at real estate sites. The council tax is a bit of a mystery and theagents seem to think everyoine knows what the hell it is. I suppose it is a tax we pay instead of the landlord and we pay it monthly??? so I should add council tax to monthly rent to do a budget? I think we can get something 1 bed for about 400-500 a month. I would love to live in a smaller town, have a garden joind a local vege garden allotment.

We wont have a car, unless we get a big bonus! So we may just get bikes. Everything seems so close. a couple of hours ride and we would be ain a new area.

[Stravinsky]

Originally Posted by dragonflyblu

it sounds wonderful. We have puppet shows here and I suspect they are very funny but they are in german and alas we dont understand the language!

Thabjs for all your thoughts, memories, responses. I have been looking at real estate sites. The council tax is a bit of a mystery and theagents seem to think everyoine knows what the hell it is. I suppose it is a tax we pay instead of the landlord and we pay it monthly??? so I should add council tax to monthly rent to do a budget? I think we can get something 1 bed for about 400-500 a month. I would love to live in a smaller town, have a garden joind a local vege garden allotment.

We wont have a car, unless we get a big bonus! So we may just get bikes. Everything seems so close. a couple of hours ride and we would be ain a new area.

Council tax is payable to the local authorities for your rubbish removal, fire service, schools etc etc. Most rents dont include this so you must budget extra. You can elect to pay it monthly, usually payable per annum over 10 months.

You will probably also have water rates ... this is normally payable twice a year .... its either a fixed charge or you may have a metered property.

[Big Pete]

I could do a big entry on this post , but i wont

All i would say is Good Luck ,

[Stravinsky]

Originally Posted by Big Pete

I could do a big entry on this post , but i wont

I am pleased

[Hurricane]

I can vouch for Bath, very beautiful, lively and cultured city, and close to place like Wells, Glastonbury, Cheltenham and for some real British history Bristol.

I lived 5 miles from Bath for a while before we moved to Cheltenham and I just love the honey coloured buildings and majestic Cotswolds.................although I don't miss the bloody cold.


Prices are surprisingly cheap for such an amazing city and area, too far for Londoners to commute which helps.

[Big Pete]

Originally Posted by Stravinsky

I am pleased

why did you shout ? lol

[MichelleAlison]

You can also pay water rates monthly unless you have a metered property.

Rents do not normally include council tax and water rates. These are always payable by the person(s) who rent the property.

The following website sets out council tax costs for Bath for 2007-2008. As you can see, they are not cheap.

Council Tax Charges 2007-08 - Bath & North East Somerset Council

The price you will be charged per year depends on the value of your property with Band A being the cheapest property.

Band A £864.46
B £1,008.55
C £1,152.62
D £1,296.70
E £1,584.85
F £1,873.01
G £2,161.16
H £2,593.40

Hope that helps.