TheVet

I returned permanently to the UK a year ago after nearly 30 years in Oz. Dual citizen.

My Oz house that I bought 20 years ago has been rented out for the last 5 years while I worked here and there.

Right now I'm faced with the dilemma of going back to Oz to renovate and sell before CGT for non residents comes in on 1st July 2020 OR continuing to lease it knowing I would have to go back to live for at least 6 months in the future to sell when I have tax residency back!

Can anyone confirm my understanding  that as a non tax resident of Oz I won't have to pay CGT provided it sells before July 1st 2020. It's my first home and I paid a heap extra stamp duty on my UK flat declaring it an investment second home.

Also I understand OZ withholding tax of 12.5% would be payable. When would this be returned?

TV

Austaff,

(I'm writing from the point of view of a never married 50+ Englishman in Australia)

I'd say your relationship should be your upmost concern.

If you are fully settled in Oz then you must be the nomadic type and thus you are also able to accommodate living back in the UK.

I migrated to Oz 25 years ago and have been back to the UK at least 30 times, even to work for a year or so. Ive lived in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

Neither country is better than the other - they are just different in so many ways.

But Ive found the things that niggled me about Australiain the beginning (heat, humidity, culture, lousy tv, distance, Australians ;) get worse with time/age and I for one cant see myself getting much older here and end up in some old persons home with people I have little in common with.

Your main focus should be on your relationship - if its the most important thing for you then the solution is follow him home.

 If its not THAT important to you - try being single here asap with a trial period apart.

You both need to weigh up your priorities fast.

Either way one solution could be to let him go back alone so you can both weigh things up at the same time)

Andy

Hi Tracey,

When I migrated I thought it best to try integrate with Ozzies and not search out poms. Now I am sure that was the wrong decision for me. Poms understand you, know your difficulties and can be very good friends in your new country. Seek them out. meetup.com is a good start. We are orphans in this country - find other people like yourself

Andy