fergal007

I will look into it further , thanks again

Hi Amibovered, I had a look at them today, but their quote website is " under construction" at the moment. Have you used them?

Thank you Marisa , for some reason I seem to be thinking that you can open a basic current account with Lloyds at the counter? I will take your advise though.

Thank you Bristolman, I will make sure I bring back my Proof of NCD from here, I have some old UK ones too.

Hi Bungo, Thank you for the advise, I did use the Government Gateway in the past for SA tax returns, but I have no idea what my User ID and passwords are now!

Hi everyone, It has been a few years since I have been on PIO!, I am moving back to the UK after 4 and half (hard but successful) years in Australia. I need any advise on the below issues please. (1) I am planning on buying a motorhome in the UK on my return and heading across Europe for a few months career break, my problem is that I can not seem to able to change my previous UK address on my driving licence on the DVLA website (to my friends address, who resides in London as I will be residing with him once my break is over). I am an Irish and Australian citizen with a valid UK driving licence, but have not been a resident in the UK for the last 3 years. (2) Insurance seems to be a problem as I have not been a resident in the UK for 12 months ( or in some cases 185 days) , Can I get my friend to insure the motorhome and be put down on the policy as a named additional driver and still be covered to drive the vehicle? (3) If i purchase such a vehicle, surly if my name is on the V5 as the registered owner at my friends address, will I be then able to change my current UK driving licence to reflect this? (4) Can I tax the vehicle using my current UK driving licence , although it currently shows my old rental address? (the DVLA records still show that i have a valid UK driving licence at the old address). (5) Banking!!! What bank is the best option for someone who has no credit history back in the UK, not that I need credit or want credit, I purely want to just open a simple bank account to allow me to transfer some funds from here to there, and to have it in place when I return from Europe to allow payments from an employer (once I go back to work). Lloyds seem to have some basic accounts, and I can provide payslips from here if they should need any proof of income, has anyone else had this problem? Any information would be great

Mate I just done my last one for VIC and I now reside in Sydney, I told them of my job struggles 6 months after i landed in Melbourne. They said I was obliged to remain in the state for 2 years BUT if I had to move for work purposes then so be it. Just fill it out and state that you reside in Darwin as lack of work opportunities in the ACT has forced you to relocate. They wont say anything. Trust me, I can PM you the e-mail they sent me to give me the nod to leave VIC.

I have spent a lot of time and money to get here, so I need to make it a worth while operation, who knows, I might have kids in the future who might look back and thank dad for their Australian passport? Australia is a great country, but i feel its going down the wrong road, its been an experience and will continue to do so.

Its just as bad over here with the recent raids on homes. TBH i would just stay put if I was you, your life seems fine there? Just buy a holiday home in Spain! they are quite cheap these days

I have been here 2 and a half years, and will stay for another 2 till i get my citizenship. Its been tough for the most part to get a decent job, Australia in my eyes has become too "Americanized" and regardless of your visa status,immigrants (no matter where they are from) seem to be looked upon as some sort of "second class citizen". The whole "lifestyle" argument is quite debatable, I live a block from the beach, but hardly get down there as I have to work so much Be warned if your a construction or engineering professional you will be expected to do massive hours on a salary, 6 days a week for the most part 10-12 hour days. The health care system and many other services are being privatized at an accelerated rate (due to the current government) I am astounded at the open corruption in politics over here, its like its job description! The cost of living is very high, though wages are high, but I know family's that earn 2-3k a week combined, yet after all payments are made don't have much left in the kitty. I am quite lucky that I am single with no debt, but I would think life for an average family would be quite tough? big mortgage repayments, childcare, food etc. Australia unfortunately is running down the road of unbridled capitalism, with no thought for the social consequences and this will become a major problem in the future. I am enjoying my time here for the most part, no country is perfect, but my hart tells me Europe is where i belong (eventually) :tongue:

Sounds like a great plan surfndirt! If it all goes **** up, I am loading up my van and going on a long term surfing holiday! Thinking of buying a XR 400, I will camp in the bush for a few years till it all blows over fair dinkum! I am sure I could live on the dole for a while over here LOL!!! (just kidding)

Jesus your right about the whole debt slave thing, I was talking to a site manager the other day he told me his mortgage monthly payments was $3,500 a month! His wife works part time and I would assume he would be on 100+k a year. But to hell with that $3,500!!!

I am planning to buy a small house outright with cash next year, all I will need is money to feed myself, I will try to make the house as self sustainable as possible, ie well insulated, small wind turbine,solar panels and rain water harvesting and storage. I may even try my hand at olive farming

Peach, I dont think I would every want to fully retire anyways, my grandad farmed the land all his life till he was 92, he kept busy to keep him fighting fit he was dead right as he seen many people die a lot younger than him, he reckoned the idleness got to them LOL!! He popped his clogs at 94 after a brief bout of colon cancer, but he died a happy man, not materially rich, but rich with life stories and its ups and downs. He raised 6 kids and they saw him off on his last day, bar a chocolate in his top pocket and a smile on his face He warned me to stay away from the banks as they will rob you in the end! only go to them if your desperate, and to live within your means! I learned a few things off the old man!

I disagree, Spain was late dealing with the crisis, they have not hit the bottom yet another 18-24 months and it will bottom out. Greece is still a right mess and looks like it will need a another bailout in the near future, another 5 years of pain there. Ireland has bottomed out now, but will take many years to recover property price wise. Every economy goes up and down, its the economic cycle. Australia is not immune to it either, and from what i can gather the last bloodbath was in the 90s here when interest rates were between 14-17%! Australia also carries the the grand title of " of most indebted country per person in the western world", that's worth bearing in mind. What goes up must come down! One great reason not to buy into the whole "mortgage" nonsense in my opinion!