Shipping...indecisive

[marynyho]

Any advice will be greatly appreciated by anybody!

 

OK, so I have flights booked with Singapore Airlines for January, I have temporary accommodation sorted-ish, I have decided to use John Masons for shipping but her is where the dilemma begins. I don't have permanent accommodation sorted yet in Melbourne and was hoping to have that sorted in the first month that I'm there (too optimistic?), I will be with my 5 year old, but I'm unsure of when to get the movers in to pack. Should I get my household items/belongings shipped a month before I leave (i.e. December 2014) so that I am without for around 2 months, or a couple of weeks before my impending move, so that I could be without for up to 3 months? John Mason have said that shipping is around 12-14 weeks realistically and they can offer 4 weeks of free storage in Melbourne.

 

Firstly, I suppose, how realistic am I being in assuming that I'll find accommodation within the first month of arriving in Melbourne? I secured my temporary accommodation via airbnb, so I'm actually renting a room for a month as opposed to a home. I tried to find a property but unfortunately finances dictate that this wasn't a viable option! I hear that estate agents generally won't touch you unless you're physically in the country.

 

So, when would you recommend that I ship? Please help.

[tina0101]

We shipped 3 weeks before we left (we flew 26/8). Because we had a shared container, our stuff didn't leave the UK for a while and is due to arrive in Brisbane at the end of October. I know others that have shipped well in advance. We didn't ship much big stuff, just our sofas and one bed so we have bought most thinsgs new out here. We are all sat on

a sofa bed at the mo until our sofas arrive!!

 

We gave the company our address for our initial holiday home and now we are in our 6month rental, have just rung them to update it - no problems!!

 

We we secured a rental and moved in within 10 days of getting here - we hammered it one weekend and saw loads of properties so it was done with as soon as poss

[Guest]

On both our outward and return trips we sent our belongings ahead of us - the question is if you do that how/where will you live for a month in the UK? If you can stay with family/friends then it's a good idea and not only means you have your things at the other end sooner but it gives you a month to tie to all the loose ends in the UK - utility bills etc.

 

A month SHOULD be long enough to find a rental - the market moves much quicker than in the UK, we took a furnished holiday let for two months and it was unnecessary - we moved over on 23rd November so we were worried about being out on the streets at Christmas if we hadn't found somewhere in a month and no room at the inn

 

The thing is even if you ship a month beforehand and have an Airbnb place for a month, you will be moving in somewhere without your belongings - lots of people do but it means a bit of outlay on some basics - you will need something to sleep on, some crockery, utensils etc. It can sometimes be more cost effective not to ship certain things and just buy new - places like Super A-mart do some incredible value packages http://www.superamart.com.au/packages/house/ - the quality probably isn't that great but it's an option.

 

It also means if you keep essentials in the UK you can ship what you are shipping even sooner - for example we didn't ship our double mattress so at the other end we bought a new one which we could use to sleep on until the bed arrived. We did beg, steal and borrow stuff in the UK to use in the month before we left - it was easier it this end where we had lots of friends rather than the Australian end where we only had a couple.

[marynyho]

Oh wow, thank you both Tina0101 and Lady Rainicorn for your advice. That does clarify a few things in my head. I have to give 4 weeks notice period on my current home, so maybe I should ship the week I hand in my notice on this place. I am shipping things like washer, bed, desks, sofas etc as I was told by the removal agent that these things may be quite expensive. I was going to ship my mattress too, but maybe I should do what Lady Rainicorn did and buy a mattress when I have my potential home! I have one bedroom worth of stuff that I won't be shipping so I have use of that bed and the cooker and freezer, I was told not to ship cooker and freezer!

 

The airbnb place in Australia comes with basics such as bedroom, kitchen and wash facilities. At this end I would have my home for a month and if I do have to move out, I will stay with family.

 

My main concern is being able to afford a place to live in Melbourne as money is tight, and on these forums it says that people are stumping up 6 months rent in advance, which is out of my budget. I'm trying to secure a job, but this has also proven to be quite difficult!

 

Tina0101 how did you manage to find a place within 10 days? Did you go out to Australia knowing where you wanted to be already? Same question for Lady Rainicorn. I will be coming out as a single parent, with no initial support network, so this is also a concern. Any advice?

