Just to say love being back but getting a rental home was a nightmare, Ok we own a property here (rented out) but that counts for nowt.....
We had been away for more than 6 months so we have 'no credit reference'. So needed a job reference (difficult if youve just returned) and 2 professional references each....On top of all the job and rental references from Oz.
And we were paying 4mths rental up front plus deposit.

Car Insurance - have been slammed for £200 extra for having 'driven outside the country' despite having proof of no claims bonus etc.

The schools are chokka (daughter 8 in class of 34) son one of 500 who applied for local comprehensive (230 places only) and got stuck for 4 hrs on M25 with me horse in trailer & ran out of carrots.

But despite the above glad to be back (honest)

I agree, the property situation here is a nightmare. We had to pay 6 months rent up front :scared: even though we could prove my husband had full time, permanent work!! It's because we'd been out of the country for over 2 years. I'm so glad I kept our UK bank account running, that really helped.

We also found alot of rental properties in really poor condition, the one we're in now is fine, it's quite tatty, but we've got new carpets in the bedrooms because the last tenant wrecked them!

We were very lucky with schools, we returned to our old school and got the last place left in year 1, my son got in OK for year 5.

7 months in we feel more settled but it's hard work getting established again and I constantly questioned if we'd done the right thing, my advice is ride out the first few months it will get better!

Its great in the UK eh?

Yep the "established" bit, no matter where in the world you move to, no matter how much cash or people supporting you this is VERY hard work, not to be under estimated.

I think because we return to something familiar, it should be easier, not the case.

After too many years away between me and hubby from the UK, we have had to start everything from scratch.

You do get through it though, after 14 months we are slowly finding we are back on our feet.

M

Rosie:

Sorry to hear you are having problems.

I have just returned to Cheltenham Glos after living in Connecticut US for 20 years.

My American wife & I had "No Problem" getting a rental property & only paid a months security deposit plus a months rent up front. I had no problems getting a job, However!! the authorities are giving my wife a really bad time getting a National Insurance Number. She went to local Job Center with her Spouse Settlement Visa & was told, "Go Out & Find A Job & Then Come Back & See Us & We MIGHT set up an appointment To Interview You".
Problem is that every job that she applies for on line requests the NI number & will not let her proceed without it. So much for the British Consulate in New York assuring us that she coudl work right away!.

Good Luck

Hi Rosie,

Hubbie's car insurance is with Suncore and he had no problems, didn't have to pay additional £200. He too had proof of no claims bonus. We came back about 2mths ago now.

Hope things get better

Mandy

Try this is worked for my wife (a Canadian) when we were back in the UK

If your wife has permission on her visa to work then try this
fill the number out starting with TN and then her date of birth to fill up the numbers TNddmmyy this usually gets by and will be followed by letter form the tax office requesting an interview.
We got this advice from a UK job centre

this way the tax office ends up chasing you

Another tip is to get on an electrol roll, especially if you want to get anything on credit, as they often check that first.

it was just a bit wierd we had been away 10months and wanted to rent 2 miles from where we owned a house (for past 10yrs) ...and it was like we had never existed! then having to prove that we were living here to get in to the local school. Mike's got a job now- it just made me realise how horrid it is if you're 'out of the loop.

Many Thanks for the Info Mike, the buggers have been driving her NUTS!!
If she was an Asylum Seeker they would have bent over backwards to help!