A Guide to Working and Living in Cambridge Welcome
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A guide to working and living in Cambridge Welcome About Cambridge “Cambridge is one of Britain’s smaller cities but it is also But despite its ultra modern image, the city has one of the fastest growing.” retained the picturesque charm that has delighted visitors from all over the world. Its narrow streets Only a hundred years ago, its population was just 36,000, and historic colleges are famed everywhere, as are and its main sources of employment were agriculture its legions of cycling students, and there can be few and the world famous Cambridge University. people who have not seen pictures of punts gliding down the willow lined River Cam. Today, the University is still a major employer but so is the hi-tech industry, the so called Cambridge “Between three and four million visitors come to enjoy Phenomenon. As Cambridge’s reputation has risen to the city’s delights every year.” – Cambridge Tourist rival that of Silicon Valley in the US, and new businesses Information. have started up, people have poured in from all over the country. This guide provides information for individuals and familes moving to Cambridge, particularly from This has triggered a boom in property prices, and a overseas, who may never have lived in the UK before. major debate about housing, with suggestions that part of the city’s Green Belt may have to be built on to For more information visit: accommodate the growing population, now well over www.justuk.org/uk/cambridge 100,000 and spreading into surrounding villages. Cambridge’s position at the heart of East Anglia has also prompted many to dub it the regional capital. 3 Contents Shipping and Importing 6 A basic guide to importing and exporting goods and personal belongings using post, couriers, shipping and haulage firms. Accommodation 8 There is considerable demand for property in Cambridge, here are some tips for renting and buying property in and around the area. Household Services 1 Listings and information for common household suppliers and services. Transport 16 General information for travelling around Cambridge, the UK and abroad. Medical 0 General information for healthcare in the UK. Education Information regarding school term times and different levels of education. Employment Employment information regarding the Cambridge area and contact listings. Finance 6 Things you may need to know about banking and finance in the UK. Shopping 8 Cambridge provides many small independent stores and specialist shops as well as large supermarkets and department stores. Find them here. Dining Out 3 Cafés, fast food outlets pubs and restaurants are in abundance. Here is a basic guide. Sports and leisure 3 Cambridge provides many interesting, cultural and historical and fun things to do. Here we list a few. Events and festivals 0 Cambridge has a number of lively festivals and events which take place throughout the year. See this section for a list of events. Shipping and importing Post offices and couriers Restricted goods Post Offices and most recognised International Prohibitions and restrictions exist to protect health and Couriers, International Haulage firms and shippers will the environment. Some goods are banned completely, help with documentation and legal information. The others are restricted and may be imported only with following is a basic guide. prior authority (such as a licence). Customs clearance and The following items are restricted or banned: import duties Narcotic drugs Firearms and ammunition including stun guns and Household goods can be shipped into the UK without gas canisters paying duty provided that you have owned and used Explosives of any kind including fireworks them overseas for a period in excess of 6 months Obscene material including books, magazines, films, before leaving for the UK. videotapes, DVD’s, etc Animals of any kind whether live or dead, unless a As many shipments as you like are allowed provided British import licence has already been issued (PETS) that you complete a customs clearance (C3) for each Goods made form endangered species such as furs, shipment and that they all arrive within one year of ivory or reptile skins your own entry. Duty will be payable after the one year Meat, poultry and anything made from them limit has elapsed. Plants including vegetables, fruits and seeds Counterfeit currency and other counterfeit goods Duty will also be applied to alcoholic drinks, tobacco such as “fake” watches and clothing. These may and perfume. Cars and motorcycles maybe imported contravene UK copyright into the UK duty-free provided they have been owned Radio transmitters that are not approved for use in and used overseas for at least 6 months. the UK Angler’s lead weights Goods imported contrary to a prohibition or restriction will be confiscated. Evasion of the controls may lead to legal proceedings. 