rammygirl

I would say that the weather is definitely better. I lived in Lancashire where it was mainly grey and damp! I love the big blue skies here they really lift my spirits. Not that we don’t have grey skies and rain just not as often as not as long. I now live in the Adelaide Hills and love it. It isn’t cheap and housing is the biggest cost for most. A lot will depend on what you do for a living and where you are considering moving to……it’s a big country……..

Depends what you mean by Adelaide (and where you live now). If you mean the city or nearby metro suburbs then the winters are mild and layers not thermals will be fine. The Adelaide Hills (where I live ) are always cooler and we get frost in the winter. I enjoy getting out the jumpers! I have one thick down coat but rarely wear it here, although it comes in handy when I visit my son in Canberra where minus figures happen in winter. I have waterproofs as I like hiking but a light raincoat over jumpers is my go to and I can also wear it in warmer wet weather. Having said all that weather everywhere is changing……….

You should only be taxed in Australia, but they will not recognise ant tax free element. You may need to check with an accountant exactly how to do this.

We got a mate to drive us to the airport and they then sold the car on and took a cut of the sale price.

You would be surprised how few people do a building survey here. It seems lenders do not demand it like they do in UK. We were actually discouraged from doing so by the agent. The property turned out to have a defect we were not prepared to accept as they would not budge on price. we pulled out but they refused to return the deposit until we had a solicitor tell them they had to because of the clause we added. They had never had a survey and didn’t understand at all why anyone would!

Yes but people still use a conveyancer to check over the contract and do due diligence with searches etc. you can bet an estate agent won’t suggest making a contract subject to survey results, as they are working for the seller not the buyer. You don’t need an agent to buy and sell if you use a conveyancer.

Re the ISA. Not really worth keeping unless you may return to the UK. The ATO does not recognise the tax free status so the interest will be taxed.

That is useful to know. I wanted to open a trust shares account for my grandson (not yet one) here in Aus. So I’m assuming no tax until it is accessed at 18? This will be cash deposits as gifts birthday and Christmas I think with commbank?

Be aware of the tax rates for minors in Aus. They may have to file a tax return. The tax free allowance is only 450 bucks a year for minors! You might want to run it past an accountant as Aus will not recognise tax free Uk accounts like isas not sure how they will treat the trust fund.

We used Britannia/chess app years ago and all was ok. They did damage a tv but we were insured with Letton Percival and got paid out promptly. Just be aware that many of these are franchised so they can vary a lot. As can shipping, ask about this as routes have been disrupted because of Red Sea unrest. Can be worth paying a bit extra for different route/ship if you want quicker delivery.

But if a citizen I don’t think you can get an eta. Same as you can’t get a visa for Aus if a citizen. You must use passport. Although it does say it can be expired as long as the picture is still recognisable as you.

When the new ETA visa come into effect for all other countries later this year you either need a visa or a Uk passport to enter. As in Australia you can’t get a visa if you are a citizen.

Yes. It won’t be long before you will need Uk passport or visa ( not possible if citizens ) just like Australia. plus we just entered Vietnam on Uk Passports as don’t need to pay for visa with them but do on Aus passports. much easier and cheaper to renew than let lapse and re apply. Easy to renew Uk passport from Aus online.

He will need a child visa. Apply asap

Many agents put rental application forms online. Make sure you can fill all the required information, taking note of the ID required. We added extra information including info about the sale of our UK home, with pictures, and the fact we were new to the country etc. Get the local ID sorted ASAP like driving licence and Medicare cards, Aus bank account, references etc. Go armed with application completed, engage the agent and leave the info with them in case anything else comes up. Expect to kiss a lot of frogs….there is a reason they want you to inspect….some pictures can be very misleading and years old! It may be harder with dogs as you will need a secure yard, and not all landlords really want pets. Good luck, and keep positive

Not that I am aware of, but now you understand the discipline some banks do allow something similar or you can monitor a budget.

The teenager can make your life very difficult if she wants to. Not an ideal time to move regarding school either. I speak from experience having tried migrating with 13 and 15 year olds. We ended up returning to UK and forfeiting our visas Back in Australia for 10 years now after 7 years in UK. Both kids followed us and are very settled here, one with kids now. It was a bumpy and expensive ride though!

Thanks for the clarification. And that’s why you need a registered agent not an amateur for advice!

You can apply for a PR visa without having to wait. Once granted it will replace your existing visa. May well be worth it as you will be eligible for citizenship sooner.

It isn’t a whole year anyway since the year starts at the beginning of the year not September. Better that they are with their age group.

On the other hand can you slim down to a 20ft container and save money. We managed with a very well packed 20ft container by doing a good clear out and collapsing some furniture. Worth considering as we all have too much stuff!

Why not start by contacting Paul who has replied to this thread. His details are in the post. Even if you decide to do the actual application yourself it is worth paying for initial assessment to be sure you are applying for the correct visa and how to maximise your chances.

I was thinking about the visa issues. After 5 years of PR you can stay in Australia but if you leave you will need an RRV to get back in. It is possible to get one without staying 2 out of five years but is isn’t automatic and can take a while to get. You are unlikely to obtain citizenship this way either. Also rules do change regarding RRVs etc. As long as you are fully aware of all the possible pitfalls and maybe have a plan b then why not give it a go. You are footloose and fancy free now so seize the moment!