Canadian moving to Birmingham UK - what will be different?

June 21, 2004 6:11 AM

How to live in the U.K? [birmingham]. Tips and Tricks for a Canuck crossing the pond please...

Good cell phone deals, where to find stuff cheap, major differences between countries, bank accounts, credit cards, internet access, etc...

The move is already being handled and an apartment [flat] is already rented. It's the differences in daily life I need information aboot [about] .

posted by srboisvert to Travel & Transportation around Birmingham, England (24 answers total)

Not quite sure how to best answer this one... I'm originally from the area but not sure how different it would be to living in Canada...

However, the BBC's Birmingham pages are a reasonable intro to local living and culture...
posted by plep at 6:50 AM on June 21, 2004

Also take a look at An Aussie in London for something humorous.
posted by plep at 6:53 AM on June 21, 2004

Credit Card: Egg Cards are generally higly regarded, but consider Goldfish and Capital One, too.
Broadband: My recommendation is Telewest Blueyonder, if you can get it. Otherwise, NTL
Banks: Well, they always vary. But big players are Barclays (my favourite) Lloyds TSB, HSBC, NatWest and Halifax.
Mobile Phone: Not a 'cell phone'. Christ. Heh. Anyway, your four big networks are T-Mobile, O2, Orange and Vodafone. For the sake of ease and support, you're best signing up direct with them. I used to recommend O2, but their customer service has gone all to shit, so try T-Mobile first. They really are quite excellent. I've no experience of the other two.
Cheap Stuff: Why, eBay.co.uk, of course. Heh. Your less expensive supermarkets are Tesco and ASDA (my recommendation - good online shopping, too). Your superbudget ones are Morrisons, Aldi, Netto, and your slightly more pricey variations are Sainsbury's, Marks and Spencer, maybe Waitrose, if they've crawled up into Birmingham yet. Whatever's convenient, probably. Those sites should have store finders.

Uh, that's about all I've got, of the tip of my tongue. If you need anything else, at all, my email's in my profile.
posted by armoured-ant at 7:01 AM on June 21, 2004

I`m not sure what things are like in Canada, but my experiences in moving from New Zealand to the UK may help.

If you can sort out a bank account before you arrive it will make your life a lot easier. Check with banks in Canada as to whether they can open an account for you before you leave. It will probably entail you depositing money into the account now, but the account will be ready and waiting for you when you arrive. This can make a huge difference as UK banks take their sweet time to do anything and sometimes require ridiculous amounts of information (your last six months bank statements for example).

If you have a bank account then you will find other things fall into place easily. Cellphone accounts require proof of address (utility bill or bank statements). Shop around when looking at cellphone deals and be sure to get a plan with plenty of `any network`minutes. There are loads of high street shops that sell cellphones+deals (The Link, Carphone Warehouse). The`3` network has some great deals on at the moment, but (as the only 3g operator in the UK) their coverage is apparantly a bit spotty. I`m with Orange and they are good.

I`m sure that a while back there were a series of webpages published by some kind of consumer body that compared bank accounts / mortgages / cellphone deals to try to simplify the process of choosing them. But I may have dreamt it.

I can`t give you any birmingham specific information - except that the brummie accent is (IMO) one of the most hilarious accents that exists on this earth. hopefully I won`t be on the recieving end of angry brummie mob justice as that is meant in an affectionate way
posted by urban greeting at 7:06 AM on June 21, 2004

Best answer: Aussie in the UK here...

Opening a bank account can be a headache. Take along your letter of appointment with details of salary; that helps. The variety of cell mobile phone deals can also be bewildering, but they're less hassle to set up and cancel than in North America. Petrol costs about twice what you're used to. Food, too. Probably everything, actually... bring money. Pay tends to be monthly, and if you miss a key date in your new employer's pay system you could end up being cashless for weeks.

Internet access depends on your location, whether your block of flats is connected to the cable, etc. BT and Telewest are the two main players.

Everything is metric here now except for roadsigns (in miles), but you'll still see pints and pounds on some labels (they'll always have metric equivalents, though).

Credit cards are less heavily used than in some countries, and it's quite hard to avoid interest on them; the interest-free period shrinks by the year, it seems. But Switch (debit) cards are big here, and work in ATMs across Europe.

