Lizaberry

Thanks Am-Loolah! Karma received though I think I need a bucket full right now. My daughter is sat watching Peppa Pig so I am seizing the opportunity to get stuck into 'the' letter of dissatisfaction. I hope you're friends are seriously considering handing over their hard earned $'s. That is what we reckon our bill would've soared to if we had stayed with the agent, for sure. My OH is adamant he is not paying anymore until we see justification for the work they have done. Much of what they have already produced was taken from the information we gave them so that they could produce the full check assessment, and probably a master document that they just tweak. What a rip-off. I hope they can sleep at night. How long have you lived in NZ? Any regrets or would you recommend the life? What with the recesseion biting and the knock-on effect it is having on my husband's trade, NZ seems out of reach at the moment. With this bill hanging over us as well, we just seemed to have taken 1/2 a dozen steps backwards to where I thought we were a few weeks ago. Where in NZ do you live? We hoping to get to the North Island - anyway along the North/East coast would be nice, close to the boat yards and ports. All this worry is making me feel physically sick, well at least I think it is cos I keep getting waves of nausea passing over me (I know it's nothing else, if you catch my drift! LOL!). Speak soon, L

Am Loolah

Funnily enough our friends (well friends of friends who've we've met) have asked for a breakdown of the $4000 the agent wants now - having only given them the paperwork to complete themselves. He's not been forthcoming as yet.

I'm sorry, I don't know what your husband's trade is? You'll have to fill me in.

Even without this hiccup, much of the immigration process feels like you describe. And it is a huge waiting game, with what can feel like your life in immigration's hands. Patience really is a virtue with immigrating - but IMO it's well worth it.

We have been here just over 2 years. Very different story to me as I married a Kiwi - so pretty straightforward for me - but still expensive. Thankfully I only had to fork out for the 4 kids' citizenship by descent and Kiwi passports otherwise it could well have broken the bank!

We live NI North/East coast funnily enough. We are in Papamoa which is a beachside "suburb" of Tauranga in the Bay of Plenty. And we love it!

My advise would be get your letter done and sent off (personally I'd also write a separate one full of expletives and saying what I REALLY think of them but not send it! But don't get the 2 confused and send the wrong one ... ) Then wait and see. BUT, whilst you keep waiting try very hard to focus on other things - preferably getting here. You can only do so much that you are in control of, try not to stress too much about the things you can NOT control. You will need all your energy to complete your own paperwork and then tick off all the things on the never ending to do list!

Oh, and drink lots of Bolly/wine ... always helps!

Lizaberry

Hi again. Yeh, OH is a boat builder, highly skilled. Only has 60 points as no recognition for in house apprenticeship even though it was for 4 years, so he needs a job offer to even proceed to lodge EOI. We don't really want to be there until June/July 2010 so that our 3 older children finish their next academic year before moving them (we have older boy who will be going into y11 in Sept 2009, but he won't have exams to take as he is in a special school, so no GCSE's to worry about, though it would be nice if he could just complete his mandatory schooling). He will be 16 in June 2010. To apply for work now in light of the economic climate almost seems a little premature, though he submitted an application a few days ago just to see what happens - a job he'd love to do as it would require him to take on leadership duties too. He is currently self employed here in the UK so is well motivated and all that. Don't really want to go down the WTR route and would much prefer to apply for PR right from the start. Oh well, better get back to writing this darn letter. Thx for your kind works. Have given you some Karma too! L

Lizaberry

OK, so I am getting to the end of my letter now - not sure if it will hit the mark but just want them to know that we won't be walked all over. I will send a copy to the accounts team/compliance department and see what happens. Any last words of advice before I sign it off as 'job done'. Ta, L

Persephone

Go get 'em girl

Lizaberry

Thx Sue. Just feel a bit nervous about it all and wonder whether they will rip my letter apart and decline our request to review their final invoice. I just want this misery to end so we can once again begin to concentrate on happier things, like contacting employers for work, etc. In your opinion, is it too soon to be applying to employers if it is our dream to be there next June/July time. It seems such a long way off and naturally we don't want to mess an employer about. Just wanna get this whole process going and this would be the key ... Would love to hear from anyone who could tell me of their experiences in getting work so far ahead and when lodging the EOI depends on it. Speak soon, L

