I think the term is British people not just English, subtle difference!
To be honest I've seen as many "death trap aircraft" if thats what you wish to call them at most UK schools. It's not limited to the USA. My last flight in the States, two weeks ago, was in a lovely well maintened Seneca, much better than the crap I've flown over here recently.
I'm not saying you can't hour build cheaply in the UK, I built all my hours in Europe. All I'm saying is, don't discount the States just based on the usual misconceptions that are constantly spouted on here. You might just even learn something from the Americans while you are there, but that truly is pushing the limits of the imagination for some people on this site!