Juditta

20 hours ago, rammygirl said:

We used Britannia/chess app years ago and all was ok. They did damage a tv but we were insured with Letton Percival and got paid out promptly. Just be aware that many of these are franchised so they can vary a lot. As can shipping, ask about this as routes have been disrupted because of Red Sea unrest. Can be worth paying a bit extra for different route/ship if you want quicker delivery. 

Thanks very much for this information, which is very useful as it had not occurred to us to check out which route is used......  so we definitely will be avoiding the Red Sea route, which could be trouble...... and don't mind paying extra to get our belongings to the UK safe and sound!    Also, thanks to advice on here, we will definitely be using Chess and Britannia.

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21 hours ago, Nemesis said:

I moved from Brisbane to the the UK a year ago and used Chess. They were excellent, no complaints at all. Efficient, polite, good communications, lovely helpful people who came to do the actual packing up. Thoroughly recommend them. They used Britannia in the UK to do the delivery, and they were equally good. 

I did most pf the actual packing into boxes myself, but they wrapped furniture items for me and everything was fine, all unwrapped this end and no damage to anything. 

I had shipping nightmares on the way out, so was well prepared for trouble, but I was very pleasantly surprised!

Thank you very much for your reply,  it really is a stressful event, moving back to the UK, and with two cats!     But you have really helped us to make up our minds, as we were thinking about using Chess, and its so useful to have the connection to Britannia  in the UK (which we didn't know about)   so thanks very much for the information.

My Aussie partner and I are returning to the UK after being in Australia for 4 years.   We are in Queensland, house is soon going up for sale, and now looking for a good, reliable international removal company, who will also help pack our stuff.    The company we used when we came out here was no good, so if anyone could recommend one to us, that would be much appreciated.   Thanks    

We brought out two cats over to Queensland from North Yorkshire, and despite our anxieties our cats were cared for beautifully during every stage of their huge journey, and whilst they were in quarantine they were so well looked after and cared for.   Eventually they were flown from Melbourne to Brisbane, and when we went to pick them up, it was so good to see them in their shared cage on the back of a little truck being driven to the pet collection office.   They love their life here, they have a big garden so no need to roam, they love laying in the sun, it is very rewarding to see how well they settled down in Australia.  So I would say bring your fur baby.   I know its costly, but its worth it.

Bethan, sorry bit late replying, we moved to Queensland from the UK early September 2019......so everything was still normal then, and I am sure this covid problem is causing all sorts of delays now.   When we used Jets4pets, they were really very efficient, and very good at promptly responding to phone enquiries, our two cats arrived in Australia in very good shape, and were well looked after in quarantine in Melbourne.   It is a worrying time having to leave your pets, and know they have a long journey ahead of them, and can't explain to them what's going on.   Good luck with your move 

When we moved to Australia, we used Jets4Pets to fly our two cats here, we were in North Yorkshire, and the cats were picked up there, then across to Manchester, and flown out here from there.  Jets4Pets were brilliant, and so helpful, and the cats arrived in good shape, and were well treated all the way.

We used Jets4Pets in the UK to transport our two cats to Queensland, they were brilliant.   It's a complicated thing transporting our pets to Australia, but despite our anxieties at bringing the cats out from North Yorkshire, everything was fine for them.   They were very well looked after all the way, and they had very good care also in the 10 day quarantine in Melbourne.

Hello AliQ, I have sent you a private message 

Thank you very much for this advice Cal, I think we will do as you say, and not complain, and just keep quiet until we see what this dragon of a rental agent comes back at us with.   Silence is probably the best way to go till she rises up again and has another go.    We left the place as clean as we found it, the 'garden' was a dried up bit of land when we moved in, now it is a mowed green bit of land.   

Hi Toots, thanks for reply, actually I should have explained better, we were given this list about three days before we left the rental 

My partner and me took on a six month rental in Queensland, whilst we looked for somewhere to buy in the area, we found a nice house, bought it last week, moved in a couple of days ago.    A few days before exiting our rented property, we were handed a 7-page list, called the Exit Condition Report - general tenancies (form 14a) which is produced by the RTA (Residential Tenancies Authority) from our rental agent of specific things we had to do regarding cleaning the rental property before we left.   This list is Draconian to say the least, and even though we have both rented in the past, we have never had such a intricately detailed document such as this one presented to us.   The demands made on how to clean the house before exiting are lengthy, even down to unscrewing the toilet lid to clean underneath.....plus on top of all these requirements on this list, the rental company are adding their observations, saying we left a cobweb on the window, some weeds in the 'garden' which is really was just a patch of unkempt land, and other such ludicrous things.   We worked like demons to get this property very clean before we left, took photos to prove it, but now we are being harassed by the rental agency (which, by the way, has quite a bad reputation for their belligerent  attitude to tenants on exiting their rental property).  We are told by local people in the know, that this agency hardly ever returns the Bond.....so my question is, is this RTA list of things to be done before exiting a rental house to be followed or is it just a general guide.  We would really appreciate any advice, just so we know where we stand with this situation.     

