budababes

House sold, flights booked and looking forward to returning 'home' after living in Australia for the past 9+ years! We are a retired couple in our early 70s. The downside of this decision is leaving two delightful grandchildren here. We have had the best times and for those I am truly grateful. Circumstances have changed and forced our decision to return to the U.K. We came here from North Devon (my most favourite place) but as our daughter lives in Kent we have decided that we would compromise and possibly settle somewhere in Kent or East Sussex. We know property prices are going to be costly there but we need to be near our family and true old friends in the South East somewhere. Always a compromise!

Everything is a bit mind-boggling at the moment but we seem to have sorted most of the important things. Does anyone have any advice on how long it would take us to buy a car once we have arrived? We already have a bank A/C in the U.K. I am reading horror stories about the cost of motor insurance!! We have Australian Driving Licences at the moment but will renew our British Licences asap on arrival in U.K. Will we be able to buy a vehicle using our Australian Driving Licences? We will be living temporarily with our daughter until we have calmed down after the journey and then hope to head off house-hunting as soon as physically possible.

We have enjoyed our time in Australia but 'home' beckons!!

feelbritish

We bought a car and drove off in it within 3 hours! We had already arranged with our insurance company (NFU mutual) to cover us for the day we picked up car but also found out that Hyundai would have done it for a couple of days while we sorted out our insurance. Paid cash via debit card (UK) bank account. In fact the salesman was gobsmacked! Our friends dropped us off at the garage. We did contact the dealership upfront while still in Canada a few days before we left as we saw the car we wanted and booked it so they were expecting us. Everything here was so easy and smooth but we did move back to a house we already owned and an area we knew. As we still had our old licenses plus paper copy we went into post office and got new photos taken and applied for new licenses which arrived about 2 weeks later. The doctors may want an account or something to prove address to register you so might be better to wait until you know where you are staying before you do that and if in emergency go to hospital. Good luck, we are happy to be back retired in UK!

Editha

We ordered a new car while we were still in Canada and picked it up from the dealer a couple of days after we arrived.

Novocastrian

Can you drive it yet?

BEVS

You are so naughty. lol

durham_lad

Welcome back.

We moved back from Texas in May and bought a 2nd hand car off a dealer within 10 days, paying with our UK bank debit card. The insurance is about 50% of what we were paying in Texas.

We still had our pink paper licences and swapped them for the new photo id ones after a few weeks.

Editha

You know I can't. I'm still getting used to the automatic. I'll book another test in the new year.

Novocastrian

Apologies Editha. Couldn't resist.

Editha

No matter but BEV shouldn't encourage you.