Persephone

It's hard to say, certainly in my profession I assumed they wouldn't wait that long. But that is it, I assumed, I don't know for certain. My job usually entails working in small businesses and my guess would be that they wouldn't want to be obliged to someone who could only start in a years time when they need someone now. When I got my job offer I was in NZ and I said that I couldn't start for 4months and they just accepted that. They had been advertising and I sent my letter and CV after the closing date not knowing whether the position had been filled or not- guessing they got no applicants
So I suppose what you could do is send off a letter and CV to any potential employers now stating your plans and asking them whether they would consider offering a job this far in advance. Also mention your plans in terms of getting visas and so on. You won't be messing them around if you explain when you can immigrate and also explain how serious you are. They may well just say they'll keep you in mind for nearer the time or not answer at all but at least they have your name and CV and you never know. Even if nothing comes of it , it can't do any harm.
Stay strong and get that letter sent off. Even if they refuse to refund you it sounds like it will still be cheaper to just write it off and apply yourselves:curse:
Good luck, let us know how you get on
Sue x

deb_steve

Having read the horror stories regarding Agents and the positive feed back as regards the DIY visa route, I think we will have a go at doing it ourselves. After all its only us who can have the medical, police checks and fill the forms in.

The police check forms are filled in and will be sent off over the weekend, we have decided the WTR is the one for us to go for and we filled the forms in last night.

Fingers crossed it will all go to plan, thanks for your advise it is this what has made me feel we can do this ourselves.

Be on the alert for more questions flying your way and a few more rants from yours truly.

Lizaberry

OK guys, the deed has been done! I have sent the letter and now we are just sat waiting .. In fact, whilst I have been sat here writing this I have had an acknowledgement from one of the people I sent a 'cc' to. I will certainly keep you posted. We went for the jugular and have suggested that we think they should give us a full refund so we shall see! Thanks for listening .. watch this space.

weejie

Go get 'em girl,bet you feel better now even if it does not have the outcome you want

Phyl x

Lizaberry

Yeh, I guess. Will be nice to get on with something else during the day. Am a SAH mum at the moment so have been able to put my time to this but it's been a bit of a drag, and a bit stop/start'ish. It was good to walk away from it so that I could mull over what I had written already and other things I wanted to say. Just hope it all turns out ok. I guess the stress will be a good grounding for what's to come. I will just be obsessing over waiting for that email now with the outcome. As you said, Not long now for you, eh? Only about 7 weeks! How are your plans coming along? Do you have a house to sell? Best of luck, L

Lizaberry

Not much news here, still waiting for any kind of formal response from MB following the email/letter we sent them last Thursday evening (UK time). Had a response to say 'thanks, we'll be looking into it' and that's all. We have cheekily asked them for all of our money back. Well, we might as well go for what we want. Gotta have somewhere to negotiate from. Will let you know as and when I hear something. Just can't stick this waiting figuring they're just gonna laugh their socks off at our accusations and demands!

Lizaberry

OK, so news just in, we have had an email from the compliance officer. We never expected them to come out admitting that they were wrong but we had hoped to get our money back. After reviewing our case, she feels that there is nothing out of the ordinary but as a gesture of goodwill they have decided to clear the slate, so that we don't have to pay the invoice for £572 after all (phew!). What this means is that whilst we have lost the £950 deposit we paid them, we are at least free of them and can look forward to saving money when we eventually get to do the process ourselves. It has been a harsh but valuable lesson learnt. We managed to cut our losses, though losing nearly £1000 pretty much overnight, is not to be advised. It's currently sitting on our credit card statement at the moment though no payment is due until mid June so we have a bit of time. Just wanted to say thank you to all of you who gave their support and encouragement - as a newbie, it meant a lot.

Thanks again, Lizaberry

P2L

I'd have another go Lizaberry

They are seeing what they can get away with at the moment. I would still INSIST on the breakdown of your invoices and what the deposit covered. The law is on your side ( and if that fails, we'll send the BOYS round )

Good Luck

BEVS

I concur with that. I also think they are seeing what they can get away with. Bloomin' sauce.