 

Thanks

[Guest]

Our situation was a bit more favourable as we both had jobs to move out to (we were sponsored) and we had also sold a house in the UK so our bank balance was very healthy. The owner of the holiday let was wonderful too and gave us a 'landlords' reference so it was really just a case of finding a place we liked, saying we'd have it and paying the deposit. I would ask your Airbnb host for a reference that could help - without a job though or a bank balance that shows 6 months rent (even if you don't pay it up front) you may struggle (sorry!)

 

Just realised it sounds as if you are renting now - that really will help, get a reference from the landlord and/or letting agency. Get copies of bank statements showing the rent being paid each month too. Assuming you are working now, get employers references as well. When you apply for a rental, attach copies of these to the application. if you have anyone in Australia that can provide you with a personal reference (someone they can ring up) then that will hep too.

 

We had been out on a reccie and done a lot of research on schools (we had a 5 year old too!) so once we had a school place agreed it was just a case of being within a reasonable distance of the school and with access to a train station for commuting to work, we didn't agonise over it too much!

[marynyho]

Thanks for for your honesty. Do they want to see a balance in AUD? How much would you say I would need in the bank, just for the sake of argument? I know that people have said you should have around $10,000 that could last 6 months, is that correct in your opinion?

 

Our situation was a bit more favourable as we both had jobs to move out to (we were sponsored) and we had also sold a house in the UK so our bank balance was very healthy. The owner of the holiday let was wonderful too and gave us a 'landlords' reference so it was really just a case of finding a place we liked, saying we'd have it and paying the deposit. I would ask your Airbnb host for a reference that could help - without a job though or a bank balance that shows 6 months rent (even if you don't pay it up front) you may struggle (sorry!)

 

Just realised it sounds as if you are renting now - that really will help, get a reference from the landlord and/or letting agency. Get copies of bank statements showing the rent being paid each month too. Assuming you are working now, get employers references as well. When you apply for a rental, attach copies of these to the application. if you have anyone in Australia that can provide you with a personal reference (someone they can ring up) then that will hep too.

 

We had been out on a reccie and done a lot of research on schools (we had a 5 year old too!) so once we had a school place agreed it was just a case of being within a reasonable distance of the school and with access to a train station for commuting to work, we didn't agonise over it too much!

[marynyho]

Yes I've been renting since I left home and have been working. I have employers references relating to my job, but I didn't know if that would be accepted by estate agents. I am trying to secure a reference from my landlord but they are saying that they can't provide me with one but will respond to reference requests from my potential landlord in Australia? I don't understand why though so I am looking into this more. Yes I have statements that relate to my rent payments and standing orders that are set up.

[Guest]

Thanks for for your honesty. Do they want to see a balance in AUD? How much would you say I would need in the bank, just for the sake of argument? I know that people have said you should have around $10,000 that could last 6 months, is that correct in your opinion?

 

I don't know that anyone would actually ASK to see your balance, however what we did was provide a 'Balance Enquiry' statement from our Australian bank (which they certified) showing the balance (but no other personal details).

 

They will ask for details of your current employer - we were able to provide that but since we hadn't started work, I also added the references we had got for our visa (I have no idea if they helped, but they were good 'character' references). Basically we provided anything that made it easy for the letting agent to see we were decent folk!

 

I would say 6 months 'living expenses' in the bank would certainly help - I can't really say whether $10k would be enough, a lot depends on the rent in the area you're looking - our last rental was $550 a week which on it's own is over $10k.

 

I would suggest you get a job, ANY job in the first month and that will really help secure the rental. I assume you are going over as PR so you will get family assistance and child care benefits even if your first job isn't too well paid.

[marynyho]

Yeah I have a PR visa that is based on my skill (qualified secondary teacher), I am willing to take any job if my profession is in short supply. I didn't realise I could apply for any form of benefit or child care benefit. The visa bureau didn't say! I thought I'd have to earn a living based on my profession. Are jobs relatively easy to come by? Tbh, I've never been to Australia but it's always somewhere I'd say I'd move to. So literally it is a leap of faith. I'm thinking of east, south east Melbourne but I will go wherever there is work as long as my son is educated in a good school. Tbh I his schooling can't be any worse than where he goes currently . Thank you btw. You've been a great help.

 

I don't know that anyone would actually ASK to see your balance, however what we did was provide a 'Balance Enquiry' statement from our Australian bank (which they certified) showing the balance (but no other personal details).

 

They will ask for details of your current employer - we were able to provide that but since we hadn't started work, I also added the references we had got for our visa (I have no idea if they helped, but they were good 'character' references). Basically we provided anything that made it easy for the letting agent to see we were decent folk!

