chillitofu

Hi everyone.....i am new here and never been an expat before.

Currently born and reside in UK. Been doing lots of recent business trips to Singapore for my work. Recently my client offered me a 2year post in SG with a child space to start this summer. I am a single parent with a 11 year old.

I really welcome your help in following areas:

Dental Care-My son will need braces soon, but UK dentist may refuse to treat him if we move this summer. My company healthcare only includes checkups & i hear dental care is expensive in SG. Anyone else had kids go through braces in Singapore? is it expensive and is there any way i can keep the cost down?

Schools - Considering the the OFS school - hear mixed reviews on this from google searches - but can anyone with kids in there give me some ground information? is okay or really bad? So far they are only school that have replied (no reply from ISS) as i want a school near my work so my son can visit me afterward or i can see him etc if ever necessary.

Rental costs - i was looking for a apartment near Somerset station as its near my office and potentially near my son's school (OFS). Does anyone think we can get a decent apartment with pool, gym and balcony (maybe 3bedroom) for around $5500 pm?
what extras does one need to consider for rental costs such as insurance etc?
what typical costs should one allow for energy bills etc?

Relocation costs - Company have offered me a $4000 relocation cost of luggage, buying new things such as bedding etc. is this enough? i have no furniture to move just clothes and belongings? my plan was to pay airline for extra suitacases....or is it cheaper to book a removal company for delivery box? Also my son wants to bring his guitar - what is best way to carry a guitar?
can anyone recommend any company that collects and delivers boxes at reasonable price?

Banking - what is best way to open a bank? Can a UK HSBC account not open a local account for me being international bank?

Any help welcome as i am totaly nervous on the move and so many things to consider too
Thanks

Judyblyth

I can't help with the dental braces and schools as I don't have children here. However lots of children have braces and I know of kids that go to OFS with good reviews (although I believe the campus is moving from that area shortly over to Woodlands so it might be worth bearing that in mind)

I think you might be struggling to get a 3-bed rental place near Somerset for that price - expats on a tight budget tend to move East or West. All the schools provide transport so that shouldn't be so much of an issue

Energy bills depend on whether you keep your Aircon on 24/7, the efficiency of the system etc. Just like central heating systems in the UK they all vary

Insurance is optional and depends on the value of your goods really. The apartment building will be insured by the owner/management committee

It's probably cheaper to pay for extra baggage - and it will arrive with you, rather than you having to wait for a shipment. I'd check with the airline about the guitar as they all have slightly different rules

Opening a bank account should be reasonably easy once you have your work pass and an address, you might need something from your employer to prove your salary. HSBC Singapore works independently from HSBC in the UK unfortunately. DBS is a good local bank

Hope that helps a bit. Don't worry about moving here. It's scary if you've never lived abroad before but it's one of the best country's to live in, albeit expensive

chillitofu

Judyblyth
Thanks for your reply. The tip on OFS moving to woodland is very valuable, just read a news article on this on google. To be honest that was benefit of moving having school near the office etc so my son can meet me after work in the office each day.

Do you if the new MRT construction will affect ISS school which is also on Paterson Road?
I really wanted my son to be walking distance of apartment/work/school...i know taxis are available and buses but bring up an attached 11year old on my own is hard work. To ne honest this news may make or break my move. Are there anyother schools in River Valley area/Somerset that anyone can suggest?

thanks

bakedbean

Hi chilli, Hi Judy.... Welcome to the forum

Just to say there's a LOT of threads on schools in Singapore on here, so do have a search through. Search box is on the top right.

There are lots of dentists in Singapore too and they are very good. You may also be surprised with the pricing. I hear UK dentists are quite pricey these days. Also great thing with docs and dentists, virtually no waiting for an appointment. Enjoy. Great opportunity.

chillitofu

Hi baked bean,
yes i have read loads of school threads.
As i am coming as single parent my desire is to live walking distance to school and office. Hence my son can visit me after school etc without having to worry about him being alone each evening in an apartment (he is only 11!). Plus as office is near Somerset MRT more options for food etc in the evening. I know its more expensive living in this area but maybe worth it for now.


Dentists are free for kids in UK under 16 (yes long waiting lists) i was almost prepared to pay for it in Singapore at quoted cost of £3k! But school is priority for now.

Its a shame that OFS is moving so i guess they will not be investing in the current school premises if that is confirmed. The new proposed campus location is just too far away in my opinion for what i was after. Only other choice is ISS and Chatworth (seems to get poor reviews).
Unless anyone else know of any other school in this area (walking distance preferred). if i cant get a school i will have to turn down the job offer

ex reg

Not correct bb.

Dentist waiting can be quite long, a few months unless you pay more.
And the waiting in the Polyclinic even with an appointment can be 1 hour plus.
Ditto with some specialist clinics.

It is possible to google the suggested price list for work by Singapore dentists. Some will of course charge more but it is also possible to get a referral from a Polyclinic doctor to a NUH or other Hospital dental school for treatment.
I used to go to Alexandra Hospital Dental until they moved it to the new hospital in Yishun and now go to Jurong Dental, very happy with them and I'm a dentalphobe.

bakedbean

Thanks for the correction exReg. Crikey things must have really changed since I left in 2007 then. I better keep zip then