Strangely enough I made corned beef hash a few days ago,  not made it for years, my Australian partner had never heard of it...don't think he was very impressed....must have done it wrong...

9 hours ago, tonyman said:

Well I've never heard of that one but I do like to mash peas, carrots Swede spuds, coon beef .....

No I have never heard of corned beef mash being called' monkey' either, even though from the north-east UK coast.

12 minutes ago, Toots said:

This may be helpful @Juditta  

https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/housing/renting/during-a-lease-or-residency/landlord-or-agents-right-to-enter-the-property/landlord-owner-or-agents-right-to-enter-the-property-overview

Thanks for this, Toots, I will have a read of it.....The rental agency in question is already coming tomorrow to do the usual inspection of the property to make sure its being looked after by us...….so why the Valuation person (who strangely has the same phone no. as the Rental agency) can't come along at the same time beats me!   So we have an inspection tomorrow, which is fine, and a Valuation on Friday which is the one giving us problems.

We are renting a property on a six month lease, we have just been informed by our rental agency, via email, that a Valuation person will be coming to our rented house, on behalf of the owner of the property, on a certain day, at a fixed time, which is extremely inconvenient to us.   The Agent did not have the courtesy to contact us beforehand to see if this was a convenient time for us, and when we rang to change the date to a more convenient day for us, we were told we have to accept this fixed time of their choosing, as it cannot be changed.   I find it a bit surprising, not to mention, presumptuous, for the agent to assume they can enter this house, any time they choose, and not give us the chance to change it to a better time for us.     Maybe this is legal for rentals.

I am just wondering if this is lawful,  surely we can be allowed to change this valuation to the following day?  Got no problem with someone doing a valuation, but needs to be on a different day.   A bit of flexibility would be good.      Maybe I am expecting too much?   Not used to Ozzie laws

1 hour ago, Judy said:

If you are ever in Toowoomba check out Andrews Meats at Grand Central shopping centre for pork pies. 

Thanks for that....we are going to Toowoomba in the near future, will definitely make a visit to Andrews Meats!! 

23 minutes ago, Toots said:

Did you live in an older house in the UK?  Asbestos was used in the UK home building industry until 1999 when white asbestos was finally outlawed. The use and import of blue and brown asbestos was banned in the UK in 1985. 

Yes, some years ago I owned a property with a small amount of asbestos in it, and had lots of problems when I wanted to sell it on, which is why I am so wary of it now.   But I am amazed how many houses are full of the stuff here.   

Hi Toots …..yep....started looking at newer properties now, but my partner who is an Ozzie, really likes the old Queenslander houses,   many of which still have asbestos in them...….so we are going to have to agree to disagree.....and look for more modern

Now we have reached the point of looking at properties for sale in Queensland, I am really surprised how many houses for sale have got lots of asbestos in them.   It's a big no-no in the UK.      

I feel very pleased, as I eventually did find mushy peas at the Warwick IGA supermarket....so bought several tins!!! 

Thank you everyone who replied with helpful information.....I do miss mushy peas, sounds daft I know, but just one of those English things I really like!   But I do love lots of Ozzie things too 

On 14/12/2019 at 18:56, Paul1Perth said:

Yep. You can get tinned mushy peas and our local IGA sell good pork pies, scotch eggs, black pudding. If you ask the local IGA for something they'll try and get it.

Thanks for that info. Paul, I will have a look in the Warwick IGA shop tomorrow, never been in there, so will give it a whirl!   Tried the local Coles and Woolworths too, but not found those things in either supermarket here.   Fingers crossed the IGA will stock them.  

6 minutes ago, Bulya said:

Pork pies are available everywhere, but not so sure about mushy peas.  

I live in Queensland, in a village not far from Warwick, not seen any pork pies but fingers crossed, soon will 

Thank you so much Cerberus1 for this information, and also the link of where to buy......just had a look at the site, and its very helpful, I've saved it as it is so useful.      Good to know where I can find these things!

Sorry if this is the wrong place to post this, but can't find a foodie place here.....does anyone on here know where we can buy mushy peas please?  or pork pies?  I love the Australian supermarkets, very well stocked, and so nicely kept, I am very impressed by the high standards and cleanliness of these shops where I live, but just wondering if the items I have mentioned are available in Oz?