skillicky

Help!!

I've been approached by one of my current customers regarding moving and working for them directly.

I currently work in a flight operations department near Gatwick and this customer wants me to go and work in their own flight operations, however, their offices are in Rotterdam. I enjoy my current job, but company politics are horrendous. The new job would be doing pretty much the same, working the same flight crews I deal with now, but working for a well known Oil company (Who produce Optimax).

Are there any english peeps here who have moved from the UK to the Netherlands?

Am trying to find out as much information as possible regarding cost of living/housing etc etc so that I can make a decision.

Should I go or should I stay????

skillicky

Or if there are any dutch users here that can give me any idea on the cost of living then it would be greatly appreciated.

I need to make a decision and let them know if i'm interested within the next week or so.

Rene

well costs if live kind of things well erhm still live with me mommy and never been to the UK

wouldnt really able to compair tbh

Rene

will have a pukka house next year though

cfoster

living is relative to over here matey. A few of my work mates were relocated to Amsterdam. The 3 of them rent a 3 story place in the City. Between 3 it works out ok, but id imagine dear if your on your own. As you know, beer, birds, smokes are cheap (and available ).

Never had the experience of living there myself, only stayed there for the odd few nights here and there with work, and they put me up in the Krasnipolsky Hotel in Dam Square

Chris

foreigneRS

i would do it if i were you mate. it's the chance of a lifetime. i took the opportuninty to move to germany and am glad i did.

rotterdam will be cheaper to live than amsterdam, and probably on the whole a bit cheaper than your area of England.

Holland is a fantastic country, with lovely people. Even if you don't speak a word of dutch you will be alright as virtually everyone can speak brilliant english. they even get english tv.

don't know what else i can say to you, except - DO IT

Rene

skillicky

Cheers everyone.

Need to make a decision in the next week or so.

Next dilemma is.... Do I take my car with me or am I not able to?

Rene

u are able too but i wouldnt leave my car anwyhere near rotterdam

skillicky

That good there for car security is it!!!

Rene

rotterdam is like amsterdam people will park in it, reverse in it scratch it etc etc etc and might nick it or set it on fire ... that's my view anyway from rotterdam .. i'd leave it mate

jamieslittleracer

ive just moved back to teh uk from the netherlands, generally things are abit cheaper (moreso before the euro came in grr)... I loved it out there, once u know where to go and what shops are for what then its great, and everyone speaks english, plus its not far from the motherland

any questions just ask...

ps
without offence to the dutch... yes all the houses really are that ugly if u decide to go property hunting
pps
and yes... they do all ahve big windows at the front so people walking their dogs can watch u, like a lil dolls house. religious reasons, i know
ppps
... u might want to buy your clothes when u come back over here tho, that was my only problem

erm... yeh. big fan of holland.

weegaz22

used to live and work there for the best part of 2 and a half years, plenty of money to be made in holland as there is generally more jobs than there is people to fill them, i lived in eindhoven for the best part of 2 years then moved slightly north to den bosch

cost of living is near the same as here, but if you are being payed by an english company you can claim all your tax back when you get back to blighty, (got Ł3500 last year), plenty of brits over there, so if you get homesick go to the nearest irish bar and itll be like back home, most if not all dutch are freindly and willing to speak english(the only thing that annoyed me about that was they would say i can speak "a little" english, then discovered that their vocabulary was better than mine!)

if you dont have any ties id say go for it

cossie1

I used to live just outside of amsterdam, Loved every minure of it (after I had got used to it)

wish I had never come back to be honest.

Cost of living is similar to over here, but the lifestyle is much much better (or atlest was anyhow)

TANKY

Get out of this country mate, its fookin crap

id be over in Holland like a shot

when did you live over there Russ????

cossie1

was a while ago now

I moved back here in Nov 96

why u not on msn these days anyway ?

TANKY

Because my puter is fucked, i cant access safe sites

you went to a dutch school then?

cossie1

nah did i fuck

I just left school at 15 and dossed around over there for a yr or so

TANKY

fuckin dosser

cossie1

yup

skillicky

Does anyone know of any websites where I can find out information on what I need to do in order to move over there?

Do I have to register myself over there or what paperwork do I need etc etc.

Am seriously considering this, just split up with girlfriend about a month ago so now seems an ideal time to go.

foreigneRS

i would definately go if i were in your position.

keep an address in england so that if you want to take your car over you can leave it registered there and insured (you'll automatically have third party only cover in Europe) because it may be cheaper and easier (not sure how Holland is with MOT equivalent and modifications, but Germany is practically impossible).

obviously as it is all eu you don't need a work permit or anything, and you shouldn't also need a residents permit, although 'ze cherman authorities' make me have one

if your being chased to go, the company obviously wants you, so get as much as possible out of them regarding a relocation agent (who should be able to answer all of your questions like this)

turbinator

well all depends on what you really want..
you can just take the ferry/chunnel and come over and start working..
if you really decide after a "testperiod" to stay.. you have plenty of time to arrange everything.

To arrange housing isnt that difficult , but keep in mind that Rotterdam is more expensive to live in then one of the surrounding little villages..

You dont have to register yourself, you could ofcourse.. but thats a decision you could make later!

Your car is the easy part, everything with an english licenseplate will get a dutch one (that's why people build a kitcar put it on an english licenseplate and import in to the netherlands because they cant refuse any car that has a valid licenseplate on it )

and just pm me your questions you got, i will take the time for you to find the answers.. can even provide you with adresses and numbers where you could find a place to stay if needed!'

Good luck with it anyway

foreigneRS

good man

that's what makes this forum great, there's people like turbinator on here who are willing to help out fellow enthusiasts