Start the process of getting a National Insurance number as soon as you can. It takes months, so the sooner you get started the better. Also, the tax year here ends on 31 March, and you have ages (compared to some places) to fill in a return - up to ten months. The Inland Revenue's online return system is excellent, and works fine on non-IE browsers.

You will probably have to pay council tax on top of your rent. This is not just the equivalent of local rates for garbage collection etc; it also pays for the school education system, the police, and a sizable part of the health care system. But as a resident you can vote in council elections (just missed one, sorry) if you get on the rolls - application forms at the Post Office. You can also vote in UK and EU elections.

Find a convenient doctor nearby and get on their books for the NHS. GP appointments are free. Dentists aren't, but they're fairly cheap.

If you buy a TV you'll need a TV licence (one per household).

What else... trains are pretty expensive, flights are pretty cheap at the moment thanks to Ryanair and EasyJet.

(on preview) Yeah, what those guys said. But before you shop at the big supermarkets, read Felicity Lawrence's Not on the Label.
posted by rory at 7:42 AM on June 21, 2004

If you're not going to be using your mobile phone much, then get a "pay as you go" account. This'll allow you to buy a mobile phone, and then top up on calls whenever you need them. Top Up cards can be purchased from most supermarkets.
posted by seanyboy at 7:50 AM on June 21, 2004

I second what was said above about getting a bank account as early as possible - some of the bigger banks (HSBC, for example) will have branches in the US - you may be able to set up an account before you come over (no actual experience of this). The one headache that comes up time and time again when people move to the UK is that they have no credit history, can't prove they exist, and can't sign up for services. The early you start the process of proving you exist, the better.

Telewest is the best choice for broadband, by far.

I'd be happy to help more, if you had specific questions.
posted by ascullion at 8:00 AM on June 21, 2004

We're coming to get yow urban greeting. ;-)

srboisvert, welcome to my ex-home town, hope you enjoy it. If you thought a shared language was going to be an advantage, you might have a nasty surprise.

You should be able to sign up with Telewest Blueyonder for internet access as most of my friends in Brum have access to it. Aside from that, if you decide to support a football team, make it Birmingham City.
posted by squealy at 8:05 AM on June 21, 2004

If you know your way around broadband equipment, and like web space, look at plus.net for your internet. Service can be really shaby, but the deal is good otherwise.

Banks are a complete pain, even when moving from Germany. No credit cards issued without 3 years residency. To open an account, a letter-of-introduction from your employer is very helpful. I suggest you avoid LloydsTSB, but maybe the others are just as bad.

I agree with the statement that O2 has poor service. Pity, they have some of the coolest advertising.
posted by Goofyy at 8:29 AM on June 21, 2004

if you're coming over permanently, don't underestimate the power of argos for the smallest to the largest retail needs.
posted by triv at 8:56 AM on June 21, 2004

Banks - I'd recommend HSBC and swear to the end of time that Barclays are evil.

Internet - if you can get cable then go for Telewest. From what I remember, NTL is looking at bankruptcy (again) and there is talk of them merging with Telewest. If you can't get cable (pretty unlikely in Birmingham I'd say) then dialup and ADSL with f9.net.uk or plus.net (same comany) seems pretty good. Their email is a bit erratic atm, but they are normally good and pretty cheap.

Birmingham accent - get used to the sound of 100 people with blocked noses. The accent is irritatng beyond all belief (IMHO) but much better than scouse. ;)

Cheap stuff - There's got to be an IKEA in Birmingham. check it out. Also checkout online stuff for funiture.

Food - I'd never touch Tesco's unless I can't help it. Their meat is crap and their veggies elderly. ASDA (Walmart) is cheaper and much the same quality. Morrisons is better (IMHO). Aldi/Lidl/Netto are bargain basement food stores from Germany. Some good stuff, but lots of shite.

Mobiles - I don't go near O2 for personal reasons. YMMV. Phones4U are annoying too.

Pubs - IIRC, in Canada you pay for your drinks when you leave. Pay when you get served. I've never seen anyone tip in a bar.

Cars - if you get a car, remember that 2litres is a large engine over here. ;)

Prepare for every man / woman / squirrel to compliment you on your accent.
posted by twine42 at 9:02 AM on June 21, 2004

Oh, and TV licenses...

One per household is misleading. IIRC, one house means one license, but if you have sublettings with locks on the doors, they are then seperate abodes and need to be licensed seperately.

