Week Three Update

[Guest Martin and Val]

Week three:

Well three started with house hunting, we had three viewings on Thursday last week all at the same time and one Tuesday this week.

Well what a waste of time that was! We attended a viewing at Marino only to find a home riddled with ants and with wall paper hanging from the walls we got out quick and headed off to the next viewing. We received a phone call from my cousin saying that she was at the second house only to be greeted by the agent saying that it was no longer for rent so we headed straight for the last which with a rear yard not much larger than a handkerchief it was just not suitable.

We were looking forward to Saturday and the Christmas pageant but decided on Friday that we should really concentrate on a house rental and trolled through the internet and the newspaper once more. We drove around a load later in the day but unfortunately we didn’t find a thing we liked. Oh well we have a viewing on Tuesday.

Our Tax File Numbers arrived in the post on Friday just over a week since we applied for them!

We moved into our cousin’s house on Sunday just for a week to look after the children’s kittens while they went to Perth for a week’s holiday.

On Sunday afternoon we went down to Onkapringa Hills to a friend’s house we enjoyed a sausage sizzle and some nice cold beer in the sunshine.

Went into the bank on Monday and met an Englishman who worked for an employment agency. While in the bank we supplied them with our TFN numbers and they immediately refunded all the tax that that had paid on savings. Try asking for that at Lloyds!

Well it all happened on Wednesday with three weeks to the day completed. We had interviews at the employment agency where the chap we met earlier in the week was from, so that’s another lead. The wireless pre pay broadband thingy was launched at the 3 store so we got one of those and the best bit of all, we had a phone call from the real estate agent saying that we had been accepted for the house we viewed on Tuesday.

We have actually only applied for two rentals one when we were in England and the one we were accepted for this week. We have however looked at loads, maybe we have been a little fussy with what we wanted but in the end it has paid off. We have got ourselves a completely renovated 3 bed house close to the beach at Semaphore with a beautiful pool and we collect the keys on Thursday afternoon.

Our advise to all looking for rental properties is make sure you are prepared. Get references from any previous landlords if you have ever had one that is, if not get personal references from friends. We even asked the bank over here for a reference and they were more than happy to put pen to paper. We offered 3 months rental up front but in the end this was not needed. Send all copies of your references and an up to date bank statement in with your application. We even wrote a letter to the landlord telling him a little about ourselves. We said in the letter that we had been into some places that hadn’t been cared for very well by tenants and that we would look after his property as if it were our own. Also try to supply the sales particulars of your own house back in England at least they can then see what you have come from.

Now all we need is that little thing called a job! And with no word back from the interview earlier last week we are not holding our breath. Is no news good news? Will let you know another day!

Anybody got a job?

[Guest HelenAndSiggi]

Hi Val and Martin,

 

I have heard that the Oz employers are not the best to get back to you.

Have a word with Suzer (->PM), she can help you with c.v. and interview what is specific to the Australian job market.

 

 

Siggi

[Guest Devon]

Hi Martin and Val

Congratulations on finding a rental that you like

I remember travelling to loads of rentals and walking out more or less straight away. What is it with the curtains nearly always falling down as well?! Although this wouldn't have put us off some it was more like you say the state of the walls etc. Ants aren't a problem as when someone moves out they move in A good ole dose of Mortein and they eventually go.

As for the jobs I hope not in your case however employers/recruitment agencies don't always if ever get back to you. You'd think if you had actually had an interview they would but not always so. I remember my first interview a couple of weeks ago they said they would be back in touch that day so that I didn't have to wonder all weekend as it was a Friday. Heard nothing so I called them on the Monday that particular company said that they had meant that they would call that day if I had been successful

Fingers crossed it is different with the company you went for an interview with however reading the forum and speaking to others it looks like it is part of the aussie way.

Good luck with the hunting though and hope you find something soon. I'm now giving up until I've got pr as fed up with the rejection for now on the basis of visa status

C x