Mike-T

G'day all

First time poster here. Just found out about this site after living in the Antipodes for 15 years.

Well, I have lived in Auckland for 7.5 years, and I have now lived in Perth for 7.5 years. I am married with 3 boys who are now 17, 14 and 12. We are now in a position where we could comfortably return to UK and be mortgage free. And it is very, very tempting. Currently in Perth, we have a huge mortgage, which we can easily afford to make the payments, but to be mortgage free is very appealing.

We have had 3 trips to UK as a family since we emigrated and each time we loved it and did not want to leave, (despite being told by friends that a trip "home" would make us realise how lucky we are living down here) but financially it was impossible to return home.

But now, we could easily do it. We are from Manchester, but don't intend returning there. I have been doing a fair bit of research on Norfolk/Suffolk. It sounds like a great place to live (never been there). Property prices seem very reasonable, kids seem to do well at school and crime rates are low compared to the national average. But, we don't know anybody in this area. Are we mad?

I have a successful business here in Perth. I work 6 hours a day Mon-Fri, no weekends, life is pretty good. But, I am becoming more and more English in my old age. England really is calling me home and the urge to return is getting stronger.

It'd be great to hear from anyone who has returned to UK (good and bad stories.)

So, are we mad, or shall we do it?

Reaver

Why spoil it?

Im 36 now, and the older I get the stronger the urge to leave the UK gets. Working hours here are some of the longest, some of the smallest houses compared to other civilized countries, we have a real immigration problem because the restrictions that other countries impose, simply arent in place here. The country is going to the dogs. The political parties are systematically destroying the country trying to outdo each other, and you cant even get a simple job in a pub or a fast food joint without a CV and several references. When I get my degree I will have to work my bollocks off just to get a mediocre wage. Any civilized country would be a considerably better choice than dear old blighty. Is it worth risking losing all that you have achieved because you feel the call of home? IMO, no it isnt, but thats just me.

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OxOz

Could you afford to buy a small holiday place in Norfolk / Suffolk and make a couple of trips back each year?

Or come back each year for a month or so and rent somewhere there. I don't know anyone living in either county but the reality of living there is bound to be very different from the notion

Kapri

You don't need to leave the U.K - you just need to get out of Dewsbury

Reaver

As an ex forces person, I have travelled and I have lived all over, but I appreciate and agree with what your saying. I DO need to get out of Dewsbury.

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Lois1

Would you be in a position with your business and financially to come back for 3-6 months without jeopodising your life in Perth? 3 trips back in 15 years is not alot, and this country has changed considerably in 15 years!

As previously mentioned we have a real issue with lack of immigration control in the UK, students are leaving univercities with degrees etc and finding themselves working in the local pub or supermarket, vat is now at 20% and fuel is extiontionate along with road tax (to save the environment of course, as if little ole blighty could make that much difference to the worlds atmosphere! just another excuse for just another hike in taxes).

The immigration issue affects my OH's work considerably but that may not be the case with your line of business.

Its a tough decision for you, but would be a shame to give up what you have in haste.

isgraham

You haven't tried the working hours in Australia or the vast cost of housing mate. They make the UK look pretty good.

Reaver

The OP is working 6 hours a day, 5 days a week. He probably wouldnt be working that little if he moved back here. As for housing, Ive done my research as any potential migrant does, and with the exchange rate the cost of housing is only slightly more than it is here in the UK, with the substantial difference that housing is more spacious.

Average Square Footage according the www........

UK - 800
USA - 2300
NZ - 1900
Aus - 2200

(quoted from here )

Yep, you pay a bit more, but you get more space and you dont get to listen to your neighbours cough and sneeze, not unless your into that thing anyways........

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Dave Teddyboy-No1

My advice is,dont do it,we have returned to England twice now,and each time we have regretted it,its ok for a while,but you soon learn what you have given up,there is nothing wrong with you wanting to be English/British living in Australia,but think about what you are giving up,we will never do it again,it took us two times to realise this,there is nothing wrong with missing the country of your birth,i think we all get like that,but you really have to remember England is not the same country as when you left it,we realised that very quickly after we arrived,so much has changed,my home town had changed so much it was like going to another country,if you have not done so already try and make friends with other ex-pats,yes its hard being an ex-pat,but think about what your kids can do here,i have two sons who were born in Perth,and 3 born in England,now they are settled have moved out and have kids of their own,and they are happy,you may think things are expensive here,but its worst in England,the Sun newspaper is online,go and have a look,you will be able to see how much its changed for the worst,one thing i dont like about being an ex-pat here is,we dont have a national day,every other nationality gets to celebrate their national day but us,its time we had one,23rd of April is St Georges Day,we should have that,and be allowed to celebrate it,yet each year comes round and nothing is mentioned about it,other ex-pats from other countries celebrate and its on the news,look at St Patricks day,apart from that,we would not move back for all the money in the world,hope this helps,you are not alone........

TGA

I beg to differ. The aussie houses i lived in in Brisbane where about as soundproof as my pants, I could hear the bogans rowing from across the street, with windows closed.

Dave Teddyboy-No1

Most houses in Queensland are Queenslander,dont forget your in the tropics there,and the climate is a lot different,we live in Queensland a live in a Queenslander,and its not that bad,at least we dont get the riot squad turn up in full riot gear like we did back in England,as for bogans you get them in every country,in England they call them Chav`s,we have lived in 3 different state`s,Perth,Melbourn and now Queensland,so have a good idea of what its like here,we had a Brick house in Melbourne,just like houses in England,and we could hear what our neighbours were doing,and could even hear their tv..

isgraham

Well I hate to differ because 5 years in Sydney clearly means I don't know what I'm talking about but I do 7 hours per day now in London with at least 1 afternoon drinking per week and I get far more holidays than I did in Sydney also I can buy a house in London quite easily. But then I suppose you've read a couple of web sites so you know best.

Reaver

Okay a couple of points there..........

First at no point in my previous post did I quote the internet for working hours, ONLY the size of house and how that might be comparitve to rental costs.

Second, unless there's some weird arithmetic crap going on, 6 hours is still less than 7 hours regardless of which hemisphere your in.

And third, your opinion isn't any more or less valid than mine just because yours is based on experience and mine is based on web based research. Both points are equally valid, just different sides of the same coin. And sorry to OP for the slight derailment.....

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sonlymewalter

Its all about choice and where you're happiest and finding fault with either country usually stems from where you really want to be. Every country has its good and not so good points.....

Just to put another slant on it not everyone in Queensland lives in a Queenslander

And we can't hear our neighbours and there aren't any bogans except us

As for working hours. It's just like UK some people work long hours and some don't. Some find it hard to find jobs and others don't.

Everyone has a different experience but one thing's for sure we are all right in our opinions cos we all experience things in our own way.

well that was a load of help wasn't it

jad n rich

Yep, you pay a bit more, but you get more space and you dont get to listen to your neighbours cough and sneeze, not unless your into that thing anyways........

.[/QUOTE]

You have to be joking!!

OZ houses are usually crammed together like sardines, and people live with all their doors and windows open, out cooking on decks, kids screaming in pools, sitting outside till all hours.

YOu wont find a place on the planet where your neighbours are more in your face or IME inconsiderate.


Places like canada and OZ have lots of space, much of totally inhabitable, so people are crammed into a handful of cities.

BTW aus has longest working hours and Canadas wages are very very low.

Its funny what you think while still in UK trying to justify leaving then what you think once you have actually been there and done it!!