Seeking Moving & Business Advice Please

[LittleBritain]

Hi everyone,

I'm a new member on this website and i would appreciate everyone's advice.

I currently live in London and have done so for the past 24 years. I am married and have two girls aged four and two.
As life gets expensive here in London i see moving to TRNC as a viable option for me and my family. My mum, brother and sister all moved to TRNC with their families in 2016 and they haven't looked back since. I am a British passport holder as well as having a Turkish passport.

What i would like to ask is even though where i live in London is rough as the crime rate goes up i know i will be homesick for a period of time until i get used to the country and to the new system so how long has it taken you personally to warm up to a new country?

How much capital do i need to take with me? or how much monthly income do i need to sustain a balanced life for a family of 4?

Is having a business worth considering rather than working?

if yes, what are you as expats or citizens in most need that it's hard to come by in Cyprus?

I would like to be near British people as i would feel more welcome as my Turkish language is far from great so would Kyrenia be the best place to move to?

As a business idea my brother advised i should open a car wash and implement the British system where you get your vehicle cleaned in 10 minutes while you wait.

I always wanted to open up a little store called 'Little Britain' where i could import all British food and sell respectively. So for example marmite, chocolate digestives, walkers, piccalilli etc.

Thanks in advance everyone

David

[jackvern]

Hi You will never ever have a better way of life than living out here. Al your other problems can be solved if you rent and look at it yourself. Do burn all your bridges in the UK but come and have a good look at us and make up your own mind.
Make sue you have some money as the streets are not paved with gold. Good luck

[Hector]

May I ask how many visits you have made to the TRNC? Do you have a trade in the UK? With regards to your brothers' advice to open a car wash, I'm puzzled by that as there are numerous such small businesses in operation. With regards your 'Little Britain' store I'd say that expats can get such items already and if not in NC then a trip over to border to a local supermarket will suffice (Alpha Mega even stocks Tesco items).
The TRNC is not the easiest place to get a job and wages are low or run a business. The economy is also somewhat shaky at the moment, see the posts on the lire. The grass is not always greener in another country.

[tingtang]

Well stated Hector and I am sure that Jackvern meant to say ' Do Not Burn Your Bridges'
In your case it would be a bold step bearing in mind your young family.

You would appear to have some advantages due to your Turkish origins but I have seen so many disillusioned people over the years returning to UK being unable to find work, even the locals have difficulty obtaining employment and so many newly qualified young people have to go abroad to find suitable employment.

As Jackvern suggests, you should rent, and I suggest at the same time rent out your London home for that that similar period which will provide income to cover your bills here without too much of a drain on your capital. Living here you will have the opportunity to see possible business opportunities for your self. If it works out then great, if not you can make a quick clean exit without the hassle of disposing of property and have your home to go back to.

tt.

[ozankoys]

When you say 'Turkish' passport do you mean 'Turkish Cypriot' as there is a big difference?
If your mum, brother and sister are here & they are supporting themselves presumably they are the best ones to advise & help you.
I am guessing that most ex pats here have private income i.e. pensions & do not have young children. Don't forget that there is no NHS & parents prefer to send their children to private schools if they can possibly afford it.
You are at least 15 years behind the times with your 'Little Britain' store idea as these items are readily available everywhere & it is very cheap to get your car washed.
Sorry to be so negative but I think you have your head in the clouds with your small business ideas.

[Welldigger]

As it’s already been mentioned in previous replies, British items are readily available and there are numerous car washes.
Rent for at least one year before deciding where to buy.
Private schools are cheaper that the U.K. but good. I would strongly recommend Necat British College but avoid English School of Kyrenia.
You’ll need about £3000 per month for a family of four to live comfortably using private schools, rent, etc.
Running a business here is hard, (I do it so I know). Most diversify as one single line product tends not to work. You need to be able to offer multiple products/services.
If you’re not Turkish Cypriot, you’ll need a $100,000 bond that you have to pay the government before opening a business.
However, life is good here, crime free and children are allowed to be children without all the downsides of other countries.
I am Turkish Cypriot but my Turkish is rubbish but most people speak English and the children will learn Turkish very quickly.
Good luck.

[EnjoyingTheSun]

Have you visited TRNC much? Your post doesn’t really say.
If you have and liked it then you’ll love living here. There are little annoyances but on the whole it is a lot better than Britain which is finished IMO.
Re capital, and living expenses it’s how long is a bit of string. We are in the middle of a currency crisis so I wouldn’t advise bringing over a big lump of money to deposit here. And as for how much things costs, that is a bit of a moveable feast at the moment.
As for having a business or working, if you need a business or a job to support yourself then maybe you should do a lot more research. Wages are low and businesses are struggling with the currency crisis.
West side or East side of Kyrenia all have their supporters I guess you should be influenced by where the school your children go to is.
As for business ideas I think the car wash isn’t a runner and the British store is only viable if you can undercut your competitors. There isn’t much you can’t get here although some is quite expensive.
Best thing would be to live here and see if there is a gap in the market.
I think there are opportunities and gaps and I think a lot of businesses aren’t as optimised as they could be but until you live here it is pure speculation.

[johnny1]

i live in south. wouldnt mind doing some business either if i found the right trustworthy one

[sophie]

I can't, so won't, comment on running a business here, working or bringing up and educating children. However, as someone who moved here 14 years ago, I often ask myself why we automatically graduated towards the Girne area. In retrospect I wouldn't do it again but would move towards Guzelyurt, Gaza or even Lefkosia itself, but not Girne. Having young children to privately educate is probably what will colour your decision.

[Keithcaley]

If you aim to end up with a small fortune in TRNC, you'll need to start off with a large one!

[Welldigger]

If you aim to end up with a small fortune in TRNC, you'll need to start off with a large one!

That is the funniest thing I’ve heard in ages Keith, made my day, thanks!

[Hector]

'LittleBritain' has gone quiet, perhaps the advice given so far wasn't what he wanted to hear.

[Kanonier]

'LittleBritain' has gone quiet, perhaps the advice given so far wasn't what he wanted to hear.

No answer came the stern reply. A few years ago a friend of mine settled here to start his own taxi business, he gave up after a week - he didn't like people talking behind his back.

[ttoli]

'LittleBritain' has gone quiet, perhaps the advice given so far wasn't what he wanted to hear.

I rather think that LittleBritain is a WUM from https://www.cyprus-forum.com/

[tingtang]

Question from the back of the class.

WUM ???

tt.

tt.

[Trigger]

Question from the back of the class.

WUM ???

tt.

tt.

Wind Up Merchant

[David]

Welldigger msg 6 ....£3000 per month to live .. really ?

[sophie]

Having re-read and re-read again I think Little Britain (he/she/it) is a con merchant and we all fell for it!!

[Welldigger]

Welldigger msg 6 ....£3000 per month to live .. really ?

Yes; £800/month rent, 2 kids in private school £800, shopping, electric, pool fees, let’s call that £500/month, the rest for maintenance & incidentals. If you want to live comfortably. You can live in a budget of a lot less but if you have two kids and want a large property to accommodate that’s what I think the budget should be.