Living in the UK
Deciding where to Live
Living in the Southend area
Southend has a lot to offer as a place
to live and work. Seven miles of award-winning beaches, the longest
pleasure pier in the world, more than 80 parks and open spaces,
great schools, 14 historic conservation areas,
numerous museums, theatres and art galleries, the Olympic mountain
biking venue nearby... and that's just for starters.
From the bright lights of Southend seafront, to the smaller
medieval villages dotted around the outskirts of the town centre
leading into glorious countryside and areas of outstanding beauty,
Southend-on-Sea and its neighbouring towns offer something for
everyone.
A town that is rapidly being seen as a highly
desirable alternative to the urban sprawl of London in which to
live and work.
Easy to reach by road and rail, train journey time to London is
less than an hour. The expansion of London Southend Airport has
brought a sixth railway station to the borough along with more than
70 flights to Europe and Ireland each week.
Not that you will want to venture far: with a reputation for
some of the best nightlife and culture outside of the West End,
vibrant music and art scenes and award-winning restaurants,
Southend delivers the complete lifestyle in a cosmopolitan corner
of the Essex coast.
Did you know that Leigh-on-Sea (2 miles from the hospital) has
been voted the happiest place to live in the country?
http://www.visitsouthend.co.uk/
https://www.leigh-on-sea.com/
It is important to arrange accommodation in advance of arriving
in Southend and various options for this are available to you.
We have our own dedicated Accommodation Management
Team who is available to Southend University Hospital staff
seeking advice on finding private accommodation in the
locality.
Commonly used terminology
|
Type of
accommodation
|
Description
|
|
House/flat share
|
You will have your own bedroom, but other facilities may be
shared (e.g. living room, kitchen, or bathroom).
|
|
Bedsit
|
The bedroom and living room are combined. The cooking facilities
will either be within the room, or may be shared with others. Often
has a shared bathroom.
|
|
Studio flat
|
The bedroom and living room are combined. The kitchen may be in
a separate room. Should be self-contained (no shared
facilities).
|
|
Flat/apartment
|
Self contained, with a separate living room and at least one
bedroom. Usually on one level and part of a larger building.
|
|
Maisonette
|
Apartment/flat on two levels with internal stairs.
|
|
Bungalow
|
House with only one level.
|
|
Terraced house
|
A property which forms part of a connected row of houses
|
|
Semi-detached house
|
House sharing one wall with another house.
|
|
Detached house
|
House standing alone.
|
Renting a Property
The DirectGov website has useful information
for people who want to rent accommodation, including information on
the different types of landlord and tenancy agreements, and advice
on what to do if you have a problem with your landlord.
Buying a Property
If you will be staying in the UK for a substantial period of
time, you may wish to consider buying a property, although it is
advisable to live in and research an area for a period of time
before you buy. Buying a property in the UK can be a complex
procedure and there are a number of one off costs and cost of
living expenses that you will have to take into account when buying
a property, the Directgov
website has useful information on planning for these
costs.
There are many websites, such as Rightmove, which list properties for sale and
will also provide you with an indication of current property prices
in the area you wish to live. A directory of estate agents is
also available should you wish to enlist the services of an estate
agent in your property search.
Please see below information and links to more detailed
information about living in the UK:
Information about the UK
The gov.co.uk website is a
good starting point for information about living in the UK.
Communications
Stay in close contact with your friends and family from around
the world by knowing the telephone
dialling codes and the Royal Mail postal services offered.
Public Holidays
The UK has many public holidays, some
of which are observed only in particular areas.