There’s a saying that all roads lead to London, which makes sense as it’s the capital and a prominent focal point for business. However, life in London can become too much for some, and there’s always an influx and outflux of people coming and going. Many people search for the most popular UK cities to relocate to when trying to achieve better affordability, lifestyle, and space driving the change, and it’s no secret that London is too expensive for many families and professionals seeking better balance.
If you’re thinking of relocating away from London but still want that city lifestyle, we can help. Aussie Man & Van moves Londoners to destinations across the UK and has decades of experience with long-distance removals. We know the most sought-after locations and can provide a few tips and best practices included in this blog. We’ll also cover hands-on tasks like packing, storage, property prep, and more.
Contents
- Five Most Popular Cities Londoners Move To
- National Removals from London with Aussie
- Decluttering and Packing for a Long-Distance Move
- How Storage Can Stagger Your House Move
- Property Services to Prepare for Relocation
- Moving Checklist for National Relocations
Five Most Popular Cities Londoners Move To
We’ll cover five popular relocation destinations for would-be London exiles. However, this list isn’t exhaustive, and we encourage you to explore other options and read a few “best of” type lists online. We also recommend spending time in any prospective city or town for a short vacation because nothing beats first-hand experience.
Edinburgh
Our first destination is Scotland’s capital city, Edinburgh. It’s brimming with a rich cultural life and historic architecture that attracts professionals and creatives. With abundant green space, including Holyrood Park and the Pentland Hills, its beauty is impossible to deny. There’s also a strong sense of community, with good schools and a slower pace of life.
The average property price is £353,979 across all housing types. The cost of living (excluding rent) is 15% lower in Edinburgh than in London.
Brighton
The next stop is Brighton, which is in East Sussex and only 47 miles from London. This proximity makes it an ideal commuter location for city professionals who want a manageable commute. Brighton is renowned for its creative, inclusive atmosphere and strong, independent spirit. Likewise, coastal living with easy access back to London via fast trains adds to its appeal, and the vibrant food, arts, and music scene makes it ideal for younger movers.
The average property price is £480,850 across all housing types. The cost of living (excluding rent) is 15.4% lower in Brighton than in London.
Bristol
Our following location is Bristol, which has a thriving arts and street culture and a strong sense of local identity. Bristol is excellent for families, with good schools, green areas, and a strong sense of community. There’s a booming tech and creative job market with lower costs than London.
The average property price is £382,958 across all housing types. The cost of living (excluding rent) is 19.4% lower in Bristol compared to London.
Manchester
We’re travelling slightly further away from London to the unofficial capital of the north. Manchester is a central hub for the finance, tech, and media industries. It boasts lively nightlife, cultural attractions, and places to enjoy a nice meal. Manchester has impressive urban regeneration and affordable housing options.
The average property price is £257,383 across all housing types. The cost of living (excluding rent) is 18.8% lower in Manchester compared to London.
Dorset
Finally, we reached our final stop in our tour of the UK at the county of Dorset. This location differs from other destinations because we use a county with no cities. Dorset has a slower pace and better quality of life with plenty of countryside focal points, scenic views, outdoor activities and plenty to do for all ages. Its coastal and market towns are popular for ex-Londoners, with destinations like Lyme Regis, Bournemouth, Dorchester, and Sherborne prominent places.
The average property price is £390,912 across all housing types. The cost of living is slightly different because there’s no data for Dorset as a county. We’re using Bournemouth as an example, where the cost of living (excluding rent) is 28.7% lower than in London.
National Removals from London with Aussie
Now that you have a few locations to consider, let’s discuss getting from A to B. Organising a relocation is no easy task, with family life and work duties also factoring in. Local moves within London are tricky enough, but every extra mile adds complexity. However, Aussie takes this in our stride and can provide the same excellent levels of customer service for national relocations.
Specialist in Long-Distance Moves
Aussie Man & Van has decades of experience handling national relocations. We’re trusted for UK-wide moves from city flats to rural homes and have partner branches in Dorset, Oxford and Bath. Our national removal service balances affordability and more choices, catering to properties of all sizes.
Dedicated Team and Full-Size Fleet
We work with trained professionals with vehicles suited to every move, including home removals for four-bed houses and man & van for one to three-bed properties. Our movers always arrive on time and complete the job to strict deadlines. Every Aussie van is equipped with modern removal tools and equipment.
Seamless Coordination and Planning
For us, thorough planning makes all the difference. We created a detailed moving schedule in advance, where we agree on all the start and completion times. We’ll discuss every detail of your relocation to ensure we understand any unique aspects. You’ll always have a point of contact to ensure the move runs smoothly.
Local Know-How in Destination Cities
Our assessors review every detail, and our moving teams are familiar with Brighton, Edinburgh, Bristol, Manchester, Dorset, and other locations throughout the UK and Europe. We’ll prepare for parking permits and access information before we arrive to avoid delays or issues with your new neighbours.
Optional Extras to Make the Process Easier
In addition to our core removal packages, we offer add-ons for packing, storage, cleaning, and handyman services. For your long-distance relocation, you’ll have all the same specialist options London-based customers enjoy.
Decluttering and Packing for a Long-Distance Move
It’s time for the dread duo: decluttering and packing. Yes, we understand these chores aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but they’re vital to moving. So, let’s roll up our sleeves and tackle these rather tiresome tasks with a few industry insider tips from us.
Start Decluttering Early and Break into Phases
We recommend starting your decluttering exercise approximately four to six weeks before the move date. This reduces last-minute stress and disorganisation, giving you more time to complete everything. It’s wise to set a deadline of around one or two weeks to complete the decluttering.
