Safe and secure?

Hi I am an expat woman living in tci. The islands have the lowest crime rate of all the Caribbean. I feel safe living here. There is some petty crime such as theft and burglary but violent crime rates are low.
I recommend the grace Bay Area and leeward to live. Also, a condo or townhouse community would be safer as there is onsite security or security gates etc.

I am an interior Decorator also we own a Number one retreat here in Muskoka Ontario Canada, which we are at present selling. My husband is a carpenter/ builder, I wonder if jobs in these categories are in demand. Thanks again so much Wendy

I'm a stay at home mum so I'm afraid I'm a bit out of touch with the job market. Sorry.

Hi Peggy
Hope you don't mind me writing to you! I see you have written some helpful replies to others! I am a Londoner, moving out to tci in February 2015 with our 2 children, ages 10 & 7.  My husband is moving out mid November 2014 to start a new job. We are trying to find a 3/4 bed house within an expat complex with security but are having great difficulty! Apparently there is a huge shortage of accommodation on the island for long term let, say 2 years. Any advice you can give me? I don't want to live in a detached house without having expat community as don't want to feel isolated & worried about security. We are in touch with various agents but they say there is nothing ever available in expat complex (Flamingo./golf course...). Any help would be much appreciated! Thank you. Lisa

Hi Lisa. We actually just moved back to london last month :-)
Perhaps an option could be a condo in a resort ? They are often a mix of long term and holiday rentals. Somewhere like the atrium, the Tuscany, the Somerset or Ocean club. It's a pretty pricey option though. My father in law rents his 3 bed in the Tuscany for $4000 a month. And the utility costs are sky high.
An alternative option could be a house in the leeward area. It has security at the leeward gates checking the cars as they enter the community in the evening/night. They also do security patrols at night.
There is a large ex pat community in leeward and a new deli/restaurant at blue haven which is really nice. They are also open to TCI residents to come for a swim and enjoy the facilities unlike some of the resorts. So you often find a large number of expats there at the weekends :-)
Hope you find somewhere suitable. Let me know if there's anything else I can do to help or you have any further questions. Thanks

Hi Peggy, oh no! I was hoping you were still out there!  Thanks for your reply. I have loads of questions as am quite apprehensive with this move as have lived in London all my life & not a fan of change! However, I know I must be open minded as this could be an exciting opportunity for 2-3 years to relax & enjoy the sunny lifestyle. Bit cheeky but any chance I could call you next week whenever is good time for you. You may be able to put my mind at rest! Thanks so much, Lisa

Lisa. Excuse my butting in - not even from TCI but from a few islands along! Just let me assure you that the West Indies in general are very easy places to live in, and except for a few areas in some of the more crowded cities aren't at all dangerous. All very civilised and Western. No need to fret. Your husband will be quite capable of finding a home for you, and he will receive a lot of help once he gets there. No more trouble than if you all moved to the Midlands. The immigration formalities are the worst part - and they will be his problem, and his employers'.

Hi Lisa. We stayed for 18 months and it was an amazing experience. If my son was not so young and missing the bonds with family we would have stayed longer.
The expat community there is amazing especially when you have children. It really felt like a lovely community and a safe and happy place to raise children.
Overall it is safe and I lived in a standalone house in the long Bay Area and always felt safe. It has the lowest crime rate of all the Caribbean Islands. Much less than london !
I'm not sure how to private message you but would be happy to chat to you and put your mind at rest :-) x

Hi Peggy, having few network issues so couldn't get online & reply sooner! Thanks so much for all of your advice. It's very helpful. My email address is: [email protected]

Could you email me with your mobile no.  then I can call you if you are sure you don't mind? Still got a few questions to grill you with! Thanks a million, Lisa

Hi Lisa my wife and I are looking at moving out to turks and caicos next year we have a 9 year old boy we are looking at flying out February to check out schools and houses etc we are in the same boat as you want to find out so much as it is a huge step to take

Hi,
We have looked at schools & 2 good options appear to be Provo Primary & BWI secondary school. They are English schools following our curriculum so should be similar to what you are used too!  There's an entrance test for the Secondary school. Not much long term accommodation around as most places rented short term. But it can be found if you are patient! Good luck with your visit.