CNC FABS

So how much hassle is a ATO annual filing. I have always used an accountant in UK, as ran limited companies and for SA. Although I did the last years sets myself to save money, as fees kept growing. Over time I picked up on the little things to claim. Hate to think how hard it will be to learn all the angles again ? Oh and are the ATO like the IRS ? Kinda know everything about you and love to lock folks up if you dot your 'i's' or cross your 't's' against regulation ?

Doctors surgery are a nightmare. Always 2 weeks plus to get appointments. So was in there 2 weeks ago and asked at reception before I left for a 'summary' of our family NHS records. Ehhh? was answer, can you send us a letter asking for it ! 2 weeks later nothing....I hold out little hope. Trying to decide if I need 'cash' for our 4 day stop over in Singapore ? and if so how much ? Do I need it for tipping or vending machines / lockers etc. We are staying on Sentosa, doing U-Studies and the zip wire etc on beach.

Other point to make, even if not relevant. Agents are just that and not a definitive authority. The first agent I contacted (a well know one on these boards, no names) and filled in the online assessment. Called me back to explain I was unlikely to get enough points, due to work experience and formal training. Had no chance of a 189 visa and may just get a sniff of a sponsored option in the future. So I went with another well known (John Adams) and as timeline indicates, had no hassle with a 189 visa. :cute:

So 5 weeks t go, now thinking of the 'what have I missed, best done from the Uk' Now scanning of my docs to load onto cloud storage, just to make sure I can access them at any time. As some will likely have to go in move cube. Need to think will my life cover be valid in Au or if to cancel it anyway. Trying to understand how to pay voluntary class 2 NIC to ensure full pension, have just had forecast to check. Plan to just leave my current stake holder pension as it is, paying in small amount monthly. No point moving it to Au fund ? Gumtree / ebay sell off has started. WARNING on gumtree. I have now only listed my email, not mobile. Lots of time wasters just harvesting your data. Calls from accident claim lines that scan these sites. I tested it my listing under another christian name, one day later call for 'Bob' about my car accident 2 years ago !! :rolleyes:

£3k would be a good ballpark for a start to finish skills based permanent visa. For agents part of fees alone. As you say, plus: medical. ielts, visa fee, postage, skills test, bottle of fizz ?

I business bank with Santander as well. For my £ 7.50 monthly fee, I would hope they can text overseas. After all it's a global world now. Also NAB are fine texting me codes on my UK number while I am still here still (no monthly fee).

$1.94 and I need some tissues now :no:

$1.96, DOOM...... Do they have work houses in Australia (well they are backward in many ways still ) ??

I cleared most crap when I decorated the whole house for a sale. I really want to 'help' the wife clear out her wardrobe and many drawers of clothes. Perhaps when she's out one day ? We are ditching most furniture, as past its used by date (matress over 15 years old, argos bedroom furniture older still, dining table ruined by kids) but using it all until last minute. Medium movecube will be arriving on a Wednesday, we complete on house the Friday, then fly out on the Monday ! Garage is main area to sort out, lots of tools coming over. But don't want to pack things I may need for last minute repairs etc. Plus I'm having a hard timing letting go of things (boxes of fixings, plumbing fittings, etc) hate throwing things out I 'might need' one day !! Mental block there. (and garage is still to cold in Feb):cry:

Fear with a date now set, it will drop a bit lower. Just like the Scottish vote time. If the UK vote to stay in the club, it will bounce back well, $2.2 in short order. If they break away, it will hover for ages while details are worked out. Guess then we will have to take a lead on US election and feelings to get any movement in the $AU. I have a reasonable amount to move when house sells. Hard call on some fronts. Wait and see what happens, while earning no real interest. Or move it over and earn some, expecting to need the funds before it climbs to anything useful.

6 weeks to go and getting bored. To early to pack / ditch things. I only work 1 day a week for my old business. Have to start sorting garage or pack something soon.:goofy:

bugger. Was hoping it would go up and bit, not dip below $2 !!. Come in Dave, give a rousing speech after the meeting today and help get it up ?