If you own a TV for non TV stuff (for consoles for example) make sure you keep all ariels away from it. You don't need a license in this case, but expect threatening letters from the licensing people. They refuse to accept that people don't watch TV and harass them. It's taken a year to get them to stop harassing us now. They'll get the point.
posted by twine42 at 9:06 AM on June 21, 2004

O2 are a dodgy sevice it's true - but then I had the O2 Online version, and the meatspace shops refused to have anything to do with them. Their website - through which you access deals, bills, etc - is cool, if you can get it to recognise you.

Telewest's BlueYonder is, by all accounts, as reliable as ntHell's cable internet - not very. BT, I haven't used, it may be better.

Voting: not sure that what Rory says is true - I thought only EU residents could vote? Do you get to vote, as an ex-pat, Rory?

As for banks, the Co-op Bank is the most ethical bank I've heard of, give em a whirl if you can.

The only other thing to remember is a (british) pint = 568ml. Never order beer in any other measurement ('demi', 'half', 'flagon'). It's a pint. And you always have room for one more...

Last point: why Brum? I take it you had no choice (",) (I live 60 miles south, in Oxford - when you come to visit, we'll have a drink, no?)
posted by dash_slot- at 9:09 AM on June 21, 2004

On Banks....
The Halifax are completely evil. Avoid them like the plague.
I second HSBC. They're big and faceless, but seem to treat their customers OK.

You don't need to worry about your TV licence for a couple of months. They're allowed to give you a huge fine & send you to Jail if you've not got one, but it rarely comes to that. The worst that'll happen is they'll send you a letter / van around asking if you've got a TV, and you'll say "I've just moved to the country, and I'll get one immediately."

Unless you live at an individual address like "Flat 2b", then you're likely to get away with one licence per houshold.

I don't agree with the Telewest thing. I'd say, ADSL - Not Cable, and take an account with "zen internet." They don't have fixed contracts, and do OK for service.

Otherwise - pretty much what twine42 said.
posted by seanyboy at 9:19 AM on June 21, 2004

No credit cards issued without 3 years residency.

Not in my experience. I got one in two months (Royal Bank of Scotland).

Voting: not sure that what Rory says is true - I thought only EU residents could vote? Do you get to vote, as an ex-pat, Rory?

I get to vote as a citizen of the Commonwealth, as srboisvert will be able to too.
posted by rory at 9:19 AM on June 21, 2004

Best answer: hey! The Husband just sent me this link. I'm a Canuck (happily) living in the UK (we were in Oxford for a year, then back to Canada for a few months to get the visa stuff sorted, now in Cardiff for about a year).

I've learned a few things I'd be happy to share -- like about driving and speed cameras (there will be a sign warning you you're approaching one!) and driving licenses (you'll get to use your Canadian license for a year, then have to take the UK test, which I hear is NOT easy). Some car insurers were weird about my Canadian license but we finally found a cheap one. The Brits have a different understanding of "far" compared to us Canadians... but when you hit the road to try and get anywhere, you'll understand why. Oh, I can never find a street sign in the city. People speak in yards, not blocks.

You may feel claustrophobic for the first while, but that depends where in Canada you're from.

Going to the doctor is a bit different. You'll read tons of horror stories re the state of medical care here. You'll get assigned a "surgery", not a doctor, and likely given a NHS number right away.

I didn't set up banking beforehand but found banking has been pretty breezy (HSBC has been great -- and more than happy to loan me all kinds of money and give me cards galore, whereas other banks wouldn't even open a savings account for me).

For a cellphone I just shopped around online and got one of the paymonthly deals with the phone I wanted.

For net access, I got Nildram broadband (they came highly recommended and have been great so far).

You have to pay for a tv license here. TV content is much more liberal than in Canada (there was a great editorial in the paper about how Johnny Rotten said the c-word on telly here and out of 11million viewers 10 people complained; whereas about the same time in the US, Janet J's boob appeared for a second and the country lost its mind).

Anyway, forget about tv -- radio 4 and 3 are usually excellent.

Shop around if you have to pay gas and electricity. Some companies are much cheaper than others.

