# moving to Cambridge



## leo9221 (Mar 7, 2011)

Hi there,

we, a family of 3, are thinking about moving to Cambridge. Any tips about where to live? Right at Cambridge or in one of the small villages around it?

I might, hopefully, find a job in London. Is it easy to commute between Cambridge and London? I've checked the national railway website, the train, one-way takes a solid hour already  Btw, how reliable is the train time table in the UK?

Thanks in advance for any help!

Cheers,
Leo


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## politicfool (Feb 22, 2011)

I live in Cambridge and there are lots of nice places to live both in town and in the villages. It really depends what sort of lifestyle you want. If you like village life and don't mind being a bit far away from conveniences (groceries, shops, entertainment) then you can certainly find a nice place to live there for a reasonable price. If on the other hand you want to be close to everything, it'll cost you more to live in town but you also won't need a car. BTW, everyone cycles in Cambridge. If you want specific area suggestions in Cambridge feel free to send me a PM.

The Cambridge-London train is reliable but crowded. The only time it consistently doesn't run on time is when it snows (but snow is a problem for all UK trains as the train companies are always unprepared). Make sure you factor in the cost of the commute into your living expenses. A season ticket is £384 a month for 2011. You may find it more convenient to get a job in Cambridge, or to live closer to London if that's where you're working.


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## leo9221 (Mar 7, 2011)

Thanks for your information. It's very nice to have someone living in Cambridge to share some tips with us. I would like to have your suggestions regarding the location. While I was trying to figure out how to PM you, I just found out I cannot do that yet because I have made less than 5 posts so far. Anyway, with this post, I am 1 step closer to 5 at least.

I have been living in / around downtown, so I probably shall have less 'adaptation problems' living in town. But if the living condition : rent ratio is too low, we shall consider living in the villages. Is it possible to find a decent 2 bedroom apartment for ca. £250/week?

I shall be looking for an actuarial analyst type of job and it would be perfect if I can find one in Cambridge. I am just wondering London may have more opportunities. I've also heard that the economy has been hit hard. Is it pretty difficult to find a job in the UK meanwhile?


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## politicfool (Feb 22, 2011)

leo9221 said:


> Thanks for your information. It's very nice to have someone living in Cambridge to share some tips with us. I would like to have your suggestions regarding the location. While I was trying to figure out how to PM you, I just found out I cannot do that yet because I have made less than 5 posts so far. Anyway, with this post, I am 1 step closer to 5 at least.
> 
> I have been living in / around downtown, so I probably shall have less 'adaptation problems' living in town. But if the living condition : rent ratio is too low, we shall consider living in the villages. Is it possible to find a decent 2 bedroom apartment for ca. £250/week?
> 
> I shall be looking for an actuarial analyst type of job and it would be perfect if I can find one in Cambridge. I am just wondering London may have more opportunities. I've also heard that the economy has been hit hard. Is it pretty difficult to find a job in the UK meanwhile?


You can probably find a decent place in your price range in Cambridge but do consult some local letting agency listings to make sure they have places you like.

Yes it is difficult to find a job in the UK ... the economy is shrinking! As always you are best advised to leverage your personal contacts and do a lot of networking as you are much more likely to find a job that way rather than through the job listings.


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

leo9221 said:


> Thanks for your information. It's very nice to have someone living in Cambridge to share some tips with us. I would like to have your suggestions regarding the location. While I was trying to figure out how to PM you, I just found out I cannot do that yet because I have made less than 5 posts so far. Anyway, with this post, I am 1 step closer to 5 at least.
> 
> I have been living in / around downtown, so I probably shall have less 'adaptation problems' living in town. But if the living condition : rent ratio is too low, we shall consider living in the villages. Is it possible to find a decent 2 bedroom apartment for ca. £250/week?
> 
> I shall be looking for an actuarial analyst type of job and it would be perfect if I can find one in Cambridge. I am just wondering London may have more opportunities. I've also heard that the economy has been hit hard. Is it pretty difficult to find a job in the UK meanwhile?


You haven't stated if you have the right kind of passport or visa to live and work in UK, such as British, EEA or Swiss passport, ancestry visa etc. This will make a big difference in what is already a tough job situation.