No it was not. So called expert local agents valued house at £300-325 k. Fighting each other for fees, offering to beat company 'x' by 0.1 % etc (the lowest they offered was 0.85 %). This is the South East remember. Other online agent (based 10 miles away) Values at £ 375 k. As he put a value on out USP (a protected field overlooking our rear garden). We listed and now sold at £ 365 k. As we were worried we were to close to 4 bed house prices (ours is 3 bed, no ensuite, single garage) As these are being listed for £ 385 k and sold from £ 370 K. Just to explain myself.:wink:

Well I have booked 6 weeks in Mount Martha from April. Rental market still slow on available properties this time of year, still in holiday season mode. I found it on stayz and asked 3 of them for a better deal. The one we picked was $1400 a week, reduced to $ 825 !! It pays to ask.

We sold with an online agent, as in the South East. So you really only need to get on 'rightmove' to sell a normal house here. We did get valuations from the normal local agents as well, god that was interesting. Bunch of scheming, twisted layabouts that I just couldn't trust. None of them has the pulse of the local market values (despite all being in the next village 1.5 miles away) Fighting each other with lower and lower fees, listing properties on 'rightmove' as sold in one day (same ones appear again months later, also sold as soon as listed). Almost as much fun as double glazing salesman. Anyway, we sold for a £ 750 inc vat fixed fee and did the viewings ourselves. We were open with buyers that we where moving to Oz. As the truth always come out and we felt it was an incentive to back up our chain free status. It didn't result in low offers. First buyer was 3% under the asking price and only fell down due to new mortgage rules (having a child since she took out first mortgage she was porting) . Our current buyer came in at asking price first call.

It only affects those buying a house to rent out or a second home. With the start of the new Uk tax year 5th April 2016. There will be a 3% stamp duty increase for such buyers. Hence our buyers have sold their flat to an investor, who would be looking at having to pay an extra £5k, as soon as the sale goes past that date. Another clever idea from UK Govt.

How much to get out of mobile contract !!!!

House sales are a funny thing. They rarely go to plan !. We are in the South East. Put house on market end of November, sold in 3 days. End of January, no survey, buyer having mortgage trouble. We put it back on market and sold again to new buyers in 5 days. They need to complete by 1st April, as they sold to an investor who wants to beat the stamp duty increase coming up. We also are not needing the money from the sale to fund the move. So we have booked flight etc, regardless. We said we would simply hand the keys over to the agent to complete sale or even find 3rd buyers if need be and not be dictated by buyers. So perhaps you would be better off delaying putting it on the market, or just be bold and keep turning offers away. Might even get more money that way.

Why do I get the feeling, all these tax issues, rebates etc. Are going to giver me a head ache, when I have to deal with them. and I have run limited companies all my life.

Well thanks for the spreadsheet. We will have a max $300k mortgage. Good to know the little things do add up.

The first 2 comments where meant T in C..:smile: We understand property prices in the older part of Mount Martha we like. Thankfully selling a business and paying mortgage for 11 years, means our hard work gives us a good start down under.

If you reads through all the requirements, it can send you into a brain spin very easy. If you served a formal apprenticeship that's good, otherwise you have to claim informal training for 5 years, then experience starts from AFTER that time. When I was doing mine in 2012, you had to do a practical test day, normally in London and they only ran about 4 a year for fabrication trades. As I went the route of getting the AQF3 first, I didn't need to. Although I did have to sit an on line assessment for 2 hours from Australia. I went this route, as had run a business for 15 years and so very informal. With all meds, visa, agent, AQF fees, I spent close to £8k. Time line as below.

I'd be cutting out the date nights and kids gifts. Life's not cheap is it. How important is it to have private health cover ? We arrive Mount Martha 9th April !! Counting the days

They will want to see proof of formal training. Then you will looking at a Vetasses practical test, unless you have a Australian AQF3. English test to get points. No medical issues ?. There is a fair bit of cost there. Yes you can do it all yourself if your organised enough or spend £2-3k with an agent. I was happy to do the later to make sure I didn't make any mistakes.

Well we have a 2 day gap between leaving our home when sold, to checking into Gatwick hotel day before flight. Options where 1, stay at inlaws 10 miles away for free. 2, book into hotel 1 mile away for £ 125 a night. 3, sleep in local park under climbing frame, telling kids it;s a game ! I am a tight Southerner, but had to settle for option 2 in the end. After all, inlaws can say bye when we return their car. Oh and have now decided to email my kids form 929's. As posted them before Christmas and details not changed. Otherwise that could be interesting !