JaneSmith

Hello again compatriots, It's been a while since I last logged in, but my plans have been slowly making progress. I've now been told that I should get some detailed advice from on how I will be Taxed once I move back to the UK. I know that any income I continue to get in Australia will be treated as foreign source income for UK tax purposes, but I need some more detailed and specific advice about some other financial details (money details are a bit personal to write about in detail online aren't they) and this area is a bit too technical for my local Aussie accountant. Does anyone know of any accountancy firms (preferably in Qld) who can provide this kind of advice? Recommendations :unsure:

Sounds like you've both given it a lot of thought Kellie and I'm glad that already know a lot of ex-pats over here already. Having a support network wherever you are makes a huge difference. With the hot weather, as well as sunblock, make sure everyone drinks a lot of water and always carries some with them. Not realising how much dehydration affects how well you can think and work/function is a big factor in struggling with the heat. I go to a "walk in" clinic over here in Oz (because there are overseas qualified doctors there who are more up to date and have been a lot more helpful than the local GPs who don't seem to have bothered keeping up to date and, with deleterious results, failed to recognise or treat various conditions that I and the children had over several years), and there is also often 2-3 hour wait, however it is worth it because the care/treatment you get at the end of the wait is far better.

I don't know in detail about how OFSTED works, but I've certainly found the UK's GoodSchoolsGuide site pretty useful to find out about schools in various localities and that has links to OFSTED reports and ratings which is really useful. In Australia, there is the myschool.edu.au website that also compares schools with "All" schools and "like" schools that share similar socio-economic profiles. I'm guessing that the myschool designers modelled the system on what OFSTED does, though I'm not in the education sector so I don't know for sure, but generally the UK pioneers a lot of good practice I think. I certainly think that the National Health system, for all that it's not perfect, provides a more comprehensive system of care than is available under Medicare. The state health system here is so indifferent that people who can't really afford it feel they have to resort to private services to get any assistance.

Hi Kelly, ....I've been told that Kent is a lovely place to live and that the schools there are really good...I'm just wondering what causes you to believe the Australian state education system would be better, or that Australia's GP and medicare system is any better (it doesn't cover any dental care at all except for primary school age children). The Australian climate can be better for an outdoor lifestyle, but working hours and shorter hours of daylight can mean little access to it.

Hello again, I've looked up the term 'Chav' on Wikipedia and I can see why I'm not familiar with it - apparently it's only been in currency a few years (a relief, I was starting to feel really worried about being incredibly out of touch!). There's interesting discussion of it at this link. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chav . I've a feeling there must be a lot of relatively involved between area, because I've read various people on Yahoo stating they moved to Croydon because it was more cultural and educated than Essex. Yet others have told me that Essex is lovely...I did do a visit over recently. I didn't get the impression people were all that concerned about armed gangs as a general rule. Petty theft and stuff seemed to be a problem all over London though, even the expensive parts. ...By the way, does anyone by any chance know of any buying agents who work at my lowly end of the real estate spectrum? :wubclub:

Simmo, as you mentioned you might know a bit about particular streets, do you have an opinion on Ridge Way, Crayford at all? Also, Downham in Bromley?:unsure:

....Beckeham and Shortlands...on my budget, what look like even ex-council flats in Beckenham are in short supply. I don't want to move back, after decades working here, to bring my children up in an ex-council flat....Is chav something like being a bogan? It's not a term I recall from when I lived in the UK previously and I'm still trying to understand exactly what it means. My difficulty is, that's the price bracket I'm in. Is Downham one of the better parts of Bromley by any chance? :frown: ...that's about the only part of Bromley that seems to fall within budget. Also, with Thornton Heath, Zoopla indicates that it has about the UK average for senior managers and professionals, and quite a bit more than the UK average for reading the Guardian and the Independent. I agree, it also seems to have about twice the UK average for unemployed people...that seems to be par for the course anywhere that I can afford..There are also higher than numbers of single parent families....but we're in that group ourselves.:huh: As forewarned might help me be fore-armed....if I were to live in Thornton Heath (eg. due to being unable to afford anywhere else) what are the aspects of 'undesirables' should I beware of particularly for myself and my children?:confused:

Wow, thanks for such a quick response! That's really helpful Simmo. Those houses in Crayford look like what I'm looking for but quite a bit out of my price range unfortunately. So your picks would be Sidcup, Eltham and bits of Bromley. Do you have an opinion on Thornton Heath at all? :rolleyes:

