New Arrivals

[calamitycaz]

Hi everyone, well it's 96 days till we leave the UK which sounds like ages but seems to be rushing up on us! I'm just after a bit of advice -

Removal companies - so far I have booked Anglo Pacific to come next week for a shipping quote, but can anyone else recommend two other companies for comparable estimates?

I've had my 136 Visa for FOUR YEARS yes, I know!! so feel a bit rusty now I am finally using it - does anyone know if I need to forewarn Australian Immigration that we are actually going to be arriving after all this time?

On arrival the things that I think I need to do in the first few days are - Tax File number, and Medicare...is this right? And if so how do I go about it? I haven't booked 'Meet and Greet' as we arrive on a Sunday and thought I'd do it Mon/Tues.

Any other advice anyone has would be appreciated, I have a rental for a month, a car for a week, a Midwifery job that I start at Flinders in January, just getting a Commonwealth Bank account together (unless someone recommends anyone better?!) so recommendations for used car sales (I'm thinking of buying another Kia for their reliability) and rental agents would be appreciated ;)

Sorry for the long post - these are the things that are starting to keep me awake at night!!!

Caz xxxx

[kas17]

Hi Caz
we moved here 2 weeks ago and used anglo pacific. Not a good experience and since then we have heard lots of horror stories about them, although am sure some will have had good experiences. There is even a website called victims of anglo pacific. they subcontract out to other removal companies, ours emptied our drink cabinet on the first night then couldnt do any packing due to their hangovers so we had to pack most of the stuff ourselves.
They were very professional on their visit to get our business though. I'm sure people have good and bad about most companies. We were limited by choice few companies would quote us think due to where we lived.
Karen

[HEAPS GOOD !!!]

I take it that you have already validated your VISA?

HG

[vikkiann]

Caz

We have had our visa for 2 years now and hope to be out in Adelaide by the end of the year.
Our house was given a good valuation, 10k more than i'd expected to get so fingers crossed, no buyers yet though!

I have Doree Bonner and Pickfords coming next week. Pickfords seem to get good reviews on PIA so i thought i'd get them to quote.

I typed their name into google and got their contact details.

I hope this helps.

Vikki
xx

[nikki & john]

Hiya. We used Doree Bonner and overall were happy with them, the packers turned up when they were supposed to, worked hard and couldn't have been nicer. There were a couple of things broken at the other end, these thing happen and that why you have insurance I suppose and there were no issues with the getting the claim sorted through the insurance company.

There would be no problem with getting Meet & Greet on a sunday but not sure you can get them after you arrive, I might be wrong but thought they were supposed to pick you up from the airport, take you to your accommodation, take you to local shops to get the basics etc and guide you through the stuff like getting TFN and Medicare etc. If you decide against getting Meet & Greet, just get into your local library in Noarlunga so you can use the internet, you can register for TFN online just log onto the ATO website. Medicare there will probably be an office in Noarlunga but if not there is definately one in the Marion shopping centre.

I know its easy for me to say and believe me having gone through it I know its not an easy thing to do but try not to stress to much, you've actually already sorted all of the major things, like having a job to come to, a vehicle to get around in and most importantly accommodation, that will make your life soooo much easier :o)

Good luck and we'll see you soon.

Nikki

[WhatNow?]

Meet and greet was suspended as of 1st July, I believe, as posted on this site by people who had applied for it.

[WhatNow?]

Having dealt with many migrants over the last few years we have heard many stories about just about all of them - and we have our own too. It seems like none of the companies have a consistent record. We have heard about excellent service from one set of clients, then a horror story about the same company from another. The majority of them sub-contract out the delivery at this end and to be fair this doesn't seem to be where the problem is. We have heard of one very 'reputable' company who underestimated the size of a load (to get the job in the first place, presumably) then virtually held the family to ransom about paying extra for the (TWO) extra loads it took to get their things here! This seems to be quite a common strategy so I would advise you to ask the question when you get the quote - What happens if your estimator gets it wrong?' and get the answer in writing. Other common problems include inadequate packing resulting in breakages. The only way around this is to keep an eye on them when they are packing an question them and take photos of anything you think is a bit dodgy. I saw one of my boxes get knocked off the lorry as they were loading it and the guy looked round to see if I was watching - I made sure he knew I was. I'm afraid it's a bit of a lottery. I have a good friend whose partner ships stuff round the world for his work and swears by Anglo Pacific - I have also heard many stories similar to the one on here. This is why Home2Home never recommend any one removal company as sooner or later they all let themselves down...

[calamitycaz]

I take it that you have already validated your VISA?

HG

Haha!! Yes, don't worry :D

Caz x

[calamitycaz]

Brilliant advice from all of you - especially the bit about registering for my TFN online - my temporary rental has Wifi and I will have my Notebook so hopefully will even manage to avoid trips to the library in the early days.
I guess the packers are a lottery really, but good advice about safeguarding stuff while they are packing it.

Any more advice gratefully received !!

Caz x

[nikki & john]

The on arrival accommodation was supposed to be finished as at 1st July but was extended until the end of December or so I heard, not sure about Meet & Greet though.