Relax, we have been helping people relocate to Nottingham for 15 years

Relocation can feel like a really big thing, it can even be stressful & a bit overwhelming when trying to work out what is the most important task to complete first, and how to get help from local sources who know the area. Well, look no further you will find yourself in safe hands whether you are part of an international corporate relocation or you are moving to Nottingham from another part of the UK. 

Let us be clear about this - we are not a standard relocation agent , we do not charge for this service unless it is the major part of our work with you, but we thought we'd add this section in as we so often find ourselves putting on our relocation hats in order to help people. 
I do have a wonderful contact here in Nottingham who does act as a relocation agent. She is a sole trader and not part of the global relocation agencies which sometimes people get help from. Being local means that she can give real, thoughtful, help with properties and schools as well as settling in the families to the activities which otherwise they might start to miss from the home that they have just left. 

Do feel free to email me for her contact details - she is the fraction of the cost of her global counterparts - she comes in at about 4 weeks rent, and is a wonderful woman who cares about her clients.

Things to consider:
  • If you have children you will want to get a good idea of the options in term of school, state and private, primary, secondary & sixth form. Here at Nook & Cranny we have a lot of experience of local schools and we will be happy to give you some local info, and pointers. For example, if your child would be moving into UK year 11 or 13 you will find that this is part way through the GSCE and A level curriculum and therefore most schools will be unlikely to be keen to take them. Do not fret, the way around it is to go to see the school have a chat with them, and unless your child is a mini Einstein they will be most likely moved to year 10 or year 12 in order to start the curriculum from scratch. Year 11 children usually turn 16 and year 13 turn 18 in that year. Our primary school goes from 4 years old to about 11, or secondary schools go from 11 to 16 and some have a sixth form which caters for the 17 & 18 year olds.

  • In order to register with a state school you will need to have an address at which you are living, and even then, depending on the popularity of the school, you may need to look further than the most local school as class sizes are limited. Private school have a much larger catchment and a generally wider & deeper curriculum, but you pay for them. Some companies include private schools in their relocation packages for their most senior executives. Most schools are only open for enquiries during the term time, so if you plan to go to see them in August or the Christmas holidays, Easter holidays or half terms...you may have to think again! Just a heads up as it is worth planning it into the project if you are organising a short trip to get to see Nottingham for the first time.

  • In order to rent a house in a the normal way (with Assured Shorthand Tenancy Agreement - ASTA) you will need to take a property for 6 months or longer. To do this you will need to be able to be credit referenced to check that you are able to pay (which is fine if you are relocating within the UK) or have someone who is willing to guarantor your rent for the full period of the contract, if neither of these apply you will still be able to get a rental if you pay the first 6 months rent and the deposit up front. Some people who are being corporately relocated have their employer take a corporate contract on there behalf.

  • In order to get a credit reference for renting a house you will need to have an active UK bank account. This can be a chicken and egg scenario unless managed well - you can't get a school without an address, and you can't get a bank account without an address, and you can't get a address without a bank account. Don't worry, this is all perfectly surmountable, but it might take longer than you initially thought.

  • You may wish to take a short term rental property, let on a weekly basis when you first arrive in Nottingham in order to use it as a base from which you can investigate schools, areas to live near to your work, family or hobbies, or to get an idea of how it is to live in an area before you take a rental or buy a property. Many people have taken up the services of Nook & Cranny Nottingham in order to stay in a short term rental, or serviced apartment.

  • There is one experience which I most commonly share with the person who is the principal reason for the relocation - i.e. usually the person who is changing jobs. That is that being thrown into the excitement of a new job and meeting lottos new colleagues can sometimes let us forget about the rest of the family. The most successful relocations happen when the partner and children get the attention that they need in order to get settled into their new communities well, find a suitable school, and get introduced to activities that they enjoyed back in their previous home or fancy trying out.

  • A happy partner and family creates a happy home which means that the employee who has been relocated is most likely to stay at the company longer term which means that the move has been worthwhile for all. After all, relocating people, especially internationally, can be very expensive for the company, so it is worth doing our best to make sure that it is successful.

  • Our school year starts in September, but children can move in and out of classes throughout the year, most commonly September for the Autumn Term, January for the Spring Term & April for the Summer Term.