Re: Some questions please
 

You can change the plug on the appliances and they will work providing their rating is 2.4Kw or less (so not some heaters, dryers etc).

Fitting a 10A plug won't make a device that draws 13A safe so only bring devices below the 2.4Kw limit, you may as well sell the others in the UK.

Re: Some questions please
 

Thanks for the reply. Next silly question- how do I work out how many kw an appliance draws based on the volts and amps values on the plug?

Re: Some questions please
 

I'd guess any volts/amps values on the plug are generic British Standard ratings for the type of plug and is no relation to the appliance rating.
You only need worry about appliances with a heating element so convection heater, fan heater, the tumble drier, hair drier etc although out of them I'd only worry about any heaters and the tumble drier.
The appliance should have a nameplate sticker on it with voltage/current/power rating so it needs to be no greater than 2.4kw or 2400w or 10 amps draw. If you can't find the sticker try the instructions. If no instructions google the appliance on the internet. If still no answer, leave it in the UK. Domestic voltage is the same here as in the UK - nominally 230v AC.

Re: Some questions please
 

You can't - go by the makers power rating label.

Any plug values will be the rating for the plug itself and not the appliance.

Re: Some questions please
 

Many thanks guys.

So for example my nutri ninja has a 13amp plug but only draws 900w. I assume this will work just fine given how much wattage it draws?

Re: Some questions please
 

Yes, ignore the 13amp, as long as the wattage is 2400w or 2.4Kw or less it will be fine.

Re: Some questions please
 

I can answer most of your questions having lived in Auckland for a few years and returned to UK in the last six months.

Cost of living, housing costs and quality are the big hits, rentals are wild and the Auckland rental market under supplied, any quality property is rented almost immediately at the first OPEN HOME they have. Get your ducks in a row, references, proof of income, bank details and a glowing resume of yourselves to give to the agent at the visit and be prepared to miss out on lots of properties. It is a cut throat business just getting a house to live in except in areas where you wouldn't want to live. Check insulation, heating, history particularly if the property has been completely redecorated. The drug P is a major issue in NZ and houses are often used as P labs, correctly they need serious decontamination after such use but it is common to just redecorate and new carpets to cover up the damage - the results can be deadly so be warned! We looked for a property in the Kumeu area, very smart but 4 out of 6 country homes we viewed there were ex P labs, it is a big problem.

As to what to take, everything if it has any quality at all. Most stuff is more expensive in NZ if you match quality, far cheaper at the WAREHOUSE chain of stores but nothing lasts at all! Car tax on importing your car is prohibitive if you haven't owned it for 12 months plus and compliance is a pain if the car is not nearly new. Buy a cheap Jap import there until you get used to the way they drive, awful but you will learn quickly.

Changing a nice UK plug for a flimsy NZ one takes a few minutes, watch the ratings on whiteware, 2.4Kw max in NZ really. TV's are iffy except the very latest ones but are very expensive in NZ.

Generally NZ is friendly to UK emigrants, it is very common, again it depends on the area where you live. Trademe.co.uk is the Ebay type site in NZ and has all the rentals and properties for sale. $650 will get you a basic house in most parts of Auckland but it will be basic and hard to get anything of quality, $850 - $1,000 is more representative on the North Shore and better suburbs further south, stay North if you want safety and good schools.
Check the Decile rating of the schools which they all publish to get an idea of the area, Decile 10 is good, 5 or less avoid at all costs.

I hope it helps, our experience was very different but NZ is far from 100% Pure, don't be seduced by the sun and smiles. Emigrants are a major source of income for a large sector of the population and most get ripped off at every turn so keep your wits about you and trust no one! Good luck!

Re: Some questions please
 

Thanks for the replies. Chrisrobinson the rental one is alarming, particularly as we won't have any land lord references (we're home owners here in the UK) so wondering if this might make it more difficult for us to rent?

Things are moving fast right now for us. House is up for rent, medicals next week, we've had the shippers/movers in for quotes and things are progressing.

I'm thinking we'll be out there early November at this rate

Re: Some questions please
 

Nah wouldn't worry about the references. We had never rented before and had only ever owned property in the UK. We've never been asked for references and we've rented 4 different properties since we've been here. It will be enough for the agents/landlords to meet you in person or speak on the phone/Skype and for you to complete their rental application forms. A good bit of advice is to also enclose a personal blog about who you are as a family, what you do for jobs, kids interests, add some pictures etc. Just a simple word document. It seemed to work for us according to the feedback we received...it made us more than just a name on an application form.

Re: Some questions please
 

We were looking on the North Shore, a property was advertised with an OPEN DAY the next weekend, usually they wouldn't let anybody see the property until then. We always turned up early, an hour early and that wasn't early enough, the road was packed with cars for a good property. The Agent knew about us, we had sent everything to him in advance, including references. At first we explained the lack of references and supplied endless other info BUT they have a checklist and References are top of the list, we never got a look in.

Your UK boss, UK bank manager will give you references hopefully and these help a little. Your employer in NZ should back them up if asked, ask!

It can be very competitive and a lot of properties are let for a higher rent than the advertised figure, it all depends on demand.

If nobody is there, small a rat, P Dens and flooding properties get a local reputation but you probably haven't heard about it so are ripe 'Tenant material' for what is in truth an un-let-able property.

Take lots of financial data showing you can easily afford the rent, a solid job or jobs helps a lot but you will run into other potential renters with perfect references and the agent will be drawn to them, just easier! Remember that agents in NZ are usually not qualified, they are on commission only and it pays them to get the best deal with the least risk, your task is to make yourself look like this person!

Trade Me is invaluable, the ads are listed in date order, the latest first. Avoid the old ads, hundreds have rejected those properties and believe me they know better than a new comer to NZ!

Good luck, persistence counts and you will find something but it is not quick unless you are willing to take risks on area, as I say the Decile ratings of the schools in the area clearly indicate the desirability of living there. A very simple and easy to do test, just look the school up on Google!

Re: Some questions please
 

Ummm...don't you have a visa sorted yet?

Re: Some questions please
 

Two things that helped us when we were looking for rentals:
I got my old manager from my last job before we moved to write a reference for us, saying that she'd been to our house, we kept it tidy, and based on that she would recommend us as tenants. She signed a few copies of that for us, with her contact details.
The second one was, we had to sell ourselves. So when we found our second rental that we really liked, I opened the conversation with the owner by saying ''Of course, we're landlords ourselves", which we were, as we were still letting out our house in the UK at that stage. That basically swung it for us, and we stayed in that rental for three years before we bought our own place.

Re: Some questions please
 

The rental market in Auckland at the moment is brutal, and has been for a few years now. There will usually be a few people chasing anything decent when they come up.

The letting agent will be looking for tenants that won't give them problems like not paying the rent, damage or wanting to break the lease before the end of the term. That does mean that they will judge you when they meet you.

So references on their own might not be necessary but evidence of a respectable job with an income will help.

Re: Some questions please
 

Nope, my NZ employer employs a firm that sort it out for you and the medical is the last thing on the so they can apply for the visa. I'm hoping there won't be any hiccups

Re: Some questions please
 

Thanks I think I'll probably do the same thing, maybe even a reference from our neighbours might help too.