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## leo9221 (Mar 7, 2011)

My spouse is swiss national, based on what we've found on the internet, I should have a visa like family of EEA and be able to live and work in UK. Do employers prefer local to EEA though?


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

leo9221 said:


> My spouse is swiss national, based on what we've found on the internet, I should have a visa like family of EEA and be able to live and work in UK. Do employers prefer local to EEA though?


In that case you need to apply for EEA Family Permit at the nearest British consulate before travelling to UK.
They prefer locals in as much that they have experience of working in UK and are familiar with local regulations and ways of doing things. They cannot under law discriminate you on the ground of nationality, but only your suitability for the job.


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## leo9221 (Mar 7, 2011)

Joppa said:


> In that case you need to apply for EEA Family Permit at the nearest British consulate before travelling to UK.
> They prefer locals in as much that they have experience of working in UK and are familiar with local regulations and ways of doing things. They cannot under law discriminate you on the ground of nationality, but only your suitability for the job.


So we've decided to visit Cambridge during Easter holiday, to walk around the city, have a look at one or two villages (probably Hinxton and / or Great Shelford), try out the commute to and from London etc.

Don't know how much can I find out from this trip, but it may at least give me a more concrete feeling about what is ahead and may help ease a bit of the uncertainty.

Any suggestion of what we could do in this trip?


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

leo9221 said:


> So we've decided to visit Cambridge during Easter holiday, to walk around the city, have a look at one or two villages (probably Hinxton and / or Great Shelford), try out the commute to and from London etc.
> 
> Don't know how much can I find out from this trip, but it may at least give me a more concrete feeling about what is ahead and may help ease a bit of the uncertainty.
> 
> Any suggestion of what we could do in this trip?


During school holidays, there is a reduction of around 20 to 25% in road traffic and train congestions, so bear that in mind.
Pop into a few estate agents in the city and find out what the rental market is like. 
Cambridge is an expensive place to live and bring up a family. Unless you are going to work in Cambridge (e.g. with a hi-tech company or with the uni), there's much to be said for living nearer to your place of work to cut down on the daily commute and have a better work/life balance, as well as saving travelling costs. UK train fares are some of the highest in Europe, esp for peak-time travel, as is the cost of petrol or diesel.


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## leo9221 (Mar 7, 2011)

Joppa said:


> During school holidays, there is a reduction of around 20 to 25% in road traffic and train congestions, so bear that in mind.
> Pop into a few estate agents in the city and find out what the rental market is like.
> Cambridge is an expensive place to live and bring up a family. Unless you are going to work in Cambridge (e.g. with a hi-tech company or with the uni), there's much to be said for living nearer to your place of work to cut down on the daily commute and have a better work/life balance, as well as saving travelling costs. UK train fares are some of the highest in Europe, esp for peak-time travel, as is the cost of petrol or diesel.


My husband is taking up a job in Cambridge and I don't have any offer yet, so it makes more sense to live in / around Cambridge, at least at the beginning. If I manage to find a job, it will likely be in London. Any suggestion of location between London and Cambridge (I would say closer to Cambridge rather than London) that is good to live and bring up kids and not too tiring commuting to both places?


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## CaliforniaMom (Jul 12, 2013)

I am a single Mom and I may be relocating to the UK... for a job at Cambridge. Is there a web link to find a place to live...relocation info. I have 2 kids and 3 pets


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

CaliforniaMom said:


> I am a single Mom and I may be relocating to the UK... for a job at Cambridge. Is there a web link to find a place to live...relocation info. I have 2 kids and 3 pets


Here are some property websites which will give you an idea what's available and in what price ranges. They will also give you an idea of what estate agents serve the area so once you get here you can contact local agents. Estate agents are very neighborhood specific.

Expect a challenge finding an landlord to accept multiple pets. You may also need to pay an extra deposit and/or monthly rent.

With no credit history, you may be asked for up to 6 month's rent in advance although having proof of employment and salary may be adequate.

Zoopla > Search Property to Buy, Rent, House Prices, Estate Agents
UK's number one property website for properties for sale and to rent
PrimeLocation > Search Property For Sale & To Rent Via Leading Estate Agents

Cambridge Council website should give you some info about the area:

https://www.cambridge.gov.uk/


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## mikejackson (Jul 12, 2013)

You can probably find a decent place in between london and Cambridge at your cost but do consult some local letting agency.


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