mrspeeebeee Posted June 8, 2012 Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 Hi there I've been dipping in and out of this website for a good year or so now as my family and I are at some point wanting to relocate up there. My husband is a IT/governance/assurance/technical consultant and I'm a photographer, so we will be moving businesses up there as well as our family. The thing stopping us at present is the housing situation. We are not in a position to buy yet (ideally we'd want to acquire a small plot and build a low level modest Scandinavian-type house in due course) but the rental situation seems dire from where I'm looking. The estate agents on the isle seem to have very few rental properties about and those that are available tend to preclude pets or not have the 4 bedrooms we would need. Being a family with three growing kids, we do have pets. Very well behaved ones at that. It seems frustrating that there is an apparent lack of housing to help sustain a willing influx of newcomers who want to set up their businesses there and help give something to the communities on the islands. Anyone have any ideas as to how I may find out more about the housing situation, in particular renting. Is there a "word of mouth" scenario in the localities where its not what you know, but who you know? Any help would be greatly appreciated as my family and I are sincere and honest about moving to the gorgeous isle. Thanks, Lynda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CyprusPluto Posted June 8, 2012 Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 Rental properties aren't that difficult to come by. When I moved up here 3 years ago I personally put an add in the Shetland Times and got about 15 responses back. However, they do disappear quickly and are expensive in and around Lerwick. If you can move further afield they will be cheaper. Pets can be a problem though as many rental properties will exclude them. You can get the local paper (Shetland Times) delivered to your present home address for a fee - check out their website. That contains more properties than are listed on their website, but there is the obvious delay in getting the paper to your door and the speed rental properties are snapped up. Shetlink is also a source of rental properties so search the classifieds on here under accommodation and put an ad on here also. The Estate agents (really solicitors that act as estate agents) don't have many. Dowle Smith and Rutherford have a couple at present Hope that helps and good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrspeeebeee Posted June 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 Thanks CyprusPluto for the reply. I'll see about getting the paper delivered and also take up some of the tips in your post. Many thanks for the assistance - really appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muppet Posted June 8, 2012 Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 RYou can get the local paper (Shetland Times) delivered to your present home address for a fee - check out their website. The full edition of the Shetland Times is now available online for a fee. http://subscriber.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/subscribe.aspx?source=4&eid=e55dfe6b-e9be-4ad1-b9e1-5e14377b0707 That way you would get it on the day of publication and give you a better chance of getting in early. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrspeeebeee Posted June 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 Great stuff! Thanks Muppet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustMe Posted June 8, 2012 Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 Depends where you want to live. Housing close to Lerwick is expensive while some of the ex RAF houses on Unst are getting sold at auction as neither the council nor the housing association want them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrspeeebeee Posted June 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 Hiya JustMe We're not fussy where we live so long as its on the main isle; we'll be fetching the car so as long as we can travel and get about independently (him for his work which will probably be Lerwick or Northernmost parts of mainland Scotland, and me on the isles for my photography) then I guess we're pretty flexible. The issue is the size and space. There aren't many 4 bed houses about it seems from the looking around I've been doing with the estate agents and searching online, plus there is the fact that we have pets - and we couldn't (and wouldn't) part with them as they're like family to us. In an ideal world, the property would be a 5 bed so as to relinquish one bedroom as office space, though I guess that would be a luxury... With regards to price, we're currently paying a King's Ransom in renting down here in Berkshire (we're from Yorks and Lincs but currently in the South due to work) so even Lerwick prices wouldn't make us bat too much of an eyelid given the London-weighted prices down here (which are increasing still, despite the recession). I had heard at the back end of last year that Hjaltland were on about building more affordable properties (mixed use for purchase, part ownership and renting), especially with the new oil projects going on in and around the Shetland Isles. Is this still the case (if you know of it) or have the projects gone astray? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustMe Posted June 8, 2012 Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 So far as I know Hjaltland are mainly building one and two bedroom homes which is where the greatest need seems to be. The other problem you may find with renting is that quite a lot of owners prefer company lets........less hassle and more secure rent. Winter lets of holiday homes are possible but pets might be a problem. Incidentally you should avoid calling Shetland "the Shetlands". Shetland or The Shetland Islands are acceptable but not "the Shetlands". Have you been here?. Great place to live if you can learn to like it but if not then best stay away. And your talking about your partner working on mainland Scotland rings alarm bells. Have you looked at the cost of travel not only in terms of money but in journey time.......Aberdeen 12 to 14 hours on the ferry and short notice plane fares that might make Berkshire rents sound cheap. And if internet connections matter to you have a look at the Shetlink thread here http://www.shetlink.