Inthedeep

Hey .. i had the same problem in our last rental. Like you, had also used the foam pads under the legs etc .. i also had dogs living there (which were allowed) .. both furniture and dogs had left marks .. i was so worried about it when vacating as we thought they would try and go for the bond to re-do the floors. Alas, after weeks of worryign what may happen .. we got the full bond back and the agent actually commented at what a good state we had left the property in. Good luck!

You should check out the British Melbourne group on meetup -- http://brit.meetup.com/cities/au/melbourne/ they organise drinks and events in and about the city for expats!

Yeah its 5 metres around here in Vic .. 50 metres is a tad extreme - i wonder if it was it a typo?

I wish Port Phillip council were a bit more 'difficult' .. our street fills up with people parking for free, then jumping on the tram for a few stops to the city - there are never any ticket inspectors on and i have to say i hardly see people getting on the tyram swiping a met card or myki .. Annoys the hell out of me and my partner as he finishes work early most days and has to park down the other end of the street usually. Anyhow .. i do think it's relatively easy to park at the beaches, in the city (especially after 6pm) and near shopping strips .. as for parking at the metro stops - have to agree with what has been said previous. The car parks tend to fill up very early with the commuters. Not a problem if you start work early too i guess.

Australia not dog friendly? I don't know where you live but perhaps you chose the wrong suburb .. here in Port Melbourne i think most people in my street have dogs - there are plenty of dog beaches along Port Phillip Bay, plenty of off leash dog reserves and the pubs and cafes all have water bowls outside for dogs. I really don't recall much of that back in the UK (but then perhaps thats more to do with where i lived there too). Also there are plenty of doggy day cares about here .. i really think if you dog is your #1 priority then choosing the right suburb with a little reserch will pay dividends.

Hey Mark .. no worries. Meetup in general is actually a great tool .. theres plenty of other 'groups' but this one seems canny for a start. Theres no judgement form anyone, and it doesnt feel like it's an internet based type thing .. which is good as that can feel a bit awkward lol! Me and my partner are hoping to be mvoed to Point Cook in the next few months .. live in Port Melbourne now but need more spoace as our place is just too cramped with us and our 2 dogs - i know there aint much in choice with bars around Point Cook area but im sure we'd be up for a drink once there. Though like you we will likely still head to the city for a proper night out, theres a night out organised on this forum on 3rd March too --> http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/socialising-get-togethers/138261-melbourne-drinks-3-march.html which always seems to attract a few people and a nice crowd. Cheers, Steve

Hello Baxters Indeed, i can't wait to have some space to store things and not have to feel all cramped in .. plus i cant wait for my dogs to be able to run more than a few metres than the small back yard they have now. Yes would be lovely to meet up, we are hoping to be there by April all going well. Nope it wasn't us looking at rentals (we are hoping to buy) .. but that's cool, like you say not that it matters but it's ncie to have a bit of a diverse community

Mark there's a good group on meetup.com .. Fairly young, mic of singles, couples .. Not kid orientated. Look for Melbourne British expats ..nthey do drinking nights, lawn bowls, there's a paintball one coming up etc. Have been to a few and met some great people. What suburb do you live in?

Hoping to be moved to Point Cook soon too. Ive noticed there's quite often meet ups with kids in the area which is great for those with kids (but being childless its not for me) Would like to meet friends for bbqs and meals / drinks etc once we move .. Ste

Thanks all for the replies so far Was definitely of the mindset that smaller house in a nicer area near to the cbd would be for us but reality is its just too small and uncomfortable .. No air con, garden, smaller rooms .. Have had a total change of heart after a year. I can sacrifice some aspects of a social life for 365 days of comfort in a big house Its pretty sad that you have friends there that know nobody ( my fear too ) but the same has happened in both suburbs I've lived in Melbourne (seaholme / port Melbourne) so it wouldn't be a shock. Perhaps we would make more of an effort as this would be a longer term move than the rentals we have lived in thus far. I know it's a very family suburb so for us as a (gay) couple moving there I am pretty anxious .. But we'll see.

