[LesleyS]

Just had a rather in depth conversation with an ex pat from the UK who came today to cut the grass on our rental property ( as per our agreement with the landlord ).

This guy had lived here for 5 years and stated that is a common fact that 'Brits' are charged at least 10 per cent more for building related services than Kiwis in the majority of cases!

Has anyone else had any experience of this - the reason I ask is because we are currently looking for a local builder to build our new home and don't wish to be ripped off, or that a Kiwi builder may perceive that we can afford to pay more than anyone else because of where we come from.

Just a thought.....!

[Smiler]

Not sure whether it's confined to builders services in my experience.......

We were charged more than double for our house removal from Wellington to this house, than our kiwi landlord paid to move up to Waikato. He moved twice the distance we did and had a bigger volume of stuff. He was horrified to find out what we had paid. Shortly after that we needed something shifted from Auckland down to here and we were quoted $800 for the job. Our landlord called the same company, got a quote and arranged it all for us and it cost $139 plus GST.

There was a thread on this a long while ago and I'm sure it was Moorf (but I may be wrong sorry :() who got her neighbour to call for estimates and stuff like that.

Of course there's no way round it if you are meeting builders. But I just find it frustrating that it's perceived we've all arrived with mega $$$ to slosh all over the place.

[buzztalks]

I had some preliminary discussions with an 'estate agent' who levelled with me that it was his job to get an extra 50k out of anyone who came 'cashed up' from the UK. 50k over and above any price that the vendor was happy with.

This same agent was also happy to attempt to sell me a house which was owned by his boss. His boss being the MD of one of the major agencies in the Wellington region, who shall remain nameless, however they do have green as their corporate brand, like to put up billboards around the place saying how good they are, and their name begins with a 'T'.

work it out for yourselves.....

[Tia Maria]

Smiler wrote:

Shortly after that we needed something shifted from Auckland down to here and we were quoted $800 for the job. Our landlord called the same company, got a quote and arranged it all for us and it cost $139 plus GST.

:( That's shocking!

Cheers

Tia

[Ojai]

Do they do this with all immigrants (US, SA, AUS), or just if you're from the UK?

[Smiler]

Do they do this with all immigrants (US, SA, AUS), or just if you're from the UK?

Ojai

I'm from the UK and I have only heard it being applied to Brits. May someone from the US has had experience of this or hopefully not, as the case may be!

[zardell]

Do they do this with all immigrants (US, SA, AUS), or just if you're from the UK?



I believe it all stems from the well advertised house price increases in the UK. and also the naivety of the newcomer to NZ.

Many of our Kiwi friends in NZ thought that my OH and I were wealthy Brits because they believed that we got $3 for every £1.....I wish.

My answer to that was that although we very well may have got $2.50 for every one of our GB Pounds that if you only had £1 you therefor only had $2.50 !

At the end of the day, we like many other migrants simply released the equity from our UK property. If many of our Kiwi friends had done just that, they too would have been in our position - solvent, but homeless!

As far as getting a Kiwi friend to make phone calls for you in order to get cheaper quotes etc , I believe this to be true as it worked for me on many occasions. My best friend in NZ, a Kiwi, couldn't believe it the first time she made phone enquiries for me.

And it's not much different in Oz either....:(

Julie

xx

[sweetpea]

Happens with people from the US too. I think it's a general "fleece the foreigner" thing.*

Auto mechanics are another one to watch out for.

*Not entirely unique to NZ. :o

[zardell]

:( That's shocking!

Cheers

Tia





Yes it is.

Unfortunately its not an isolated case.

Julie

xx

[speckythecky]

Incredible. Haven't noticed it yet but have decided to add 'sweet as' at the end of all my conversations now to see if things get cheaper.

[Nathan]

Fleecing is not restricted to any particular group. It is not practiced by any particular group, nor practiced on any particular group. It just happens if you don't pay attention.

[zardell]

Incredible. Haven't noticed it yet but have decided to add 'sweet as' at the end of all my conversations now to see if things get cheaper.



Priceless!

:D

Julie

xx

[james the mechanic]

Auto mechanics are another one to watch out for.

*Not entirely unique to NZ. :o

Oh thanks:laugh

[Jo Jo]

I've noticed there seem to be about 4 different price points for products and services for:

British non-locals
British locals
Kiwis
My father-in-law


The day I moved here, I went to one of our local electrical shops to buy a fridge freezer. I asked about delivery, and was told they wouldn't be able to deliver it for a week, but if I wanted it more quickly that could be arranged for a fee. As we were chatting, I mentioned that we'd actually bought a house in the area, and would be living here full-time - as soon as the shop manager realised I was now a local, and not a bach-owner, delivery became free, but it still couldn't be done for a couple of days. At this point my husband joined me in the shop, and on hearing his NZ accent, we got a discount. Then, as we chatted more, we explained we had family in the area, and mentioned my father-in-law's name. The manager knew him, and we got a bigger discount, and the fridge-freezer was delivered a couple of hours later!

