Moving to London – the Parents Guide
moove2london on 17 May 2010With A-levels and final year university exams taking place at the moment, parents might be having to consider the possibility that their children will be about to leave their hometowns and move to London either as fresher students or as new graduates.
As daunting as this can be for the young people who are actually moving here, it’s also exciting. On the other hand, big, bad London can seem like a terrifying prospect for the parents.
Typical concerns that parents have include:
- London’s reputation for crime
- The cost of supporting your child living in London
- How your child will make friends in London
Let’s deal with some of these issues here:
Crime
Depending on where you have raised your child, it might be an extremely different environment to London. There’s no doubt about it, as a capital city it has some ‘dodgy’ areas that are best avoided. But equally, it’s possible to live in London for many years without being the victim of crime. Your child should learn some basic rules to keep their wits about them. Try going through some of the ideas mentioned in our Safety in London article. If you have a daughter who is moving to London, then you may want to consider buying her a Personal Safety alarm . We’re not suggesting this purchase to worry you, but merely to give you and your daughter peace of mind.
When your child is trying to decide where to live, you may want to consider using this crime mapping tool, which allows you to get a police report of crimes based on a postcode.
How much does it cost to live in London?
If you’re planning on helping your child out financially with their move to London, you might be worried about how much various things are going to cost you. London is more expensive than anywhere else in the country, there’s no doubt about it, but there are many things that your child can do to cut costs down. Read our Affordable London page for ideas. Our How much money do I need to move to London? article is a breakdown of average accommodation costs, how much money you’ll need to secure a room in a flat and temporary accommodation options such as hostels. Another article that you and your child might like to read is How much does it cost to live in London? which details average bills such as council tax, transport costs and food allowances etc.
How to make friends in London
This can be a huge concern for parents who are watching their child leave the comfort of their hometown with friends that they’ve had since they were able to speak. However, try and keep in mind that thousands of young people move to London every year and make friends quickly and easily. If your child is moving to university, it’s extremely likely that they’ll find friends in student accommodation or on their academic course. If your child is a graduate, then they’ll be more likely to make friends either at a new graduate job or through flatmates in a shared house. Our Settling into London life page has heaps of information on getting a social life, dating in London, joining a gym, how to be a good housemate and great entertainment options to keep your child occupied. London is an extremely fast-paced city, so it’s unlikely that your child will be bored for long!
Where to live in London
Ok, there’s no simple answer to this question. It depends entirely on your child’s circumstances. If he/she is starting university, then you’re probably already aware of the student accommodation options that the university provides. University halls are such a great way to meet people and it’s usually students who live outside of university halls who have a harder time fitting in with people. If your child is a graduate, then unless they’re moving down with existing friends, he/she may want to consider moving in with ‘randoms’ in a shared house. Try suggesting a flatmate-finding service such as Easyroommate which is a quick and easy approach to finding rental accommodation with like-minded people.
If you literally have no idea of which areas to start looking in, then try reading our North London, South London, East London and West London pages for detailed area guides. We also have an interesting article on whether your child should choose to live North or South of the river and finally a guide on Where do Young Professionals live in London. If you want to accompany your son/daughter to London in order to find rental accommodation, then you might choose to stay in some temporary accommodation whilst you’re both looking. Good temporary accommodation options include Hostelworld and Accommodation London.
Hopefully this article has managed to somewhat put your mind at ease about your child moving to London. If you have any specific queries, then please either post a comment at the end of this article or email contact@moove2london.com with your question.