srg73

Thank you all, As mentioned there are only 2 of us, the offer I have would represent a 60% wage increase however this is counterbalanced by the fact that my wife currently will have no income but once working her wage will be added to this. We do like long haul holidays but we will ensure we holiday domestically for the first couple of years unless we have to return to the UK to see family etc. The job offer also comes with a car allowance, super on top and great prospects to develop further, this is what makes it exciting after working the last 4 years in a dead end job. In the UK we lead busy but quite simple lives, only eating out for special events or occasional evenings, we hardly drink, we socialise with friends and family, enjoy sports and music events and quite frequently do touristy things. In regards to property, we will look to establish ourselves quite quickly however we live on the edge of town, I drive a lot for work, my wife commutes and we like a little open space around us so the burbs sound ideal even if this involves a short car or ideally train ride when working in the CBD (as we do for most trips into London). We are currently packing for removals each evening and one thing I can guarantee is that we will not need any clothes for the next 2 years so I assume this will be one big saving! S

I have been taking some interviews recently by phone one of which really excites me as it takes my skills in a slightly different direction but also provides what seems to be a good package. I appreciate people mention about factoring any wage offer by 2.2 to account for the difference in living costs however here in the UK I'm a 40% tax earner and wondered what would be equivalent in Brisbane which according to all the blurb on the web is the 2nd most affordable capital city in Australia! I assume the 2.2 accounts for Sidney etc. Also how would a car allowance package work, will dealers or banks provide a loan without credit history in Australia? Again I have read where people mention about establishing a mobile phone contract and credit card as soon as you land however these take time to establish themselves! We will have savings, can these be used as a form of guarantee against the loan? No dependants to account for so wage to cover only myself and my wife who hopefully will also work. Thanks S

Wow, what a question, I have just checked with an independent broker and there is NOT ONE mortgage lender on the UK market who will knowingly lend if you are offshore. That has just thrown a big spanner in our works!! S

We are about to move for the following reasons Adventure Opportunities To snap out of the UK rat race, the stupidly long hours, impossible expectations and poor management practices. To treat ourselves, we have spent 40 years in UK, now to experience something a little different. In conclusion I did not want to wake up at 80 and think 'well that's it' S

How much money you take I guess equates to how much of a risk taker you are. As many have said, life is dull without taking some risks and when those risks pay off the end result can seem so much sweeter however always have a back up plan and enough money to get you back home.. Best of luck to everybody brave enough to make the move regardless of your financial position, im sure like us there have been some challenges with many more to come. Just remember, many people who are negative towards your move are only envious. S

They are thinking arson. It will be rebuilt as it is grade 2* listed and is one of the most important building in an important Victorian sea resort. Sad to see but hey, it will be one for the history book for the pier. s

wiggles1, which route did you take with Flinders? 1st time over to SA we went with my brother who used to rock climb and he assured us the difficult route would not be a problem!! After an hour of near vertical climbing we gave up and headed back down.....pity as never got the view. Absolutely loved the walk, highly recommend a weekend or so there and like you will be looking to explore around Brisbane so keeping an eye on the responses. S

There does seem to be more positions available in Brisbane however I had assumed that was because Brisbane has a larger CBD and a busier insurance industry. Pity as number one choice is Adelaide.

I am a chartered project and contracts manager so actually work along side insurance companies and loss adjuster diagnosing, specifying, procuring and overseeing to completion complex building repairs both structural and high care cases. I work 50% office, 50% out. I am also keen to move up to the management of surveyors undertaking the assessment work, I have done this very successfully in the past but unfortunately a new director bought in his own team which snuffed out any chance of promotion here. I agree regarding insurance claims being anywhere, also they are pretty much economy resistant too, during hard times people still have insurance claims so a pretty stable job although not the going to set the world alight with excitement! It would be useful to know where most work is especially the more complex cases but also where the insurers offices are to maximise the chances of promotions. Thanks Sí

Hi, been a long time since posting last as we have been focused on Adelaide and our move in September however doubts are now creeping in! I am a chartered building professional who has worked with international insurance companies in the management of projects and people. The issue I have is that Adelaide seems to hold very few work opportunities for me whereas Brisbane seems to be much more buoyant. Are many insurance companies based in Brisbane, is the insurance market more buoyant because of the more tropical weather conditions with Adelaide being flat due to reliable weather patterns? About 6 weeks to go and very confused where to base ourselves! Any advices is much appreciated Simon

I would tell and negotiate with your mortgage and insurance providers. Landlords mortgages are circa 1% higher or specialist items and landlords insurance is very different to domestic. I deal with insurance companies on a daily basis and have seen some large claims declined due to properties being let on a domestic policy. In regards to the mortage lenders, they can/will simply void the loan meaning you have then been refused a loan which will damage your future financial standing. Buy to let mortgages can be cheap (we are looking about 50% cheaper) however they have very strict rules biggest being loan to value comparison, much less than 50% and you may struggle. S

Hi all, being a little dim after too long in the sun today!! I know this has been posted before but can not find it anywhere, a link to a to do list which we can work through prior to moving. Visa etc. granted and fortunately no schools etc. to sort out as no kids. Many thanks S

Hi, Yes NicF you did reply however nothing wrong with spreading the net a little. Stayz is pretty expensive especially when we are looking for something quite basic ideally in Unley/Goodwood or surrounding areas. We will hire a car initially and then buy one within the first 2 weeks so will be mobile. Just wanting simple accommodation to call home for a couple of weeks whilst hunting for a longer term let. Katie22, Glenelg is great to visit however looking a little closer to the city however for the first 2 weeks or so I don't care and anywhere in Southern half of Adelaide will do. S