Be prepared to gain weight (I blame the dairy, the fryups and the Guiness... but do check out the greasy spoons (cafes) for cheap meals (and you can find some good ones). Sunday lunches are another good deal (roast, veggies, yorkshire pudding, gravy), and also can be good. Generally though, Brits aren't big into gastronomy, but I've been to some places that don't insist on turning the veggies into mush (ok ok, you CAN get some great food here). I second the hatred of Tescos. Try some neighbourhood produce shops or stalls, and the local butcher.

Be prepared to step over much more dog poop, rubbish and barf on the pavement (sidewalk), esp. in student or club areas. Booze is cheap(er) here. This is a culture much more based around drinking and the "local" (pub -- a great place to meet some characters).

Deals? Charity shops (thrift stores) can be a source of some stuff -- I always manage to find good books in Oxfam. And during the warmer months you should check out a carboot sale. Usually all tat, but what fun.

I suggest going to see a football match and standing in the terrace (area behind the goal line) for a good sense of local life.

I don't know what you plan on doing for transportation, but I bike everywhere in this city (tons of places to get cheap bikes). Remember that unlike Canada , drivers have priority over pedestrians and cyclists (which winds me up). Trains to other cities can be inexplicably expensive, unless you book more than 2weeks in advance.

Try not to convert prices into Canadian dollars. It'll depress you. Do imagine your salary in loonies though.

I could go on. I'm excited for you! Some things are different, many things are the same. There is much to see and do, there is so much culture and history right out your door, everything's close, and you'll flip when you start seeing the travel deals to various cities in Europe....

(on preview, yes you'll be able to vote).
posted by spandex at 9:25 AM on June 21, 2004

Hey spandex! Are you gonna come to the next MefiUK Meetup?

Everyones invited o'course - esp srboisvert (tho I doubt that you'll be here by Friday, will ya?).
posted by dash_slot- at 9:52 AM on June 21, 2004

drivers have priority over pedestrians and cyclists

that's not quite true. unless there's a crossing, road traffic has priority on the road. don't step out in front of cars expecting them to stop. but if you're cycling on the road, you should act, and expect to be treated, like a car (modulo interminable discussions about safe cycling techniques).

co-op bank was fine for me.
posted by andrew cooke at 10:08 AM on June 21, 2004

Re doctors and surgeries. I disagree.

You'll be assigned a doctor at that surgery, but the chances are you'll never see that doctor. I think they invent names. It's worth remembering your doctors name though, otherwise trips to A&E (ER?) will get you glared at by the receptionist.

Healthcare is pretty good, but be prepared to wait in hospitals unless your limbs arrived in a seperate vehicle.

For net access, I say cable purely because it's supposedly faster, but then I live out in the sticks where 512kbps ADSL has only just arrived.
posted by twine42 at 10:33 AM on June 21, 2004

If you're going to keep your Canadian bank account and would like to access it from a British ATM, there are two things I would keep in mind.

Some machines don't ask for the type of account (savings, chequing, other) like they do in Canada; they only see the chequing account. Move all your money from savings to chequing before you leave or you'll be unable to access it.

Also, some machines only recognize four-digit PINs instead of the standard four to seven in Canada. If your PIN is more than four digits, change it.
posted by Monk at 11:16 AM on June 21, 2004

get internet banking for your canadian accounts then you can transfer money with ease (if you don't have it, ask your bank).

internet banking is wonderful for having money in more than one country. just avoid citibank.
posted by andrew cooke at 11:35 AM on June 21, 2004

Question made me think of this post, about Cory Doctorow's experience with the utility bill. It's pretty funny.
posted by rhyax at 12:12 PM on June 21, 2004

I would just like to second Zen Internet for ADSL (very reliable and 8 fixed IP addresses if you want them), second the co-op bank (I'm with Smile which is a great online bank that's part of Co-op) and second Morrisons as the best of the big supermarkets. I'm not sure why people have an issue with Tescos, I've never had a problem there. I guess it depends what you are going for, I only use the supermarkets for a big monthly shop i.e. items such as frozen food, tins, cat food, booze. Fresh produce I buy from the grocers down the road from me.
As for pubs, read this which was posted in the blue a few weeks ago.
posted by chill at 6:27 AM on June 22, 2004

Response by poster: Thanks everyone!

I was asking mostly for the benifit of my advance scout/sig other who moves on July 2nd. I'm following in about a year once a perimeter has been secured and the hostiles and friendlies have been sorted out (so I will miss the meetup by about 350 days).
posted by srboisvert at 6:29 AM on June 22, 2004