We have received similar discounts/ service when people realise who we're related to. I now always take my husband with me shopping, and try to mention my father-in-law whenever possible. (That makes it sound as if my FIL is some sort of mafia don - he's not; he's just pretty well known and respected in our area.)

[nickydwuk]

We have received similar discounts/ service when people realise who we're related to. ............. , and try to mention my father-in-law whenever possible. (That makes it sound as if my FIL is some sort of mafia don - he's not; he's just pretty well known and respected in our area.)

Can we all 'borrow' him?

[ourquest]

There was a thread a while back on "whether you have mastered the kiwi accent" which as you can imagine got mixed responses from those who feel that would just be false and others who were up for the challenge.

Now thet the funincial binefuts hev bin documinted, maybe ut's wirth a rethunk (end thet) for those orugunelly opposed to ut!

Look, it's obviously that or become/borrow/pretend to have a famous father-in-law.:)

[Jo Jo]

Can we all 'borrow' him?

Ha ha, yes! Maybe I could rent him out.

[clg]

This is a tricky one. I can't say for sure it has happened to us or not but if it ever did it was with a tire we bought that seemed to be far too expensive. But then a few months later we had a flat and they fixed it for free so who knows. We did not shop around and my wife bought it though. She once had some mechanic in the states try and charge her for something totally unnecessary and when I confronted him about it he dropped it so it does happen at 'home' too.

We did a fairly big remodel and I knew a couple of people also doing remodels at the time (both kiwis) and we ended up getting better prices on some appliances then they did. But, I like to haggle on things which goes on a lot here so I am in my element.

I think if you shop around a bit you get a fairly good idea what is legit or not. If it is not a good deal, go elsewhere don't reward bad behaviour!

[urban78]

We have received similar discounts/ service when people realise who we're related to. I now always take my husband with me shopping, and try to mention my father-in-law whenever possible. (That makes it sound as if my FIL is some sort of mafia don - he's not; he's just pretty well known and respected in our area.)

That definitely does happen here, it pays to know people who know other people!

My OH's sister is married to a pretty well known person here (a NZ boxer). When looking round for cars a few months after arriving in Auckland, we went to see a dealership who gave us a reasonable quote for a car we quite liked but we were in a hurry so told the guy we'd come back in the morning. The next day, back to the dealership with OH's sister's 4x4 (with the company logo showing her husband's name on it)...the same guy saw it and we started casually chatting about the brother in law, and he quoted the price with a substantial rebate :roll

We decided not to buy the car there though, found better elsewhere :laugh

Jen :)

[wiki]

If anyone needs to a phone quote and doesn't have a workmate or neighbour they are close enough to to ask, then send me a PM - apparently I've now lost the "English" accent I came back with.

Now I just sound "a little formal" but I can still fake a proper Kiwi "jawless" delivery if I concentrate :D

[Smiler]

If anyone needs to a phone quote and doesn't have a workmate or neighbour they are close enough to to ask, then send me a PM - apparently I've now lost the "English" accent I came back with.

Now I just sound "a little formal" but I can still fake a proper Kiwi "jawless" delivery if I concentrate :D

That's a kind offer thank you! :yes

Be prepared for a flood in your PM messages ;)

[Moorf]

If anyone needs to a phone quote and doesn't have a workmate or neighbour they are close enough to to ask, then send me a PM - apparently I've now lost the "English" accent I came back with.

Now I just sound "a little formal" but I can still fake a proper Kiwi "jawless" delivery if I concentrate :D

*scribbling long list* :p

[wiki]

That's a kind offer thank you! :yes

Be prepared for a flood in your PM messages ;)

It's the ESFP - journalist, actress or fashion designer - personality type.

When it comes to a phone call I can bullsh*t as either a journalist or an actress.

However, if anyone needs me for a face-to-face consultation with a tradesperson, they'll need to pay my airfare, and from Southland it may just be cheaper to be ripped off! :exit

[Smiler]

It's the ESFP - journalist, actress or fashion designer - personality type.

When it comes to a phone call I can bullsh*t as either a journalist or an actress.

However, if anyone needs me for a face-to-face consultation with a tradesperson, they'll need to pay my airfare, and from Southland it may just be cheaper to be ripped off! :exit

I dunno, if I can get you on one of those grabaseat deals......... ;) or you'll be like the fairy on the 'selling your house' thread, passed from pillar to post in a jiffy bag....:laugh