Myself and my wife only with couple of cases from our flight need so where to stay lease Will be buying a car so parking would also be great. We are only looking for an annex or 1 bed apartment for 2-4 weeks just until we are established and can commit to a longer term rental. Any offers or pointers would be appreciated as trying to plan. Many thanks. Simon & Claire

"Permanent unvalidated visas" What about one way validated permanent visa's, how do they compare? S

Hi, My music is electronic, house etc however not the normal rubbish in my eyes. A lot of my records have come from Chicago from a DJ who was there playing at the beginning of the house scene ie 1984. I have also bought part of 2 British dj's collections, the best being Jumpin Jack Frost or DJ Underground as he was first known. The collection is not that valuable ie £50k however I love the collection and would find it very difficult to part with them even though I hold most of them on computer now. In addition to the records, I have quite a lot of DJ gear ie 6x Technics 1200's (4 of which I could not part with), mixers, hifi, CDJ's etc, all good quality stuff and I know all of its history which is important to me. Got 100's of flyers from 90-93, books, over 2000 tapes and about the same in cd's although I think most of them will get turfed out before we go. Finally have an extensive care set up for the records including Loricraft RCM which is circa £1.5k record cleaning machine. Im a bit sad really however I love music....what can I say! Carrying records on a plane is a nightmare, my brother DJ'd in China for 3 months and the airlines hated him taking just 300 records due to weight. S Forgot to mention be very careful of acetates or wax promos.

Dolly, your in Kent, I have not used internationally but domestically Bournes of Rye are very good and recently provided a hassle free and professional quote for us. S

We have had removals people look at our in addition to discussing with dealers etc. 1, pack tight and vertically 2, do not wrap in plastic/pallet wrap etc 3, recove any outer poly sleeves If the above is listened to then condensation is the worst that can happen therefore also try and keep an air flow. Personally I'm packing mine down into strong plastic crates, maybe say 30 as collection is approximately 6000 strong. My concern is whether customs will see the records as commercial stock as there are quite a few including some doubles, trebles and even quads plus sealed copies? S

Ashford is a sh1t hole, the only reason to visit Ashford is for the Designer outlet or for work. Kent is becoming a hole, the best part is the M20 and M2 which get you through the county to other better parts of the UK. Born and bred Kent and won't miss it a bit. S

Hi Jackie, Drop me a pm as we are in Kent and have been through the process with success. We are currently thinning everything down prior to taking the plunge, very nervous as giving up great jobs, good house and good lifestyle. Simply want an adventure. S

Jessica, 2 negative posts towards me when I'm simply asking for advice! You obviously do not understand the requirements in being Chartered, I have to undertake a minimum 24 hours of relivent training per year and be able to demonstrate this otherwise I loose my standing. My point was that I would not mention reams and reams of training courses etc unless absolutely relivent and I would concentrate on the qualifications with greatest standing. Construction is the dirty industry so far as H&S is concerned and despite having qualifications, I'm not keen on specialising in this field unless absolutely required as I do see cases where H&S has gone mad which can wind me up. Hear of site in UK closed because a chair in mess room did not have a back on it!! I guess stools are now banned! So in conclusion, Post Grad qualifications are good and open doors on say management and senior roles however more practical qualification must also not be ignored and should be mentioned although not depended upon. I am also in the process of registering with Australian professional institutes so employers see some Australian qualifications in addition to UK based. Everybodies advice is taken on board and yes I have a huge amount of common sence in addition to practical experience in what I manage (fully restored 2 houses in the past) so hopefully don't come across as a qualified English twit! Thank you people of PIO, by the way, does Vettassess not count as an assessment of relevant skills as I would looking to work in the same field as my qualifications? S

Mmmm provoked a response! I do use my qualifications on my business cards and hopefully will continue to do so as it communicates that I am up to a high standard in my profession, I have to act and perform professionally and if not then I can loose my professional standing and can be struck off, a little like being a registered Doctor but for the building industry. I would not use petty qualifications or mention training courses etc however being Chartered does seem to be important to some employers who specifically ask for Chartered status, even in Australia. Interestingly my brother and his girlfriend both PhD so earn Dr rather than Mr and Miss were not able to use Dr whilst in Australia despite at least one of them being gained at Oxford!! S

How would do this for myself Paul1Perth, maybe not WA but maybe SA? Thanks. Simon

I think myself fairly well qualified, A Levels, HND, BSc (Hons) Degree and Chartered however how useful will these actually be other than for gaining the visa. The reason I ask is that being a Chartered Professional in UK is well respected and stands you out from the crowd with a lot of employers now asking for Chartered status as a benchmark. Does the same apply in Australia? The reason I ask is that I have contacted an Australian institute and they almost fell over themselves to sign me up and agreed that after a simply interview I would be twice chartered once with them and 2nd with my existing institute which also operates in Australia although on a small scale. It sounds very stupid but in some professions in the UK there is a snobbery regarding the length of your blurb after your name on your business card (a little like American Psycho) with the golden rule that your doing ok if your blurb is longer than your name! Simply want to know if qualifications are that highly regarded or experience and networking override qualifications? Thanks S

I have been stung by UK customs many times when buying 2nd hand records from USA etc. I have argued that they are 2nd hand therefore have already had local tax applied, they are 2nd hand and therefore should not be valued as new (even though their value is much higher) and asked tax be applied against price paid. No joy, always just end up paying and leaving feeling very sore! Money making and anti competitive!