[Pookeko]

I'm leaving NZ!

Well just temporarily :p
I have to go back to the Midlands to sort out a house we're letting where the tenancy has gone horribly wrong (or more to the point the letting agents). Letting agents!!! RRAAARRRGGHHH!! :mad: :mad:

I didn't expect to have to go back this soon and it's a sure sign it's the right time for me to go over because the exchange rate is dropping NZ->UK :roll

I get to see my bestbuddies though, so every cloud... =)

Thank you for the vent-space =) and this post in no way trivialises the heart-felt and generously shared threads that are posted on the topic of those who have come to NZ and left again.

After being here for 3 months now (as a returning Kiwi) although I do love Wellington and love being near my family, I feel homesick for the life we made for ourselves in England for 7 years. I still can't see us living here in NZ forever. Maybe this trip to England will offer some insights? (Yes, like I really DO miss my balti curries too much =D )

[BaldyBeardyBloke]

Here's hoping all works out well for you.

[incredible hulse]

mmmm ... stoney lane balti

[Tia Maria]

Its interesting hearing about it from a returning Kiwi perspective, it will be interesting to see what you make of it all....

Are you going back for long?

Cheers

Tia

PS If you haven't already you might want to add your vote to the 'Emergency trips back poll':

www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=16871

[Pookeko]

Thank you =)

And I have now voted in the poll too, Tia Maria. =)



...Letting agents!!! :mad: They're no better here either :uhoh (being on the tenant side of things over here)... <grumble grumble>...

[Rabbit]

We are going back to our home in the UK next week after two years and are a little worried, as we know there are some issues and the rental agent has been less than helpful. I do not think I would rent out the UK house again.

UK rental agents seem very amateur and reactive compared to their proactive NZ counterparts.

In two years, we have received few reports, other than problems that need to be fixed.

e.g. Iron burn on carpet, did the outgoing tennant pay towards it no.

- Tennant lets bath overflow and damages ceiling (500 quid to fix) - did the tennant pay - no, blamed on plumbing leak.

- Puppy dog chews banistar rail, does the tennant pay, no, after 10 years blamed on a failed knot in the wood.

- was the garden maintained, e.g. grass trimming and trees, only the grass.

We will find out the rest once we are back.

With Ministers suggesting a 10% peoperty fall it is not a good time to sell.

I worked out the received rent only represents a 1.5% return on the capital value, so renting out is not a good deal.

Rabbit

[CJ22]

Agencies in the UK generally don't do anything that doesn't directly effect their income. Agencies suck.

[Paul]

We are going back to our home in the UK next week after two years and are a little worried, as we know there are some issues and the rental agent has been less than helpful. I do not think I would rent out the UK house again.

UK rental agents seem very amateur and reactive compared to their proactive NZ counterparts.

In two years, we have received few reports, other than problems that need to be fixed.

e.g. Iron burn on carpet, did the outgoing tennant pay towards it no.

- Tennant lets bath overflow and damages ceiling (500 quid to fix) - did the tennant pay - no, blamed on plumbing leak.

- Puppy dog chews banistar rail, does the tennant pay, no, after 10 years blamed on a failed knot in the wood.

- was the garden maintained, e.g. grass trimming and trees, only the grass.

We will find out the rest once we are back.

With Ministers suggesting a 10% peoperty fall it is not a good time to sell.

I worked out the received rent only represents a 1.5% return on the capital value, so renting out is not a good deal.

Rabbit

If you are getting 1.5% returns sounds like the perfect time to sell....? Stick the capital in a bank and earn 6% + in the Uk or more in NZ presumably? Buy again in a couple of years when market has settled

[Familyofmonkeys]

Slightly OT but I noticed the commetn about missing a good curry. Yeas, they are less than excellent here. I have tried cooking my own several times, by guess work, and right royally screwed it up. The I pulled out the book Classic Indian Vegetarian Cookery - Julie Sahni...OMG! I'd been doing it all wrong. Preperation, timing, and adding things in the right order in the right amounts makes a HUGE difference.

Get a good cook book. My palette has been brought back from the dead.

[peebles16]

Oh do love a good curry and have a fair few recipes but any ideas on ones to feed the kids but still tasty for the grown ups FOM?

Karenx

P.S. Sorry total thread hijack wil go and look for cooking thread now :)

[Familyofmonkeys]

Oh do love a good curry and have a fair few recipes but any ideas on ones to feed the kids but still tasty for the grown ups FOM?

Karenx

P.S. Sorry total thread hijack wil go and look for cooking thread now :)

Just spotted OH been busy posting stuff last night. He made us a tasty curry few weeks ago...will ask him which recipe tonight and can post/PM if you like?

[peebles16]

Yes please OH getting bit bored of of my bland cooking at the minute :) Long story but our boys were bit fussy with food in the UK and now improving cos we all sit down for dinner together here in NZ would be nice to vary things a bit :yes

Cheers
Karenx

[Pookeko]

We are going back to our home in the UK next week after two years and are a little worried, as we know there are some issues and the rental agent has been less than helpful. I do not think I would rent out the UK house again.

UK rental agents seem very amateur and reactive compared to their proactive NZ counterparts.

In two years, we have received few reports, other than problems that need to be fixed.

e.g. Iron burn on carpet, did the outgoing tennant pay towards it no.

- Tennant lets bath overflow and damages ceiling (500 quid to fix) - did the tennant pay - no, blamed on plumbing leak.

- Puppy dog chews banistar rail, does the tennant pay, no, after 10 years blamed on a failed knot in the wood.

- was the garden maintained, e.g. grass trimming and trees, only the grass.

We will find out the rest once we are back.

With Ministers suggesting a 10% peoperty fall it is not a good time to sell.

I worked out the received rent only represents a 1.5% return on the capital value, so renting out is not a good deal.

Rabbit

Sorry to hear about that Rabbit! Have a safe journey to the UK and I hope it won't be bad when you get there.

I agree about the rental agents in the UK. However we also let our property in NZ when we initially left for the UK and we found them pretty much the same really. No communication and I came back on holiday to NZ and had a quick look around the house while I was back and there was a massive hole in the side of the garage no one had mentioned!

I don't agree with the general view that it's a bad time to sell. Perhaps I haven't thought this through properly but if you sell now and property prices are falling, what you buy will have fallen as well if not more proportionally (depending on how long you leave it). If you sell in a rising market, what you buy will have risen further - unless you've bought before you've sold.
Looking at the NZ property market, it's certainly a bad time to sell a house with any (slight or not) problems though. It'll take a lot longer to sell for sure.
Anyway, just my 2c/0.8p :p

---

Please post any curry recipes :nice1 :D

I have my trip all planned - fly in from Manchester, drive to West Mids, inspect house, walk around corner, enter restaurant, order full works balti buffet (and possible copious orders of beer to drown sorrows).