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10057. Not trying to put you off but wondering if you have really thought things through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrspeeebeee Posted June 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 Hi JustMe Yes, we've thought this through. A hell of a lot too. We've been discussing this for over 18 months and actively researching it for the past 12 months. We'd not uproot the family and businesses on a whim to shift some 700 miles North. We're aware of the issues of transportation, ferries, flights and weather too as well as prices that it all entails. The days of living cheek by jowl with where you work are coming to an end for us - we're just 40 miles west of London and the commute is longer than a plane from LSI to ABZ, not to mention extortionate. There is little comparison when looking at revised working arrangements if a client's needs meant being on the mainland from time to time. As for my business needs, I'm not here to take photos of puffins - my work is completely different from a lot of the photographers up there in the Shetland Islands. My work can and does take me anywhere and everywhere so I am completely flexible and my work doesn't govern where I live as I cover a wide genre of work. I'm grateful for that too. Apologies for the incorrect reference to the Shetland Isles. I'm sat here with my laptop quickly whittling out a reply and haven't checked before posting. Sincere apologies for any offence caused to anyone reading it. As for internet links, even down here with stupidly fast BT Infinity at up to 80 megs, we do get outages from time to time. Its something that we contend with. In a nutshell, we're a sincere hardworking family who want to move up there, change the way we live and make a contribution to the local communities and economy. What is a pain in the rear is the housing situation, hence I asked out if there was a "grapevine" situation on the islands as accommodation seems scarce. Again, sincere apologies if my post has ruffled a few feathers. It was certainly not meant to - just a simple enquiry, that's all. Lynda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shetlandcars Posted June 8, 2012 Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 Most folk just advertise in the paper or local shops and don't bother with a rental agent - However you go about it I doubt you would get anything sorted remotely, you have to visit and make your arrangements before moving here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unlinkedstudent Posted June 8, 2012 Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 As for internet links, even down here with stupidly fast BT Infinity at up to 80 megs, we do get outages from time to time. Its something that we contend with. I had outages with Talktalk when I lived in London but believe me, you are not just talking the occasional outage of a couple of hours. I've just suffered, along with the majority of users, severe problems lasting approximately TWO WEEKS. I moved up here June 2009 and have only managed one quarter with no faults. This latest fault was the 'marvellous' microlink - if you intend to rely on broadband to upload/download large images, think again. I've had sound files corrupted on a regular basis as the speed is 6.5 one minute (and that appears to be higher than average for Shetland) down to 0.4 in seconds, thereby rendering it useless to get a 'clean' sound file. You could, of course, splash out £90 a month min. for satellite via Tooway or if you moved to Lerwick or between Lerwick and Sandwick, hook up to the SIC/Shetland Telecom/Shetland Broadband or whatever it called scheme. It seems to take BT on average 2-3 weeks to deal with the outages/faults that affect all of Shetland and usually it is the microlink. Shetland is a fantastic place to live; there is nowhere on earth quite like it. The library is superb, I love the leisure centres, the islands are breathtaking, a whole range of social activities catering for most needs. Car insurance is cheap, fuel costs an absolute rip off. Would I live anywhere else? no! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shetlandcars Posted June 8, 2012 Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 Car insurance is cheap! no its not, its not expensive but nor is it cheap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unlinkedstudent Posted June 8, 2012 Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 Car insurance is cheap! no its not, its not expensive but nor is it cheap My apologies - I should have stated compared to London and the Home Counties. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CyprusPluto Posted June 8, 2012 Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 Life is wonderful up here if you are able to generate your own work and income. Unfortunately there are few jobs for professionals and frequently those that find themselves without employment have to move back to the mainland. I moved here from a large city in England and wouldn't return despite having no work. Crime is very low and the scenery and peace are breath taking. I managed to find accommodation remotely when I first arrived and the guy met me off the ferry and took me there on the first day. It was a little remote and I got snowed in a few times during the harsh winter - but those difficulties are something you will have to get use to. Another problem is access to services and purchases. Again you just live with it. And car insurance is very cheap. I have a car in insurance group 34 (out of 50) and for full comp and protected have been quoted less than £200 General everyday items though tend to be more expensive than you are probably use to. I have no children, but understand the education system up here is also excellent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuckleJoannie Posted June 8, 2012 Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 This house has been on the market for a while as sale or rent http://www.d-s-r.co.uk/property/stockstove.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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