Genesis

For me its not about NZ, it could be a post about Canada or the Falkland Isles. Personally it was the way it came over. I am not defensive about NZ per se, it has shit loads of problems and cold houses is one of the problems. I got the issue sorted (ours was fekking freezing and very modern..apparently cutting edge!!) rather than rant about it. We are all different, I would not have chosen to issue my 1st post in such a vein. I am not saying he's/she's not entitled to do what they like. Its a public forum. They expressed their thoughts, I expressed mine. No one's right or wrong and I don't expect anyone to agree with me. Its all different opinions and different ways..makes it kinda interesting what?

Apologies to anyone offended.

Hope you get your issues sorted!! We now have 5 dehumidifiers, a log burner and 17 hot water rads (in addition to an open fire, 2 x heat pumps a gas fire and wall installed hot air heaters!! We use none of the latter). Still gets a bit cold now and then.

Genesis

Ooops. I don't think I intoduced myself 1st before posting first. Sir, where's the detention room?

spoonguy

I expect the fact that its a British Expat forum leads people to believe there would be some kind of common ground and fellowship.

Some people create a little Engalnd in other countries because they do not want to abandon some familiar aspects of their culture when traveling. I expect some people go to Spain purely for the climate, there more to sample the culture than completely immerse themselves. Not sampling any is a shame, but people do things at their own pace.

In general with forums the etticate is just to jump right in. Its sometimes nice to introduce youself but not really required.

One thing i do find with forums is social graces soon fall by the wayside, people find it easy to be rude with their responses when face to face they would maybe use a little more tact.

mcuddy1

It came over quite clearly and in an unoffensive way to me. How did it offend you?

Genesis

It did not offend me at all. I just made comment about 'was there ought positive you might like to share?' rather than just focus on the negative. Balance is a good thing. I guess some people go by first impressions and all and think..'this may be another whinging pom'. Which is all I hear about from kiwis. Thus I guess maybe that was what got me to respond. So I was not offended, just wanted to have my say about engendering a tad of positivity. It can't all be bad, can it???/

mcuddy1

Ah but this forum is mostly Poms whinging or not, It gives people a lot of support in bad times. I tell the NZ er's who call me a whinging Pom to get a backbone and fight for a decent wage and their employers will keep taking the piss until they do something about it, But that is another subject.

mazi

You know I think you're a fair sort of chap, Gen, and I know you're generally OK about people saying what they think - but he just may not have been aware of the 'etiquette', and his post wasn't offensive. When I first joined the forum I had no idea what forums were all about at all so I wouldn't have known to make a first post 'gentle'. In fact, mine wasn't - I'm sure you remember! I got completely the wrong end of the stick about what the forum was all about - but I have survived to tell the tale! (And there was no intro thread then either.)

Anyway, Gen, not having a go at you (I want my pizza!) - but you know what I'm saying. In fact, when I read the thread I didn't even notice it was his first post - it was only when someone pointed it out that I realised. Forums aren't really a party (at least not until you've been posting for a while) - it's just an anonymous place to post something that's on your mind, positive or negative.

You've spent a bloomin' load of money on your heating apparatus by the way!

Wiz'n'Ton

It's over there, next to my office. It's a good job corporal punishment is now banned, or you'd be in for a jolly good thrashing young fella-me-lad!

Now go and deliver some karma as a punishment!

Genesis

[

You've spent a bloomin' load of money on your heating apparatus by the way![/QUOTE]

If they had built it in 1990 with the prerequisite insulation in the first place I may not have had to sink so much wedge into it!!! God, am i whinging?? Still I love the old gaff warts and all. Houses over here are sooooooooooooooo way different from the UK...but that's what I love. I came here wanting a REAL change..and got a bigger one than I expected..in many, many ways..but that's why I love the place so much.

NZ is EXTREMELY quirky. An eccentric island, dare I say fairly full of eccentric people...thus it suits me perfectly!!!!! Bloody marvelous!!

Genesis

Thank you sah, sorry sah. Will 45 years be sufficient sah?

dicknlyn

Exactly, Woodlea. Jeeze!...Talk about getting upset. Methinks Mazi doth protest too much. hehe.

But if it pleaseth the Court, pray I am permitted to start again?

Hello Slippery, welcome to the forum. It's great to have your point of view.
My name is Richard by the way, and you are...? I'm sorry to hear about your feeling the cold. You certainly started a heated debate but it seems you are not alone in your POVs. My partner Lynda and I are presently living in a rental property in Riverstone, Upper Hutt. It's a brand new house and the only heating appliances fitted are two electric wall fan-heaters. Must admit they are about as useful as a chocolate fireguard! And they sap so much energy that the lights dim and the TV picture shrinks when you turn them on!! We've had to supplement them with both an oil filled radiator and an LPG portable gas fire. We've also bought an electric blanket...something I'd not used for donkeys years before coming to NZ in 2004. It's certainly been chilly these last few days that's for sure.

It certainly is different to the UK. Where we had cosy central heating and double glazing etc., we now do without. But hey it's all part of life's rich tapestry aye? Life's too short to get hung up about it (or I think so anyway).
NZ has so much to offer, and we're still discovering it really - even after three and a half years.

Now then, where did I put my thermals??

Cheers, Richard

karonious

To lighten the tone a little:

'it's frickin' freezing Mr Bigglesworth'

Cold here tonight in lovely Hamilton but as we have a heat pump, a Domestic Ventilation System and various wee heaters:
I DON'T CARE!!
and I have the day off tomorrow so I can stay in bed with the electric blanket on until teatime if I wish!

eileen35

All this talk about cold houses is making me feel better sorry.
my hubby is an external wall insulator,so sounds like he shouldnt have too much hassle finding work. Also he has draught proofing experience too,loft insulation etc.
We are waiting on the scaffold getting erected on our house here,Glasgow,as we are getting the full cladding work done and new roof.
boosts the house value anyway for selling.
Its the south island we are heading for anyway,which seems to have some cold spots. So might work out ok for us then

mickey_d

Whingeing Poms!!?
When we got here last year (June), all we heard was Kiwi's whingeing on about how cold it was (until Christmas!!!!!), walking around in big winter coats & woolley hats, while we were in Tee Shirts.

They don't whinge about their cold houses because they don't know any better, but we do!

teambwr47

We are arriving soon to settle in NZ and we've used this forum to gather info on visa's, removals etc etc but i have to be honest and say once we arrive i hope our use of the forum is limited as otherwise i think we will have failed in our intention to 'settle' in a new country.

Having read a few posts here of the negative vein i think a few members need to wake up slightly or rather should have done before they got on the plane.

There is nowhere in the world thats perfect and shock horror NZ has crime, high interest rates, high house prices compared to wages, bad drivers and its cold in winter. Did those people who moan about such things think NZ was going to be some sort of tropical paradise where everyone lived in harmony and sunned themselves on the deck of their cheap house all year sipping beer at a fraction of the price of the UK price. Did many not research NZ?

When we arrive i know there will be things to get used to and adapt to but then i know ITS NOT THE UK something many seem to forget the more i read this forum.

Why its a shock to some about the winters i don't know as a look at the globe should give a clue as to the fact it might get a bit chilly in the south in winter. I accept that houses are not heated well but thats fixable to a standard that should keep you toasty in the future as long as you spend the cash.