Iamhappy

Dear All,

My wife and I will be in the UK for approximately 2 months sometime between December 2015 and February 2016, and are looking for somewhere to stay with the following in mind. Just trying to see if you guys have any ideas as to what to look for (serviced apartments? estate agents? private rental?) as it's been quite a while since I was last in the UK.

1. Cost wise, looking for something around GBP 1000/month.
2. We don't have any particular preferences as to where to say, provided that it is safe and is within a 2 hour radius from LHR.
3. Will need to be fully equipped (bathroom, kitchen with cooking utensils, laundry).
4. NHS Hospital nearby.
5. Preferably on the ground floor.
6. Flexible rent period (i.e. we don't mind paying for 2 months if we only stayed for 6 weeks).

Am I asking for too much given the budget I have? Do you guys have any alternatives?

Any ideas would be much appreciated.

Thank you in advance!

Gagravarr

At that budget, I'd suggest you look at 2 hours west of Heathrow, I'd say there's no hope especially on a short-term rental in London at that rate. Somewhere like Swindon might be possible, based on what I've heard about house prices and rents there.

VivoPerLei

For your cost and Heathrow proximity requirements, I'd probably look in Uxbridge. I don't know if there is an NHS hospital nearby, though. You can check www.rightmove.co.uk to see what's available.

Swanhunter

Revise the budget up by 50% and you will have a chance in London. At your current level you might just find a depressing flat in a depressing neighbourhood if you are lucky.

As noted above look away from London and the chance improves. Somewhere like Bristol, Southampton, Bournemouth might give options.

camperdown9

Hi

I am sorry to say, this but London is expensive. A one bedroom flat in Zone 1 would cost around £2000 per calendar month (plus bills) and that would be on a 6 month or one year rental. As others have suggested if you stay further out of town the cheaper accommodation costs, but then you have travel costs.

If you have a look at zoopla.co.uk you will get an idea of retail costs. However for a two month retail you might have difficulty finding anything other than serviced apartments and they will be more expensive.

Alex

lhrsfo

What makes me think that the OP's wife will be heavily pregnant on arrival, but that three of them will then be departing?

Raffles

Would explain the odd request for a 'please rob me, I live on the ground floor and you get in really easily' place!

Iamhappy

Thank you to all those who have responded.

Being in London is not a necessity and have started looking at Bristol, Swindon and Reading.

Up-ing the budget is not impossible, but obviously need the wife's approval.

lhrsfo, what you wrote is spot on, it's unfortunate that it is the British law that requires the new arrival to be born in the UK (or a qualifiying British territory) so that he/she can acquire British Citizenship.

Thanks again!

Microwave

Maybe take a look at Woking or Basingstoke as well, both are decent towns with good, regular service into Waterloo and aren't too hard to get to from Heathrow.

If you wanted to stay within Greater London, maybe look along the Tramlink in Croydon, not near the big stations (East/West/South Croydon) but rather some of the Tramlink stops that are on the lines to one of those stations. Croydon isn't an amazing part of town, but that £1k budget might work if you're flexible in South London.

Calchas

I hope you are intending to pay for your NHS care, it is not free to non-residents. A refusal to pay will result in a bar on further entry to the UK until the debt is repaid.

Try Airbnb.com

FN-GM

That is not strictly true. If someone is living in another country, but continues to pay national insurance they can use the NHS.

Calchas

Indeed, there are many exceptions, including for countries who have reciprocal health agreements with the NHS.

I thought it should be mentioned.

bibbju

I don't think that's the case anymore after the recent rule change.

Suggest the OP reads the NHS website, particularly the sections on who is exampt from paying and who isn't. From the information supplied so far, it certainly looks like the OP will be liable to pay:

http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/AboutNH...-services.aspx

Also just wondering why the OP's future child won't be eligible for British citizenship by descent thus avoiding the need for abusing the NHS? I assume this means that neither parent is British???

FN-GM

But being born in the UK doesn't automatically make you a British Citizen. The parents must also be British. Its not like the American system where if someone is born in the US they are US citizens.

bibbju

I never said it did.

The OP said they want their baby to be born in the UK so it qualifies for British citizenship. But, if the OP or his wife/partner are British citizens (and were born in the UK rather than overseas), the baby will qualify for British citizenship by descent without needing to be born in the UK. However, since the OP is taking the come to the UK option, my assumption is that the OP and/or his other half are either not British citizens (but settling in the UK after the birth would entitle the baby to British citizenship) or are only British by descent (which will not pass to their baby if born overseas).

Given that the OP resides in HK/China, I hope they are aware of this difference between the British system and the HK system. In recent years HK was flooded with pregnant mainland Chinese women wanting to give birth in HK so their child would acquire HK residency. The HK government has clamped down on this as there was a public backlash but that doesn't stop mainland Chinese mothers trying.

As a former expat myself, I do however think it's wrong that non-residents come to the UK expecting free medical treatment, particularly given the NHS is beyond creaking and way over capacity.