 

I would say 6 months 'living expenses' in the bank would certainly help - I can't really say whether $10k would be enough, a lot depends on the rent in the area you're looking - our last rental was $550 a week which on it's own is over $10k.

 

I would suggest you get a job, ANY job in the first month and that will really help secure the rental. I assume you are going over as PR so you will get family assistance and child care benefits even if your first job isn't too well paid.

[Guest]

Yeah I have a PR visa that is based on my skill (qualified secondary teacher), I am willing to take any job if my profession is in short supply. I didn't realise I could apply for any form of benefit or child care benefit. The visa bureau didn't say! I thought I'd have to earn a living based on my profession. Are jobs relatively easy to come by? Tbh, I've never been to Australia but it's always somewhere I'd say I'd move to. So literally it is a leap of faith. I'm thinking of east, south east Melbourne but I will go wherever there is work as long as my son is educated in a good school. Tbh I his schooling can't be any worse than where he goes currently . Thank you btw. You've been a great help.

 

If you are on an independent visa you can take any job, not sure on state sponsored but even then I believe so. No idea whether teaching jobs are easy to come by - there are quite a few teachers on here, perhaps reach out to them with a specific post on teaching. What I do know is teachers are needed in regional areas....but that's an even bigger leap of faith! I think in WA at least it is hard to get a permanent teaching job in a public funded school without 'serving your time' in a regional school first but there are always supply and temp posts you could take to get a foot in the door.

[marynyho]

Yes I'm on an independent (189) visa. I've signed up to many agencies but still no luck. I think I have to go private/faith first to get my foot in the door. What is it that you do? Have you always wanted to move to Oz?

 

If you are on an independent visa you can take any job, not sure on state sponsored but even then I believe so. No idea whether teaching jobs are easy to come by - there are quite a few teachers on here, perhaps reach out to them with a specific post on teaching. What I do know is teachers are needed in regional areas....but that's an even bigger leap of faith! I think in WA at least it is hard to get a permanent teaching job in a public funded school without 'serving your time' in a regional school first but there are always supply and temp posts you could take to get a foot in the door.

[tina0101]

We're in Wellington Point, just outside Brisbane. We came out not knowing anyone either - a scary prospect!!

To secure our rental, we offered 6 months rent upfront and our healthy bank balance (had lots in the bank from our UK house sale).

 

in regards to getting a job, my husband is also a teacher and applied for quite a few from the UK with no luck. His applications were very strong, but they just weren't interested as he wasn't in Australia yet - why give a job to someone who isn't even there yet? I know it's unfair but who knows what may happen to stop you getting on that plane.

 

When end we arrived, he had an interview 2 days after landing and got the job!!

Make sure you're signed up to Smart Teachers and ANZUK. Have you registered with the state yet to teach??

 

Tina

[marynyho]

Yes I've got my provisional status from the state I'll be moving to. I'm signed up with quite a few agencies. Are you enjoying living in Brisbane? Are you glad you made the move?

 

We're in Wellington Point, just outside Brisbane. We came out not knowing anyone either - a scary prospect!!

To secure our rental, we offered 6 months rent upfront and our healthy bank balance (had lots in the bank from our UK house sale).

 

in regards to getting a job, my husband is also a teacher and applied for quite a few from the UK with no luck. His applications were very strong, but they just weren't interested as he wasn't in Australia yet - why give a job to someone who isn't even there yet? I know it's unfair but who knows what may happen to stop you getting on that plane.

 

When end we arrived, he had an interview 2 days after landing and got the job!!

Make sure you're signed up to Smart Teachers and ANZUK. Have you registered with the state yet to teach??

 

Tina

[marynyho]

What at does your husband teach? Was it through an agency that he got his job?

 

When end we arrived, he had an interview 2 days after landing and got the job!!

Make sure you're signed up to Smart Teachers and ANZUK. Have you registered with the state yet to teach??

 

Tina

[tina0101]

It was at a school an old UK friend works at. My husband's a History teacher and a job as HoD Pedagogy came up there. He applied, interviewed and got it. When we'd been in the UK he'd applied for another job there and not got it.

He'll be doing some supply work there next term as his contract doesn't actually start til January.

 

We we are loving Brisbane. We are about 30 mins drive away on the coast. Wish we'd done this years ago!! I'm outdoors more as it's not grey and rainy like the UK. I've walked more miles here than I would in the UK in a year!!