Is it your dream to move to Scotland from England? Our clients did just that and here we share their story in our moving to Scotland from England guide to help others sell in England & buy in Scotland.
For more practical information on moving to Scotland from England check out the below link too.
More Useful Information if you are considering a move to Scotland from England – here
Here is moving to Scotland from England guide written from our client’s case study.
(all names changed for GDPR)
- Sue and her partner looking to relocate to coastal village in Scotland now that dependents have left home & they are considering their dream retirement location.
- Sue engaged with us in summer 2020 to discuss these dreams & we laid out a plan for their move to Scotland from England.
- Helped Sue & her partner buy a home in England to bring their households together as a precursor to fulfilling their long-term relocation dream. Parental responsibilities prevailed still at this time & combined household bills meant more money saved for future move.
- Remortgage completed in December 2022 to a 5-year fixed rate at 3.05%. We had arranged this 6 months in advance for Sue (because this what we do!) to ensure we locked her in the lowest possible rate in a rising interest rate environment. At this time the client was expecting still to stay in England for a further 5 years.
- Teenage children made their plans quicker than expected and my client surprised herself by securing a new permanent job in Scotland in June 2023. She was able to stay with family in Scotland to accommodate the new job. Her partner is an HGV driver and he stayed in the home in England.
- We performed a detailed look at mortgage options. By far the preferred option was to port the existing 3.05% interest rate to the new property thus preserving the amazing rate for another 4 years and avoiding Early Repayment Charges amounting to £6,000. Sue had been told though that it would not be possible to sell in England & buy in Scotland on the same day. This is known as a simultaneous completion and is the only way to avoid completely paying the Early Repayment Charges. There were some other options however my client was adamant that she was only going to proceed if it could all go through on the same day.
- We then brought our trusted Scottish solicitor Stephen Dickson into the discussion and, having expert technical knowledge of both jurisdictions & a willingness to go the extra mile, he was happy to take on the baton of simultaneous completion across the border alongside his English counterpart solicitor Dale & Co, Lincoln. Both Nicola Welbourn and her conveyancing assistant, Laura-Beth Creasey were exceptional. This was early July 2023.
- Lots of property viewing & logistical challenges. A few disappointments but finally a successful offer and an idyllic property ticking all the boxes.
- A few months of to-ing and fro-ing for the clients living between Scotland & England. Lots of communicating between solicitors, inevitable stress in the last weeks preceding and a simultaneous completion was performed on 2/11/23. All monies had been transferred by lunchtime; it was that smooth on the day!
We hope you agree that this is a fabulous case study where dreams do come true and with a team of skilled professionals around you, challenges can be surpassed. If you are thinking of a similar relocation then trust our advice & service commitment to you & each & every one of our clients.
Discuss your dream with us today
Our Client’s Top Tips for moving to Scotland
- engage with a trusted mortgage adviser early in the process (preferably Rosie Little). Explain in detail what you’re planning and what you are prepared/ not prepared to do/pay.
- do your research. Understand the difference between English and Scottish law. add link to web page here
- respond to information requests quickly to avoid any delays.
- engage with solicitors early and who have knowledge of both laws if possible. Be clear about what you want. Consider a three way call so you and the solicitors are clear about your instructions.
- check all your purchasing options so that you have a backup up plan if your first option doesn’t work out. Rosie can help with an alternative plan.
- don’t be put off by Estate agents who say you must sell your property before buying one in Scotland. A good estate agent will know it’s possible to complete simultaneously.
- keep in touch with your estate agents/solicitors so all parties in the chain are kept in the loop.
- give yourself enough time to relocate and ask friends/neighbours to help out with looking after pets/children during viewing/packing/moving
- check if the removals company cover your contents in transit and ask if they can move you over two days. Pack and travel on day1 and deliver on morning of day2. Much less stressful and gives you an opportunity to get the keys and get the house ready for your belongings.
- ask if the keys can be left somewhere convenient on completion day. After a long journey north, having waited for completion, it’s not ideal to then have to collect keys from an estate agent’s office.
Moving to Scotland is easier than you think. Make your dream relocation from England to Scotland come true with the right professionals by your side.
