When the sky is the limit, everything becomes possible
Think of us as your guide through the maze of life’s complexities, when your life involves different time zones, domiciles and international travel.
Breaking boundaries
You’ll enjoy a bundle of benefits when you join the Life Porters community, with a range of essential, free-to-access services in your membership package:
- annual review to identify specialist support needs including assets, family, relationships and career
- hosted UK postal address with inbound and outbound mail management
- virtual UK telephone number with call diversion and inbound call management
- preferential rates for foreign exchange currency transactions
- secure key-holding services for UK property
And our 360° lifestyle-management concierge service connects you to all the other specialist services you need. Some of the most common areas that we facilitate are detailed here. If something isn’t listed, just ask and we will look for a solution.
Quality assured
The internet is an infinite source of information, product suppliers and service providers: but it’s not easy to identify the trusted and reliable among so many. For an expat, it can be even harder – at a distance, out of local networks, and maybe a different time zone. Life Porters takes away the burden of researching, validating and liaising, giving members a one-stop route to access quality providers.
how it works
Giving you access to specialist knowledge, personal guidance and lifestyle issues management
Getting to know you
Your membership starts with a personal review covering your assets, career, family and lifestyle. As well as helping us get to know you, this can help identify where specialist input may be needed, now and in the months ahead.
We revisit each year to reflect any change in circumstances and to identify where further support or advice is needed.
Our aim is to keep all aspects of your life in balance, whether keeping you updated on the implications of new legislation or to identify important life events coming up.
Concierge-style lifestyle management
Every member has access to our lifestyle management services whenever they need, via our member portal or by phone, WhatsApp, email, messenger or however you choose to communicate.
We will facilitate requests on your behalf, whether organising a birthday present for delivery in the UK, or commissioning specialist services, whether you need an a lawyer, interior designer, education consultant or life coach.
Professional and specialist support
We match verified suppliers to the needs identified during your personal review or when you contact us with a problem to solve. All costs will be set out in advance, comparative quotes obtained where appropriate, and submitted in writing to you for consideration.
If you decide to go ahead with any supplier service, you can deal direct, or you can commission us to manage the relationship on your behalf.
Essential services included
We include in your subscription a range of free-to-access essential services, including a hosted virtual UK telephone number, a hosted UK postal address, and inbound and outbound mail management. We also provide access to preferential rates for currency transactions, More information about how these services work for you round the clock can be found here.
Just for you
Special and bespoke packages are available, such as for students coming to the UK, which includes accommodation search, expense management, and a pastoral care package.
Financial safeguarding
With long-distance transactions, both sides need to be sure that payment on the contract will be problem free. The buyer needs to be happy that everything has been delivered before making payment. The supplier needs to be confident that payment will be made on the agreed terms.
Payment at the time of ordering is usually suitable for smaller purchases, but when it comes to larger, more complex transactions, and those taking place over time, members of Life Porters can access escrow facilities through our partnership with an FCA-regulated, HMRC-registered provider. This allows for confident negotiating by giving reassurance to both sides; the contract price or instalment is transferred into the escrow account when the contract is agreed and held until the buyer confirms completion or delivery.
portering reflections
“No one wants to think about their parents not being able to cope. When you can’t even drop by, it’s doubly hard. It was a huge relief knowing specialist care was in place, and all the necessary legal paperwork to manage things. I had no idea what was needed.”
“We may live in a global economy, but it’s getting harder and harder to find financial solutions when you live in a different country. There are so many restrictions on what accounts or lending you can access. You need to tap into specialist knowledge these days.”
“It sounded simple – just find a tutor online. But it’s a minefield. It’s so hard to check their references or that they really know the curriculum. Having access to an education consultant, who came up with a shortlist of validated professionals was great.”