6 Documentation Pets Imports must be accompanied by: The Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) allows the importation An inventory of all the goods in English of dogs or cats into the UK from selected countries. A copy of your passport including blank pages The animal is required to be micro chipped, vaccinated against rabies and blood tested before a “pet passport” Other documents will be finalised after you arrive in the is issued. The animal must usually have to wait 6 UK It is not essential to be in the UK when the goods months from the date of the blood test before entering arrive, but you must arrive no later than 6 months after the UK with the passport or spend the rest of the 6 your belongings. You may have to pay a deposit of duty months in UK quarantine. This is reduced to 1 days and tax, this will be repaid when you arrive and can for EU countries. Animals from non listed countries are prove that you qualify for relief. You do not have to be required to undergo a period of 6 months quarantine. present during the customs clearance process. Further information can be found at www.defra.gov.uk Professional equipment Machinery, equipment and other items used as part of your business can be brought into the UK duty-free provided they are imported as part of your household goods shipment. Accommodation Property in Cambridge Glossary There is considerable demand for property in “Vendor” Cambridge and due to lack of space in the city, the The person or couple selling a property. stock is not increasing fast enough to suppress the demand. As a result sales prices and rents are high and “EstateAgent” not far off rates in many areas of London. Company appointed by vendor to market and sell their property. Property size and types are not commonly measured in square feet or metres, but more usually in numbers of “LettingAgent” bedrooms and reception rooms. Air conditioning is very Company that manages and markets properties to rent rare in residential UK property. on behalf of landlords. Much of Cambridge’s housing stock is made up of “Flat” relatively small houses built 100-10 years ago and An apartment. known as Victorian houses. It should be noted that parking is rare, cars, driveways and garages were not a “Semi-detached” major consideration 10 years ago! Most people have A house that is built right next door to another, sharing to park their car on the street outside their home, or do the same dividing wall. without a car altogether. Prices for Victorian terraced houses vary vastly, but expect to pay around £0,000 “Terrace” for a -3 bedroom (approximately 11m/103 sqft) A block of several houses that all share dividing walls terraced house or from £900 to rent. on each side except for the “end terraces” that are effectively “semi-detached”. Although Victorian -3 bedroom terraced houses are the most prevalent in Cambridge, there are other property “Townhouse” types available and recently there have been several large A terraced house, often with 3 or more floors. apartment blocks (mostly bedroom approx. 0m/630 sqft) built around by the train station and by the river “Duplex” to the east of the city centre. These new apartments sell An apartment on several floors. for around £80,000 or rent from £1,100-£1,550 (many couples and families budget up to and around £100 for “Maisonette” a reasonable home in Cambridge and high quality larger An apartment with its own front door (on the ground family homes often cost around £1600-£,000 at the top floor) that is not accessed through a communal area. of market or from £00,000 to buy). “RelocationAgent” Buyer’s agent who is hired to help buyer to find quality accommodation quickly and provides knowledge on all aspects of the local area e.g. schools, services, recreation etc. Specific information can be provided to you by Paul Eaton from Relocation East Anglia. 8 [email protected] Buying a house “Conveyancing” Discuss loan requirements with an independent Legal work and “local searches” carried out by solicitor mortgage broker (e.g. Charcol Direct at mortgages. for sale and purchase of property. Legal work includes charcolonline.co.uk) and get a mortgage agreed in drawing up the contracts and deeds of ownership, principal before beginning the house buying process registering with, and paying fees for the Land Registry Register with all Estate Agents in the area Agency, transferring the funds from the buyer and (e.g. high end – Bidwells at www.bidwells.co.uk, mortgage lender to the vendor and paying the Carter Jonas at www.carterjonas.co.uk, Savills at www. Government the Stamp Duty. savills.co.uk; others – Redmayne Arnold & Harris at www.rah.co.uk, JSM Hockeys at www.hockeys.co.uk, ”Searches” Bush at www.bush.uk.net, Pocock & Shaw at www.