Raychelsb

Thanks everyone! I will have a look at your recommendations.

Hey All Any advice on best Pet Insurance companies here? I used Petplan in UK because they paid 100% of the bills (minus excess) and straight to the vet too, but don't think I will be that spoilt here! Heard good things about PIA, any other recommendations? Thanks as always

Hi All My retired inlaws would like to start coming over for a few months each year, and tour around the place for a few weeks at a time, so are thinking of buying either a motorhome, or car and trailer tent which we would store at our house here. My question is, would thevehicles have to be registered and insured in our names, or could they be in their names with our address on the policies? I am reluctant to have more vehicles registered in our names, well insured anyway, because if anything was to happen when they are driving the motorhome or car, I presume it would affect our insurance on our own vehicles? We were thinking if they bought a relatively cheap car that they only use when they are here, we could just have it rego'd in our names, and they could top up the insurance in their name when they are out?? Has anyone any experience of this? Thanks as always for your help and advice.

I've gotten used to th bacon, and don't like the English style bacon here. Hate the sausages too, and I've spent a lot of money on a lot of different ones lol! And agree the chicken is terrible, not a patch on an organic chicken from the UK with the yellow tinge. But, the pork, lamb and beef are all delicious! And two years in, we are used to missing lots of things from the UK, but wouldn't swap places for anything Ps, being a northerner, I also miss a good pork pie

Hi, we bought an old house last year, and hardly had any deposit, 5% in fact, and the LMI was loaded onto our mortgage. I can PM you the bank, not sure if I am allowed to state it on here? It's one of the big ones. Two other big ones didn't want to know us, including one we actually bank with. Building was of no interest to us, we wanted a big old house to renovate, and the bank helped us with that dream.

Thanks guys!

So I've just bought some tickets to go to the KFC Big Bash in November with my cricket fan family who are visiting with kids from the UK. Has anyone been? How is the travel to and from the WACA? I'm thinking it's going to be a nightmare getting back to Mandurah on the train, or do they put extra ones on? Looking forward to it, looks like a good family evening out though. Thanks!

We too have spent a fair bit of money on food places as we like to eat out too and have found that a lot of the money has been a waste! But here's a list of places we like, and have enjoyed more than once. Cobblers in Halls Head - a more upmarket pub/trendy bar and restaurant and very good food. Irish Bar in Mandurah - family friendly and honest pub grub. Golden Tandoori for our favourite curry place, Oyster Bar - both on Dolphin Quays in Mandurah. Catch 22 Tapas bar in Mandurah - I love their tapas menu and pizzas. Ravenswood Tavern - easy pub food, generous portions and usually tasty. We are yet to try Salt Bistro in Mandurah but it has good reputation. A few people I work with go on about a Mexican in Safety Bay that's really good and family friendly too. We like the Italian in Rockingham just set back from the foreshore called Three Wishes.

Hi Derek my husband is a carpenter here (joiner in the uk lol) and got his job by just sending in his CV to lots of maintenance and building companies by email. He got lucky that one company needed someone for a few months and they then kept him on perm, he's been there almost two years. They are definately seeing a slow down in work but have enough to keep them tickin over. So our advice would be to google firms and send you cvs off. Also, worth asking in your local building supplies shops. We bought some bathroom stuff from a sink and bathroom place, got chatting to the owner who is English and she said the firm they use to install bathrooms are always looking for good joiners. good luck, hope you find something soon

Finally found a helpful local solicitor who only asks for a gold cold donation

Oh my goodness I know, it should be a simple process and they are just making science out of it! I honestly think it would be cheaper and less hassle to fly home haha!

HI All I am getting conflicting advice elsewhere so decided to consult the oracle of you guys for some help please. We are in the final stages of our UK house sale, and our solicitor in the UK has asked for a certified copy of our passports for money laundering laws. They have said it HAS to be a solicitor or lawyer over here that does it, not just anyone that can certify such as JP or Police etc. I have emailed several solicitors in Mandurah to ask if they offer this and the cost. A few have come back to say they either don't do it or that they would need to offer us advice and consult with our UK solicitor at a cost of $100 (per document!) Then we have been asked if we are sure we don't need a Notary Public to certify them..... This is driving me mad, I thought it would be an easy (and cheaper) process to take in 2 colour copies and our passports, check it is in fact me and my husband, sign and certify..... Has anyone else gone through this process? Thankyou as always

Thanks Druid and Walkabout, really helpful posts for me, much appreciated.

Hey there Bean, yes we are very settled here thankyou. It's taken a while for me, I was very unsettled for the first 9 - 12 months and it's really only been the last few months that I have felt at home - changing jobs 6 months ago and making friends, plus buying our own place here has played a big part in it all. Good luck to you, hopefully we can meet up soon when you get out here xx

I posted a similar thread last week, didn't get any replies so hopefully you will have more luck, and I may learn something too My main concern is insurance for an empty property which seems expensive and not many place offer it. Plus we will be paying council tax for a unused house! We will also have to pay capital gains tax, as we own a house here too. And we too declare everything on our tax returns here in Aus as we have PR. Good luck with the whole process. Ours goes up for sale next week when our tenants move out and I am dreading the whole stressful process.