Hello again compatriots, Ok, I'm getting organised to buy a house in greater London while I'm still in Australia. Can't get over there to check them out in person and have to mainly rely on what I can do remotely as far as the house-hunting process goes. I've worked out the neighbourhoods I can afford, however I'm not familiar with any of them, having been in Oz for the past 30 odd years. My family members in the UK all live in more central London in tiny flats, and don't know much about the outlying 'burbs. But with pre-teen children, I want a house, and call me a control freak if you will, but I want freehold, not leasehold over what I sink my meagre resources into. These are the suburbs I seem able to afford (assuming the exchange rate doesn't do anything overly dramatic in the next little while - Thornton Heath, South Norwood, Plumstead, Eltham, Crayford, and at pinch, some bits of Bromley, Welling and Sidcup. (I can also afford Abbey Wood and Dartford, but I can't find much positive written about these as great areas for families, so I've figured to avoid these) Trying to get a handle on what these locations might be like to live in just based on internet searches of things people have said about them in the past is a bit touch and go - a lot of commentaries seem to be a few years old and some of the locations may have changed in the last couple of years. So can anyone out there maybe provide a little advice in terms of which might be the pick of the bunch; and which (if any) should be avoided, providing reasons? In general I'd like to live in a pleasant suburb, preferably with a bit of character, but safe and with nice neighbours (ie. reasonably educated, pleasant, friendly) - I realise one can't guarantee what neighbours will be like anywhere, but chances of problematic neighbours might be higher in some places than others. Also need train or tube access so getting to work won't be too difficult (once I've found a job), hence nice leafy villages further out are not practical. I particularly want to keep the children away from drugs and violence as much as possible...so, of the suburbs above, if anyone can provide any advice, I'd be most appreciative.

Thanks for those tips - very helpful. Hope your purchase is going ahead smoothly. Personally eating big prawns and gelato (not together of course) is one thing I may miss about Aussie Xmas's - make the most of your last 'winter' in sunny Perth! All the very best with your move

....it's so complicated trying to move back, which is why I've left it sooooo long....In Australia if there a difficulties with a tenancy there's an Administrative Tribunal that deals with it. It's pretty quick and straightforward, not too expensive for either party and doesn't require a lawyer. Are you telling me that in the UK the same issues have to be dealt with in an actual court and that you have to hire a lawyer? Is it compulsory to hire a lawyer? Do people self-represent in simple matters ? (eg. I'd have thought it would be a pretty simple matter - if the tenant doesn't move out we'd be homeless ourselves!). It certainly sounds like it would be pitfall to offer a low rent to attract a tenant...:nah:

:jiggy:Yes, there are some pitfalls with being an absentee landlord...I have to weigh these up with not being able to buy a property due to the AUD continuing to slide. I've come across some firms that provide furniture for hire for rental property to overcome the problem of the place needing to be furnished. Obviously it will reduce the rental income and it wouldn't be affordable for a long-term rental situation. With sitting tenants, to my understanding this is mainly an issue if I were to decide to sell a property with the tenant in situ. http://www.ask.com/question/how-do-you-become-a-sitting-tenant but I wouldn't be planning to do that. Where the tenant is on a lease that clearly states a particular end date and s/he was given the required amount of notice in writing prior to the end of the lease date that lease would not be renewed, then to my understanding the sitting tenant thing would not apply. Obviously if we turned up in the UK before the end of the lease, then we'd have to rent somewhere until their lease date expired and/or request they leave early and pay them compensation for me breaking the lease. That's my current understanding, based on Australian experience. Are there other issues associated with 'sitting tenancies' I've not taken account of. ....Currently it would suit me down to the ground to find a property with a sitting tenant in it I think, but unfortunately I've not come across such in my price range!

Those are great tips - thanks! :rolleyes:

Thanks for those tips - what is mundic testing though?:rolleyes:

Another quick question for this thread, can anyone explain leasehold to me? I understand it's like being a very long term tenant to a landlord who has the freehold and that leaseholds that still have about 70 or 80 years of a 99 year lease to go are considered pretty good. I've seen a few properties with only relatively short times to go - eg. 15-30 years. The blurb says these leases are renewable. Okay. But how do I find out the price of renewal? I'd want to know that before putting in an offer. For example, a few weeks ago there was a beautiful flat in Sloane Square advertised that only had about 20 years to go on the lease and the flat was advertised at an amazingly affordable price - I'm sure the catch was that lease renewal would be about $2 million which I'd never have access to in a month of Sundays. Does anyone know how to find out about the price of lease renewal?:mask:

Hi, I can't do that (just send the money over to wait), due to the financing arrangements. Also, since I'm bringing children with me I don't want to have to shift them around a lot once we get back to the UK as the move from Oz will be disruptive enough. I'd like to know where we're going to settle beforehand. I came across this blog: http://www.bitesizedthoughts.com/2013/04/purchasing-property-overseas-australia.html Which recommended using a Buying Agent, though they look like quite an expensive option and also don't necessarily operate as far away from central London as I'm having to look (because of the affordability issue). :dull:

:biggrin: thanks for your very comprehensive response. On the topic of agents continuing to market a property once an offer is in, here's one example I've come across (not that it's a house I'd want anyway): http://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/30592090?search_identifier=fbea63e02c15dacabf3d1a6a5794c2f0. I've found a few conveyancers through a site called reallymoving.com who have agreed to conduct a transaction for me by email etc. I think I'll need to furnish them with certified copies of identification docs closer to the time. Thank you all, you've been very helpful :rolleyes:

Hello again, Is anyone out there able to advise me on the process for buying a house in the UK? Having moved around Oz a bit I've bought and sold homes several times here but the UK process seems pretty different, so I am wondering if anyone experienced in buying homes over there can give me some tips. For example, on Rightmove.co.uk and Zoopla.co.uk it seems as though the agents advertise the lowest acceptable price, rather than a fixed price (ie. the small print usually seems to say "upwards of GBP...." and then if they accept an offer, you have to get a contract on the place double quick or someone might gazump you with a higher price because during that period the agent will advertise the house as "Subject to contract" and identify the price accepted, basically seeking a higher price for someone else. That's pretty anxiety provoking. In Australia, contracts are generally made conditional on a building report being satisfactory and finance coming through, and while that's being confirmed (usually within a set 2 week timeframe), no-one else can put in an offer. So at what point in the process does one get a building survey done in the UK? They're pretty expensive (I understand they're about GBP 500 each) so I'd rather not have to do one prior to an offer being accepted and the place being temporarily off the market. Otherwise I might find I'm paying for numerous building reports for properties that are then purchased by other people. Or if I get the building report done when the house is already under contract, can I get out of the contract without cost, if it states there are a lot of expensive wrong with the property? Is anyone able to give me advice about this? Also, it would suit our circumstances to rent the house out after purchasing, since I'll be buying the house well in advance of return (mainly due to the exchange range AUD to GBP going in the wrong direction so the longer I leave it the less house I'll be able to get for the AUD's that are available). Has anyone had much experience of renting property back to sellers? I'm told it isn't all that common in the UK - does anyone know if there are any legal impediments and/or whether it would necessarily make conveyancing a lot more difficult/expensive? I will also have discussions with the conveyancers, but I'm not sure how much advice they give prior to being asked to contract on a specific property, so it would be useful to get some idea from anyone out there experienced in buying homes in the UK. :confused:

Yes, as of Sept 2013 anyway.

Thanks for these great tips and for setting up this sticky - really useful! I've previously flown Sri Lanka Airlines and they threw in a lovely overnight stay in Sri Lanka itself, which was great for breaking the journey and getting rid of the cramps. Air Malaysia are also very good and we've previously flown with them too. Did you actually switch airlines halfway across? If so, who did you fly out on and who did you swap to at the fuel stop point?:tongue:

You've put your finger on the downside of dual citizenship. My parents had it, I have it, my children have it. Unless the laws change I wouldn't be surprised if my grand-children get it. It can be useful but it can also provoke uncertainty about where you really belong. It's taken me a long time to work that out one out for myself (I really hope I won't be eating my words in two years time though!). For me, it's being around people that you feel you've got stuff in common with/they with you. But your children will be very young when you move back to Britain. In a few years they may hardly remember Australia. Don't worry too soon, and everyone else above make good points. :jiggy:

You're right, there's quite a lot of info there. I've even identified some potential schools (depending on where we end up living). :cute:

Thanks so much for those suggestions. It's reassuring that people generally seem to feel there are better systems in place in the UK. My son does have a diagnosis, but I'll certainly make sure we go over with up to date and current reports etc. This part of arranging the move is the most anxiety provoking I must admit.

Thanks for those tips all. I'll bear them in mind. I actually lived in Biggin Hill for a couple of years much earlier in my life! Re: washing machines - I have front loader as I've found they're kinder to my clothes than top loaders which had a habit of stretching everything badly out shape. Though the first front loader I had was a total lemon - the thermostat kept going wrong and boiling everything. Ruined tons of clothes. But the one I have now is pretty good...so I'll take that with me anyway.:smile:

Hi again, As part of arranging our move back to the UK, it will be really important for me to be able to ensure that my secondary school aged son is able to have a reasonable school experience despite being on the high functioning end of the Autism Spectrum (ie. Asperger syndrome type issues, but otherwise pretty bright). He has really struggled with primary schooling over here in Australia. The school systems in Oz are often so unresponsive to the needs of these children that home schooling is often suggested/forced on them. This really isn't an option for us as I'm a single Mum and the sole family breadwinner. Furthermore he's a sociable lad (it's myth that just because they're often excluded these kids are interested in socialising). He currently is going to a very good school for his needs in Brisbane - it's one in the Catholic system (though we're not Catholic). Please don't advise me to stay on in Australia until he's finished high school here. That won't work for a bunch of reasons to lengthy to go into here. As mentioned previously, we're looking at moving to the southern part of the Greater London area. House not yet selected/purchased. Locations restricted by amount I can afford to pay. Does anyone out there know what I need to do to make sure that local school provides appropriate support. On the whole I've been advised by Brits over here that the disability services system is of a higher standard than Australia, but I'm not clear about how this translates across to support for kids with non-visible, yet diagnosed, disabilities in mainstream education in the UK. As mentioned, his IQ is quite high so he doesn't need to go to a segregated special school. I'm wondering if there's some paperwork I can start to organise at this end, advocacy organisations or support groups I can join that would be helpful, or whether there's a specific government or non-government agency that can help. Info I've found by trawling the web so far seems a bit general. Any suggestions appreciated. Thank you. :biggrin: