eilish22

we are moing to ireland this summer and currently looking for a house to buy. i have had problems with my finances over the past few years. will irish banks have to know about this? will they have access to my uk credit file.

thanks

roisin

jgombos

No one answered this person.. I'm kinda curious myself if credit histories follow people abroad. Do immigrants have any control over this? I might want to disclose my credit history voluntarily. Is that possible?

BlueScottyGirl

Well it's been a while since you and the OP posted but I'll make a comment anyway, it might be useful to someone.

I've been in Ireland for about seven months now, came from the UK. You basically start from scratch creditwise. So far no one has said they will check my UK credit file and it's been said more than once that they "can't" or "don't". That said, you need to have a huge deposit to place down on your new house and even then the banks probably won't even look at you for a mortgage til you've been here at least a year (but if you have at least 8 percent of the value, try after six months). They'll ask for your three year employment records/accounts and I believe they'll check these out. You can't have a break in your employment in the last three years either in Ireland or abroad. Bear in mind too that houses are expensive here and you won't get much for your money at the lower end of the market (<EURO 200K)

It might be worth taking a copy of your UK credit file with you as a lot of decisions are made by people rather than by computers. So far I haven't run into any difficulties with things like utilities, bank accounts etc. Waiting to here if I've been approved for a credit card. I spoke to a mortage advisor the other day which is where i got my info from about that.

All in all, it's not too hard to establish yourself credit wise here, you just need a bit of patience and a little knowledge. Knowing things like, don't take out a car loan if you plan to apply for a mortgage because that will lower the amount they will lend you...and make use of your credit union!

Hope that's useful to someone

BSG

crazydaisy

Hi there - we are planning on descending on Ireland in the summer of 2006! We have moved around a few countries already and found a similar trend which was that over and over you are classed as a person with no credit regardless of whether you've had a shining credit report in the past. This could be a good thing if you don't have a shining credit report but on the other cheek it means building up from scratch for those who do. You do eventually get there but as mentioned above it will generally take a year or more of regular earnings and no defaults to get established. If you do get accepted for credit cards read the small print very carefully as sometimes they hike up the rates to cover you as a new user. I would suggest although this is just my humble thoughts speaking here(!) that a rented house or apartment is chosen first and then buying could come maybe further down the line. I've found that loads of properties come fully furnished (an added bonus for some of us not wanting to lug all the furniture half way across the world!) and the prices seem very reasonable and you won't need to worry about maintenance. A great website I've found for checking out house rentals and also properties to buy is www.daft.ie - it really helps to get an idea of rental/purchase prices and you can check out the great views while you're looking at the photos!

By the way, where is everyone staying or planning to stay in Ireland? I arrange expat meetups here in Canada - maybe we can have something similar in Ireland too! over a Guinness of course!

BlueScottyGirl

OOhhhhh!! I can recommend the Guiness!! I didn't like it in the UK but here in Ireland......

I'm down in Wexford, about an hour or so from Dublin. I haven't met anyone from the boards yet but then I wasn't around for a while.

daft.ie is brilliant, I found my house on there, the rent is really cheap compared to the UK (but don't tell the landlord that *L*) and the house is beautiful.

I hope your move goes well Crazydaisy, holler if you want any help with anything.

crazydaisy

Hi there - Guinness doesn't travel well so it means the Irish get the best pints!! And so they should! We have our sights on the West side of Ireland as family live in County Clare, but to broaden our job search we are also looking at Galway, Limerick, Cork and possibly somewhere closer to Dublin avoiding the city centre. I have my mind exactly where but will keep options open just in case!! Do you have any kids in school? I was just wondering if the schooling is very strict and whether there is good tolerance for non Catholics. I didn't expect there to be but just checking to be sure!

Thanks buddy!

Daisy

BlueScottyGirl

Well my experience is just on the wicklow schools I now put my kids to but I did check out a couple in Co.Wexford which is where we live before deciding to put them over there.

Broadly speaking, the schools are multi-denominational now. My kids go to single sex catholic schools but both accepted us with our "dubious" religious believes.....as in, we haven't really got any *L*

I found out later there is a church of Ireland school (protestant) in our town and no doubt there will be some scattered around eleswhere. In Ireland there is a great expectation and acceptance for parents to have the right to chose the school for their child. Each school has an admissions policy (which you should ask to see). In our street there are four or five different school uniforms scattered over about 10 kids....and that's just at junior/primary school level.

There is great tolerance for non catholics, muslim parents, for example, tend to favour the catholic single sex schools which are very common. You might get a little coaxing to convert if you bump into the school priest (as I did) but all in all, whatever your "religious persuasion" to quote my eldest childs school, you won't generally have a problem.

A couple of things came to mind though while I was typing which I'll mention incase they're useful.

Child benefit: All children are entitled to this (paid to mother/stepmother). It currently stands at EURO 140 (can't remember exactly) for each child, paid every month. Doesn't matter what your income is so claim it as SOON as you arrive. It takes about six months to process but they do pay arrears. Dont forget to take a full birth certificate for each child to send with your application.

Education is "free" but most schools ask for a voluntary contribution, paid yearly of 25-100 Euro. You may also be asked to pay a few Euro for photocopying, art materials etc, especially at senior school level.

The BIGGEST expense however is books. You have to buy every text book, jotter (called "copy" here) and bit of stationary your child will need. It can work out very expensive. Since we arrived I've had to kit the girls out with two years worth of books, I wouldn't be underestimating when I say I've probably spent close to 800 Euro between them...don't think I want to add that up!! One is in junior school, the other in senior. Junior school books change every year but in senior school, once you've bought them there's only a few additions throughout each exam cycle (one of three years, one of two).

Heck! I could keep rattling but I'll stop there and answer any questions that come off it. I will say though that the Irish education is fantastic. A bit old fashioned (my youngest learnt to read from the same books I learnt from 30 years ago!), and the buildings are not always the prettiest but both my girls made the move with ease. The education they're recieving here is on a par with the private one we paid thousands for in England. Private schools are not very common here and I know why, there's just no need from them in a country where the state education is second to none.

Ask anything you like, I better shut up now *L*

crazydaisy

Wow - thanks for all that Scotty girl, it's a real help! I read that immigrants coming in with children over the age of 11 can have the Irish language part of the exams waived if an exemption is applied for. I was wondering if you would know what other subjects are taken in its place or are they just sent off to the library to read instead? I read also that school finishes 1st week in June but wasn't sure how up to date this information was! In North America the summer holidays are usually much longer than in Britain but other breaks are much shorter ie not so many half term holidays and Easter is much shorter. I was wondering if Ireland was similar to that.

Ooh and another question - sorry it's non property related so apologies to the original poster! What is the procedure to register with the social services etc. to ensure that tax codes, national insurance and child benefits are taken care of?

Thanks for your help in all this!!

Best wishes, daisy

BlueScottyGirl

I think the OP has abandoned the thread so we're okay...and something here might be useful to her/him anyway..Im sure no one will mind us highjacking it

Okay...children who arrive in Ireland over the age of eleven do not have to study Irish, my childrens schools were well aware of this, you don't need to "apply" as such. Each school will have it's own arrangements, unforutunatly at my daughters school they have to sit in the Irish class and do homework..not ideal really as they have things going on around them but my eldest sometimes listens in to the class. I'm not entirely sure what happens at exam time but I know there is something in place to ensure they're graded accordingly. This is a country with a huge immigration rate so they're accomodating it pretty well.

At our senior school, the kids not in an exam year finish at the beginning of June, this allows exam students to have the school/teachers to themselves. Junior schools finish end June/beginning of July and they all go back at the beginning of September.

Btw, if you have a senior school student, they will have an option to have a "transition year" between the two exam cycles I mentioned above. I think this is a brilliant idea. Can't find the link I liked though which explained all this to me

Some contacts you might find useful

Department of Social and Family Affairs Client Identity Services (01) 704 3281
This is to get your PPS number, you might have to call into a local office..you can't do anything without it...bank accounts, tax etc. so get it ASAP.

