Lodging and Housing The Liberty Lodge DSN (314) 226-6700 Commercial 01638-526700 Front Desk operates 24-hours Facilities include: - Visiting Quarters - Senior NCO Suites - Distinguished Visitor Suites - Temporary Lodging Facilities Please call for current rates. Reservations can be made by phone or e-mail: liberty.lodge@lakenheath.af.mil Military Family Housing We have a variety of military family housing (MFH) units situated at several locations. Properties in the UK range from 600 to approx 1200 square feet, which is smaller than in the US. Located on the 48FW.COM and the Family Portal are sample floor plans for some MFH units. If you do not have a Family Portal account, contact your sponsor and they can request one for you. Not all housing units have multi voltage (220V and 110V) outlets. Due to construction methods and insurance liabilities, waterbeds are not permitted in MFH. Due to the climate, there are no Air Conditioning units, fly screens are provided in some MFH. Storage space is limited - both externally and internally for many housing units. Very few MFH areas have covered, or garage parking availability. US vehicles generally do not fit in garages. There are limited parking bays and street parking berths. NTSC/Non multi system televisions can only be used with Armed Forces Network and for watching NTSC DVD and VCR Players. Most cable providers use the PAL system. There is a two pet maximum in MFH. If you have children you should check that the MFH is on the school bus route. For further information contact the School Bus Office at DSN 314-226-3752 or commercially from the UK at 01638-523752. Note: The active duty member is responsible for applying for base housing. This can be done pre-arrival at the losing base. Average waiting times for Military Family Housing will depend upon which housing area you request. It is essential to check waiting times and your status on the housing waiting list at the Housing Management Office on arrival. Living on the Economy Securing housing before you arrive can be challenging. You often do not get a "feel" for the neighborhood unless you are here to take a look and judge for yourself. Also there are small villages, small towns and larger cities that you can choose to live in based on your lifestyle preference. Also all rents are listed in pounds and you will need to know what your OHA (Overseas Housing Allowance) will be to avoid out of pocket expenses. Furthermore, the procedures for buying a home are different than in the states. The base housing office will assist you upon your arrival, but we realize that people like to get information before they arrive. We encourage you to visit your local Family Support Center where they can access more detailed information on housing in the RAF Lakenheath area. * You are required to in process with the Housing Office within 2 days of arrival. Computers are located in the lobby for you to down load housing rentals. You will receive a housing briefing as part of your inprocessing schedule, but if you wish to contact the Housing Office beforehand they can be reached at DSN: 314-226-2000, COM: 01638-522000. * The Lakenheath Family Support Center offers a Home Buying in the UK class. Upon your arrival, call to register from on base at DSN:314-226-3847, or commercially at 01638-523847. What to bring to England Many people want to know what household goods to bring and not to bring to England. The answer unfortunately is, "Well that depends on the housing area you choose." Unless you are coming off a remote assignment, more likely than not, you will live on the economy for a period of time before being offered a base house. You will have the opportunity to select a house that will accommodate all your furniture, but you should keep in mind the following: - When you live on the economy in England the US government will not pay for storage, so you must ensure all your furniture and belongings will fit in the house you choose. - Houses on the economy are typically smaller and older than we are used to. So you may want to scale down the amount of furniture you decide to bring or use. Many people also like to get antiques, so if you like that sort of thing, you'll want to save room for that too. - Rarely will you find an open floor plan. Most rooms have a door that your furniture will have to fit through. These doors are sometimes at a sharp angle from the main doorway. Therefore you may want to store oversized furniture, such as sectional sofas or large wall units. - In some houses there are also narrow stairways to consider. King size beds, or even queen size, may be challenging to maneuver. Definitely consider this before deciding on a house. Some people have actually ended up cutting their box springs to get them up stairs. - If you find a 3 or 4-bedroom house, one of the bedrooms may not be much bigger than a walk-in closet. - Many British homes do not have built in closets and garages tend to be narrow and are usually just big enough for one small car. Storage space can be very limited. - RAF Feltwell's Furniture Management Office has appliances issued for the duration of your tour, strongly consider storing these items. - If your television is not a multi-system you will not be able to pick up British channels, but you can use it for playing videos or if you are in some base housing you'll pick up AFN, the Air Force Network channel. - When you live on the economy you will need a transformer to convert all your 110 voltage appliances to 220. People tend to buy British or dual voltage items here. Also, electric American clocks will lose time unless you run them on batteries. All appliances with a clock i.e. coffee pots, microwaves etc. will also not hold time. In your unaccompanied household goods shipment you should include items that you will need to set up your household. A shower curtain, towels, linens and pillows definitely because these items are not available for loan. Toys for the children, a TV, and a phone, are a few other useful items. As far as clothing, almost any time of year it is best to layer. The weather changes quickly and few of the buildings are air-conditioned, so even if it is cool outside it may be stuffy inside. We have spurts of sunny weather, but it can also get rather gloomy. It does not rain as much as you may think, but it is best to have an umbrella handy at all times, and some rain gear. The majority of the year you will need warm clothes and jackets. Since shopping is more expensive in England you may want to stock up before you get here. However there is always the Internet.