Sort Items Methodically
As you declutter, use clear categories: keep, donate/sell, repurpose/recycle. You can sell anything in decent nick to make a few quid or donate the rest. If you can’t reuse something for an alternative purpose, take it to the closest recycling point. Decluttering lightens the load and may save you money for your removal.
Use Aussie’s Packing and Handyman Services
Packing can become a nightmare, especially if you’re lugged with the responsibility. That’s why Aussie has a dedicated packing service to help dismantle furniture and wrap fragile items. It’s ideal for people with busy lives who want their possessions handled with care. We also offer a range of handyman services for maintenance and repairs.
Label Everything Clearly
If you’re packing yourself, remember to use permanent markers and colour-coded stickers when labelling. To help you unpack, include each box’s destination room and contents. We suggest downloading a home inventory app to catalogue your belongings as you pack.
Pack Room-By-Room, Not Item Type
Packing per room makes it easier to unpack and settle at the destination. It prevents the scattering of essential belongings and keeps everything on track. Remember to use sturdy double-walled boxes and bubble wrap to protect your valuables.
How Storage Can Stagger Your House Move
Moving can be challenging, with various pitfalls to navigate. One of the common bugbears people face is the lack of control when delays and changes to moving dates occur. While this is often out of your hands, storage restores some of the control back in your favour.
Helps Bridge Gaps Between Move-Out and Move-In
While most national relocations go smoothly, occasionally, you can’t move into your new property and must vacate your current one. Storage becomes a lifesaver when completion dates don’t align, as it keeps belongings safe while waiting on contracts.
Declutter in Advance to Stage or Sell Property
One effective method of selling a property is home staging, an interior design concept in which you highlight and maximise the property’s best selling points. You can remove non-essentials for a cleaner presentation. This creates a minimalist, spacious look for buyers with more free-flowing floor space.
Flexible Short- and Long-Term Options
Aussie has storage facilities at several of our London branches, as well as our partners throughout southern England. You can rent storage by the week, month, or longer, which is ideal for phased moves or overseas relocations.
Useful When Downsizing
If you’re moving to a smaller house or flat, you can use storage to keep furniture safe until the layout is finalised. This avoids clutter in temporary or smaller spaces, allowing you to retain your possessions.
Accessible Storage When Needed
The beauty of storage is its flexibility and increased level of security. Our secure units are available in London and nationwide, and you can access items during business hours for self storage or by appointment for container storage. We can compare our storage units here.
Property Services to Prepare for Relocation
Getting your current home into sellable shape isn’t always straightforward. For some, finding maintenance or repair issues happens during the packing stage, which leaves little time to take on the duties yourself.
Handyman Help with Odd Jobs Pre-Move
A handyman service is perfect for removing fixtures, patching walls, and rehanging doors, to name a few examples. While you can do this yourself, you’ll have to decide whether you have the time or skills to do it properly. This service supports smooth handover to the landlord or buyer without you lifting a finger.
Professional Cleaning to Leave Things Spotless
Whether you’re ending your tenancy or selling up, you must leave the place spotlessly clean. A top-to-bottom clean can be difficult if you’re pushed for time or don’t have the necessary products or equipment. That’s where a professional cleaning service can help with end-of-tenancy cleaning for renters, carpet cleaning, and commercial requirements.
Light Decorating for Finishing Touches
Decorating can be a pain and looks awful when poorly done. You can delegate this task to a property maintenance team to touch up paintwork or rehang curtains. This will undoubtedly improve saleability or meet letting requirements.
Can Boost the Chances of a Full Deposit Return
A professional cleaning or property maintenance service is ideal for reclaiming your retinal deposit by meeting contract clauses and inventory expectations. It removes the risk of post-move charges from the landlord and puts you in charge of the process.
Moving Checklist for National Relocations
We won’t paper over the facts – organising a national relocation can be overwhelming. The best way to avoid undue levels of stress and chaos is to use a moving checklist. You can read Aussie’s moving checklist here and adapt it to your needs.
Book Your Removal Team Early
Demand for moving services spikes in summer and month-end, with Fridays being the most popular day for removals. Our advanced payment guarantee offers additional flexibility and can secure your preferred move date.
Schedule Final Clean or Handyman Tasks
We recommend booking Aussie’s property maintenance services in advance to leave your current property in top condition.
Confirm Details with Solicitor or Landlord
The final payment is one common reason for a delay in securing the keys to your new home. Avoid this with your solicitor to ensure all the paperwork is ready. Review the completion time, handover plan, and access details and clarify who holds keys and when.
Notify Key Services And Providers
List everyone who holds your personal information and notify them of your departure. Take meter readings and submit them to your gas, electric and water suppliers. Deregister for council tax and register again when you arrive. You can update the address online for the DVLA and other service providers. Use the Post Office redirection service for any physical mail.
Set Aside Essentials for the First Night
Pack a home-moving survival kit with essentials for when you arrive. This can include bedding, chargers, a kettle, toiletries, snacks, and a first-aid kit. This will prevent you from rummaging through boxes after a long move.
Aussie Man & Van – Seamless National Relocations from London
That’s a wrap for this blog about popular destinations for people leaving London this year. We hope you have a better idea about your options for a new city to call home. The UK has many unique regions with better budget choices than the capital. It also helps that it’s easier to work remotely and commutes to London are feasible.
Aussie Man & Van offers a range of removal and storage services for national relocations. We move people to and from London from all over the UK, often from European destinations, and we provide the same high-level removals you would expect in London.Click here to begin an assessment. We’ll send a free, no-obligation quote with details of the most suitable package for your national relocation. You can also read more free advice for moving and using storage on our blog and FAQs website pages.