Social Welfare Services office Locall: 1890 400 400
to claim child benefit, should be able to pick up a form at the Post Office or where you request your PPS number. Once you have successfully claimed, be sure and get your childrens PPS number, senior schools will be hounding you for this info within three months of your child going there. I had to call and request ours)

Tax office, I don't have a number handy but easy to sort out and very efficient..be sure and have your PPS number and if you rent, be sure and claim rent credit and "mum at home" credit (if you stay home).

Beginning to think I should write a website with all this! But it's nice to feel useful

BSG

Batty

Blue Scotty Girl - how are you? I haven't looked in here for ages and there you are! Well, you seem to be getting on great - I have to say I felt quite proud reading all you have to say about Ireland. Thank you.

We've been in New Zealand nearly 4 months now and my Kiwi Hubby misses Ireland a lot. I'm not so bad for some reason; probably because I've lived out of Ireland for so long over the years and I'm not that close to my family and I'm getting on really well here, with lots of friends and stuff to do almost every weekend. We bought a house 5 days after we got here but only moved in 1 month ago and that's going to take up a bit of my time, repainting Mike misses his friends in Ireland, it's taking him longer here to meet people, and misses the 'craic'. As he says himself 'he's home now and it's what he always wanted, so it'll be right in a while'.

Good luck to Crazydaisy (great name), hope it all goes well for you. And BSG, enjoy your Christmas - we'll be having a hot one for the first time in MY lifetime. Bit weird that

crazydaisy

Hey, thanks for all the advice Scotty girl - you're right, you could be a pro! These tips will sure come in handy, as it's great to get excited about moving but all the mundane things like tax, child allowance and education as well as jobs and rent have to be taken care of too - groan!

Thanks too Batty for the good luck wishes and have a great first Christmas in NZ. My cousin moved there a couple of years and the last I heard she is learning Mauwi (hope I spelt that right!). Good on her I say, although I know she misses her family in the UK terribly. Still, we all manage to shrink the world somehow, usually by venturing out to the nearest Brit or Irish style pub or turning on the tele for a smattering of soap opera. Plus, it's great to have this board to reach out to friends on the other side of the world!

BlueScottyGirl

Hiya *hugs* like you, I hadn't stopped by for a while, busy with settling in I suppose, it's nice to see an olde "friend".

The "craic" here is brilliant, I love Ireland...the Irish...and the ACCENT....oh wow! I love the accent, down this way anyway.

Sounds like you're settling in as well there as we are here. I think it's mostly down to attitude, if you go at it, determined to make it work and fit/settle in, I think you're a long way to getting settled and feeling at home. Good luck to you.....we painted last week, just the smallest room in the house......was enough!

Enjoy your hot christmas, no doubt ours will be a bit chilly....but what about Halloween? seems to be a HUGE thing here, moreso than in Britain..have to say..that sort of surprised me.

Have fun, take care

BlueScottyGirl

The laugh if it is, for all the info I gave you, I never even touched the sides! I find Ireland to be very like America though, we have a state, constitution, president...and in school we have yards, Principle etc...as I said, very american.

Only other essential bit of advice I can give you is, becareful if you drive. For all that is wonderful in Ireland the ONE thing that really worries me, is the driving. Take care......although, again like America...the Irish are VERY considerate of predestrians and around the schools theres is tremedous patience for school buses, kids crossings and the like.

And be sure and make copies of all your favourite CD's...two weeks on Irish roads and they'll be bouncing tracks so keep the originals for home use only!

Batty

Halloween is an Irish festival originally. For all that it's supposed to be so religious the superstition and pagan beliefs are quite strong in places too. Have a great time - we used to have such fun, bobbing for apples (basin of water with apples in it and you had to hold your hands behind your back and catch them with your teeth ), dressing up and visiting the neighbours. We didn't do the trick or treating thing - we just got the treats anyway And if you could get someone who told good ghost stories I haven't heard one mention of it over here. Ah well. Barbie on the deck instead Take care.

crazydaisy

Wow, I had no idea it would be similar to the U.S. We lived in the U.S for 4 years and now Canada and I was jokingly saying to hubby the other day that we would have to relearn English words again! Maybe we won't be given funny looks if we do intermingle American-English and English words after all!