Hi all, I know alot of Poms have moved to Point Cook so hoping for a few kind folk to answer some of my q's After weighing up many options and avenues, my Partner and I are probably going to build in Point Cook. We are living in Port Melbourne at the minute but we could only ever afford to rent here and after ongoing horrible experiences with one of our neighbours we have decided that it's best to move on and finally find a house we can be secure in (yes .. i know buying doesnt = good neighbours, however i feel more confident to tackle issues with neighbours when i don't have a landlord to appease). So we are looking at the Kingsford estate as they have the Telstra Velocity network there and seeing as there seems to be so much drama around internet in Point Cook it is a big relief to know that only the Kingsford estate will be able to connect to it - and since there are only a handful of homes there at present im guessing it wont be a problem in connection. If there is anybody else in Kingsford that can comment on the inter there (or Saltwater Coast too - as they have the same network) that would be great. Also .. has anybody put a pool in in Point Cook (any estate) and would you recomment or say it has been worth it? We are looking at single storey house with hopefully a bit of space on the land to the side of the house for a pool. We have both agreed that by moving back West and being further out from the city that we will want a few luxuries to enjoy the liufestyle out that way and a pool will be numero uno on the list. We are concerned about quite a lot of the plots having easements on them (sometimes 3 metres long for the whole of the back of the plot .. has anyone had permission to build over an easement in Point Cook (i am assuming it will be sewerage mains so it'll be the water board?) A few more Q's .. I know there are 'beaches' around the area .. now i aint expecting the golden sands of .. erm .. well Torquay. But really, what are the 'beaches' about this area like? Or when will the Werribee Marina beach be developed? Can you walk your dogs there? I used to take th dogs to Altona beach and whilst not the best place, was fine for that purpose .. i am so not a beachy person so aint looking to drop a towel and sunbathe (hence wanting a pool in the privacy of my own place)/ What are the pubs like about Point Cook? Will probabaly still head to the city for the odd 'night out' but it would be good to know what the alternatives are for a few drinks and maybe a bite to eat. I believe there is a bowling alley coming at the end of 2012 to Point Cook which is fab. I have heard / seen mentions of a cinema and someone said that it would be part of stage 3 of the town centre development? No idea if this is bull**** however .. do any residents know of this? Hmmm i'm sure there's loads more but my head is absolutely loaded from seeing a million house designs, plot locations recently. I am glad we have whittled it down to an actual suburb and estate as a few weeks ago we didn't evenm have a clue where we wanted to be.

AGL - They are rubbish.; They never come to take electric meter readings but somehow take gas readings (both boxes are always due to be read the same dates according to the bill but opnly the gas ever gets read) So the bill always ends up being corrected months down the line and we have ended up with massive bills thereafter. They cannot provide actual meter readings so you can verify the usage - we just have to trust that they are charging us correctly and i really don't trust them (for example the highest quarterly bill we recieved was during a period where we were away for nearly 4 weeks with all poweer turned off). I would move supplier but we are hoping to move soon so what's the point. However it still baffles me how they can charge usage when they dont know the previous and current usage totals .. totally rubbish service! Tru-Energy was the supplier in our previous home, they gave actual readings (that you could look on the box and verify yourself) and the bills seemed alot cheaper with them (despite that house being bigger and the aircon was on alot more ) - will make sure we connect with them when we move.

I agree with gothic. We Uploaded a PDF of our joint bank account (copies from first month it was opened then a statement from the same month every year after to show it was still continuous .. I don't think they need 15 x 12 months worth)? We also provided holiday bookings, 3 photos only (holiday, friends wedding, Christmas party), we had two statements from friends (one a nurse md one a lawyer so gave more credibility) .. Also our rental contracts .. A few bills in joint names etc. I really won't go too OTT unless the caseworker asks for it. I think the main thing is to do your statement and refer to the supporting evidence in it. Also the certifying was only the passport, birth cert etc.

Hey Steph, We are living in Port Melbourne & Been here 2 years too .. We are 29 and 30-something Haha .. always up for a drink or several

There's ALOT of places i'd hate to live. But these are places id rather move back to the UK than stay and live here. Broadmeadows Sunshine St Albans Deer park Footscray Brooklyn