Yelverton

We had to register our car and our drivers licenses to our short term, 2 week rental address and it didn't seem to be a problem. I just changed the address once we had moved into our long term accommodation. I'm not sure if that would work with a hotel address - a work address may be a better option

Unlock your mobile phones before you leave the UK

You will still need to declare the rental income in the UK but may not be taxed if you are under the threshold. You will need to fill in a Non-resident landlord form with HMRC (Form NRL1) to receive your rental income without deduction of tax

As Peach said, you also need to declare it in Australia but won't be taxed on it if you have already been taxed in the UK due to reciprocal tax agreements between UK and Australia

We were living in Sydney and organised our wedding in the UK from there. We wanted to get married in church and obviously had problems due to not living in the parish but we were advised that we had to apply to the Archbishop of Canterbury for a special license and we had no problems. 

With regards to all the other stuff, we did a lot of research on venues, photographers, florists and cake bakers etc then had a 2 week trip in July to view the short list (we got married in November). We managed to secure all the things we needed during our trip and then went back to Sydney and relaxed. 

It was all really easy thanks to the internet and family back in the UK who could sort out any last minute stuff. We flew into the UK on a Weds, got married on the Sat and flew out for our honeymoon on the Sunday

Good luck

Also useful to know - if you have an Entertainment Book membership you can get up to 10% off the price (use code AUEBOOK)

I saved $900 on Emirates tickets for our family of 4 last July

Unlock your phones

I've always thought the signs in Adelaide are excellent

I've used Staples before - not sure if they are the cheapest or not

https://www.staples.com/sbd/content/copyandprint/index.html

Hi Alan

Thanks for your reply. Our taxable income is more than the UK personal allowance. I just really need to know if I get an instant answer if I buy the software which allows me to do an online return rather than having to wait until December. Our Australian returns are just waiting for the figure from the UK before we file them - we have included depreciation on the UK rentals - thanks!

We have been told by HMRC that we have to send a paper tax return as we are living overseas. We did this back in August but have been told this week that we won't get a reply on tax owed until December. We are waiting for the figures so that we can file our Aus tax returns with the ATO and wondered if there is a way of speeding up the process. If we pay for software which according to HMRC allows us, as expats,  to file online, will we get an instant reply of how much tax we owe? We have no salaried income, just profit from a rental property . Thanks

Hi

Can anyone in Melbourne tell me what Hawthorn is like as a suburb? My sister is visiting over Christmas and is travelling around a bit and has asked me if Hawthorn is a nice place to stay. I live in Adelaide, don't know Melbourne and have no idea what to tell her! Can anyone help? Thanks

HSBC don't have monthly fees and have several branches in Sydney and Melbourne

Not so good in Adelaide where there is only one branch but I just withdraw cash for free at the supermarket till

In order to get another 5 year RRV you will need to have lived in Australia for at least 2 years within  the last 5 years. If not, you can get a 12 month RRV but only if you can prove significant ties to Australia

https://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visa-1/155-

You haven't been in Australia for very long and as other people have said on this forum before, it does often take a long time to settle and make friends (which obviously helps ease the homesickness). I had my first baby here in Australia with no support from family (who are all in the UK) and my husband works long hours, evenings and weekends but what made the situation much better for me was the mothers group that the hospital hooked me up with. These other new Mums supported and helped me with the stress of becoming a first time Mum on the other side of the world from my family and have become life long friends. I found that I suddenly had a ready made group of friends all with babies the same age as mine and it certainly made my life happier and helped with missing people from the UK.

Just another view point - may not necessarily help you

If you have been renting in the UK it would be a good idea to bring a reference from your current letting agent or landlord. If you own your home, a mortgage statement is worthwhile.

Have a read of this http://www.realestate.com.au/advice/renting/5-tips-secure-dream-rental/

or this http://www.realestate.com.au/advice/7-ways-win-over-a-landlord/

Good luck with your search

Our 5 year RRV was about to run out and then my husband got a job offer in Australia which was how we managed to get the RRV renewed (for 1 year). I don't think you would get a new RRV without proving that you have significant ties to Australia.

Go Matilda helped us with ours - did a great job

Great post - really enjoyed reading it. We are at decision point at the moment and this is making me want to stay in Australia!

We're going back to the UK for a visit for the first time in 2 years in a couple of weeks - hope the weather is better then.

We moved to Adelaide and managed to do it in a week so it is possible. We arrived on a Sat night with husband starting work at the RAH on the Weds. We did mobile phone and car seats on the Sun, car registration and driving licences, bank and Medicare on the Mon, looked at houses on the Tues and Weds (without my husband), offered on a rental house on Thurs and enrolled in school on the Fri. The kids were a bit fed up by the end of it but at least then we were free to do a bit of sightseeing before they started school two weeks later.

We had arranged short term accommodation for the first 3 weeks but only needed it for 2 weeks in the end

Good luck

July is more expensive because of UK school holidays.

We're currently in Aus looking to buy flights to UK in June, returning to Aus in July and the cost is horrific but unfortunately I can't change my dates as we're going to a wedding

We fixed our new rate and then got consent to let a few weeks later.

It didn't seem to be a problem for us, maybe it depends on the mortgage company.

I didn't have a problem with my espadrilles

I have used both George Lombard and Go Matilda and would definitely have a preference for Go Matilda.

They were really helpful and responded very quickly

If you are looking to rent directly with the landlord, try websites such as upad.co.uk, openrent.co.uk and findaflat.com

Good luck

Normally if your kids are on a wait list and one gets in, the other will get bumped up as they will then have a sibling in the school. I know someone who moved back last year and managed to get both kids into their school of choice but had to wait until the first week in Sept. It can be a stressful time - good luck


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We enrolled our kids at the start of term 3 and had no problems.


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