Have you notified the following of your change in address?
· The Post Office, for mail redirection?
· Your financial institutions to transfer or close your accounts?
· The electoral registrar?
· The taxation department?
· Your leasing company?
· Your insurance company to transfer or terminate your household insurance?
· Your life insurance company?
· Your car insurance company?
· Your health insurance fund?
· The school principal and received a letter regarding the status of your children in school?
· Stores where you have charge accounts?
· Relatives, friends, and regular correspondents?
· Club memberships?
· Publications you subscribe to?
· Your doctor and dentist to obtain copies of your medical records?
· Your lawyer?
· Your place of worship?

Have you discontinued these services?
· Gas?
· Water?
· Electricity?
· Telephone/Cable TV?
· Newspaper/Publication delivery?

Have you also…
· Defrosted your refrigerator/freezer and drained all water hoses?
· Disconnected your washing machine and drained water?
· Checked with manufacturer to ensure all major appliances are correctly prepared for moving?
· Emptied all gas cylinders?
· Arranged for Electricity or Gas Companies to disconnect any fittings from the supply?
· Put aside bits and pieces you don’t want to take?
· Returned books, videos, etc.?
· Removed Fixtures and fittings from walls?
· Put important items such as passports and tickets into your personal luggage so they are not accidentally packed?
· Arranged for someone to look after your children during the packing process? This can be a stressful time for them.
· Washed thoroughly any items that may be of interest to Quarantine/Agriculture, i.e. mowers, garden tools, golf equipment, bicycles, etc.

Dangerous Goods…
The following articles are classified as "DANGEROUS" and cannot be stored or transported:
· Ammunition
· New or partially used cans of paint
· Linseed oil
· Bleach products
· Gas cylinders (unless emptied)
· Turpentine
· Kerosene
· Petrol
· Cleaning fluids
· Aerosols of any kind
· Vegetable oils
· Chemical sets, etc…

A few don’ts…
· Don’t fail to advise of any high value items i.e. antiques, furs, or paintings within your household goods. For insurance purposes, a separate valued list is requested.
· Don’t put breakables in drawers
· Don’t put liquid in drawers (sauce bottles, perfumes etc.)
· Don’t overload furniture
· Don’t store perishable foods such as cereals, flours etc.
· Don’t polish your furniture prior to your move
· Don’t store or transport jewelry, money, legal documents, taxation papers, insurance policies or other documents/high value articles. You should keep these items with you.
· Don’t forget to tell us EVERYTHING you want moved. It’s your responsibility to check before the vehicle(s) depart.

Now, one last look around…
· Anything left behind? The attic, garden, garage, basement?
· No clothes at the drycleaners, shoes at shoe repair shops, sporting goods in lockers at clubs/schools?
· Water heater turned off?
· Main power turned off?
· Gas taps turned off?
· Windows and doors locked?
· Old house keys surrendered?

Please feel free to add anything else to the list!

Hi All,

Julia requested my gantt chart but all I have on me ('stuff' sailed today and flying to Oz tomorrow!! :bouncing smiles: ) is my printed out to do list and dates.

Anyway, I will breakdown the list by section with tasks, timescales and any explanatory note under each section. Hope someone finds this useful!! :D

FINANCE

Tasks
Purchase currency on forward contract
Pay 10% deposit on forward contract
Close credit cards but one on-line access one
Close bank and savings accounts except joint one
Close Kids PO accounts
Visit specialist International Financial Advisor
Receive report of recommendations from FA
Action recommendations
Agree balance to be left in UK account
Set up Australian bank account
Make initial contact with Australian IFA and book appointment
Organising 'bridging life cover' as stop gap until get to Oz
Pay remaining 90% on forward contract
Send P85 to Inland Revenue to get tax rebate (must have P45)
Buy some Australian cash for first few days until 'unlock' Oz bank acct

Timescales - all things financial take time, therefore get started on this stuff as soon as you can.

Notes - Our financial adviser told us to cash eveything in and we are paying them to sort out the transfer of our pension funds (such as they are :( ).

We are keeping our First Direct current acct, savings acct and credit card as we bank on-line so it is easy to do from Oz. We will get rid of the credit card once we get an Oz one sorted out.

We bought our currency on forward contract from a specialist company (HIFX) as you get a better rate. We got the contract to end the week before we flew as we were getting 4.75% on our house money and thought we would keep it there as long as possible. However, on our Commenwealth Bank of Australia Cash Mgt acct, we are getting 5% so it would have been better (and one less thing to think about) so get it transfered sooner!!

REMOVALS
Tasks
Obtain three quotes for removals
Declutter all rooms, loft, sheds, etc.
Pass items to friends who need/want them
E-bay items
Charity shop and tip the rest
Agree luggage contents
Set up contract with choosen company
Pay for removals & insurance
Hand completed customs form to packers on the day
Clean, inspection and hand back keys (we were living in rented accm for the last year)

Timescales
Get quotes as soon as you can. You are under no obligation and it helps plan financies.

FLIGHTS
Tasks
Get quotes for flights
Agree flight date and carrier
Book Flights
Buy additional luggage
Trial pack and weigh
Pack luggage
Book travel insurance

Timescales
We booked flights soon after getting our visas but hard to tell whether you get it cheaper that way - depends on time of year I should think. At least we knew what we were working towards then! :D

MOVING OUT
Tasks
Notify agent of date we are moving out
Request reference from agent
Speak to landlord re: leaving items behind
Notify council re: council tax
Notify Water Board
Notify Gas company
Notify Electric company
Notify BT
Notify ISP
Notiofy TV license people
Notify Gym
Notify Kids nursery/school
Take final meter readings
Book window cleaner
Arrange final inspection with agent

Timescales
Check back of your bills for notification periods some, BT, need 7 days notice or they will charge you. Give a forwarding UK address in case you are owed money!! :D

TRANSITION PHASE
NB: We planned a few days in Margate :( and Sydney :) between leaving the house and arriving in Adeliade

Tasks
Apply for on Arrival Accommodation and Meet and Greet Service
Organise accommodation in Margate
Book Hotel in Sydney
E-mail confirmation to SA govt 7-10 days before & request address details
Book taxi to airport (a big one!!)
Sell Cars
Get rid of shed
Buy clothes for Oz as required

Timescales
Apply for OAA as soon as you can and do not miss the windows for confirming!!

MEDICAL/HEALTH
Tasks
Retrieve medical histories from Doctors
Retrieve vaccination histories for kids
Notify doctors of leaving
Book last dental appointment
Notify dentist of moving

Timescales
Have you last dental appt at least 2 weeks before going in case you need to come back for a filing or something! We paid £40 to retieve all our computerised medical records. We would have paid more if we requested photocopying of other records.

ADDITIONAL NOTIFICATIONS
Tasks
Notify Car insurance
Notify RAC
Obtain friends and families e-mail addresses
Inform professional bodies
Inform magazine subscriptions
Arrange re-direction of mail to mother-in-laws

Timescales
As soon as you have a flight date you can do most of these!

LEAVING DO
Tasks
Organise Margate weekend do (Bruce's family)
Organise Scunthrope weekend do (my family)
Book venue for local knees up
Design invitations
Post/e-mail invites
Book bouncy castle / toys ofr kids
Buy food
Get people to sign our 'messages' book to remember it all by!

I think that is most of it!!

We had 12 weeks between getting our visa and flying so I organised the time critical things against dates and then divided up the rest so it was spread out over the time and I wasn't rushing unnecessarily at the end.

Flying tomorrow and am feeling very calm and can't quite believe it (that I am actually emigrating tomorrow AND that I am calm.....

Good luck with your moves to Oz.

All the best,

Claire

Why Margate? :what?:

Margate because Bruce is from there and we wanted to see friends and family before leaving and also go to the beach - that only happened once as the weather was not great........day we flew it was the start of a heatwave!! :huh:

Claire

Hi
Julia
Claire n Bruce
Me new to this site.
Thanks to you all for the handy things to do list have printed them off as we have only just starting on our journey to get to oz.

good luck julia with the move hope everything goes ok

Gail & Brian

:mr man:

We found the lists invaluable when we moved last month , But one tip from me to everyone with a modern telephone (ie, stored details in memory ) The removal men will un plug it to pack it so dont forget to write all the contact details etc in a handy note book to take with you before hand
I know its common sense but with everything else happenning it never entered my head . One minute I had the world and his wifes numbers at my finger tips and the next I had to rely on my memory :doh: Not good at the best of times but in the middle of moving house and home across the world I couldn,t even remember my own number !!

This applies to Email contacts etc , stored in computers that you are shippping over, you may need them before the container gets here !!



:sign20:
JulieWxx

This is also a good one too


countdown prior to moving to australia
Eight weeks before the move

Decide whether you will use a professional mover or move everything yourself.
Set the date for your move. Consider timing your move to coincide with 'off-peak' moving periods. Generally Mondays, Fridays and first and last days of each month are the busiest times for professional movers and truck rental.
If using a mover, obtain estimates from at least three professional moving companies as well as recommendations from friends before making your selection.
If moving yourself, obtain estimates for the hire of removal trucks, etc. Make a booking to hire your selected vehicle/s for the moving day/s.
Sketch a floor plan of your new home. Photocopy this plan and then draft onto it the layout for your furniture. Will everything fit? Perhaps some furniture may need to be sold or given away.
Start using up food from your freezer to save it spoiling during the move.
Clean out clutter. Perhaps hold a garage sale or donate items to charity.
Start developing a list of all the people who will need to learn of your new address. As mail is received, check that the sender is on your list of people to inform. This will include friends, relatives, banks, any subscriptions or catalogues, etc.


Six weeks before the move

Discuss the moving details with your mover, including all costs and insurance cover. When you are completely satisfied with the details, book the mover for the day of the move. Also collect as many packing boxes as the moving company is willing to provide.
If you are moving yourself, start collecting boxes. You could gather used boxes from supermarkets or friends but make sure these can withstand the rigours of moving. Alternatively buy or hire sturdy moving boxes from professional moving companies.
Develop an inventory of all your possessions. This will come in handy not only for organising your move, but also as a record of your assets for insurance purposes.
Arrange for the transfer of your children’s school records to their new school.
Send out furniture or drapes, etc. to be cleaned.
Start notifying others of your forthcoming change in address. This is especially important for any businesses you may deal with as it can often take time to update your address on their systems. Why not produce a moving notice and photocopy this for distribution?
Fill in a form at the post office to have your mail redirected. You should elect to have your mail forwarded to this new address for at least two months following your move.


Four weeks before the move
If you need to organise storage, do this now.
Using your inventory list, start organising how you will pack your possessions. How many boxes will you need? Which items should be packed last and unpacked first?
If you have pets, consider how these will be moved. Perhaps ask your vet to recommend companies who specialise in the safe transport of pets.
Arrange for final readings of your services, e.g. gas, water and electricity, to be performed just prior to your move. Also organise for these services to be connected in your new home prior to your arrival.
Make sure that your telephone is connected at both your new and old addresses during the move. This will allow for communication between the two places should this be necessary. Alternatively, borrow two mobile phones if you don't have them.
If you are going to need temporary accommodation, make the necessary hotel/motel bookings.


Three weeks before the move

Gather together all the packing materials you will need. This includes:
Packing tape
Bubble wrap
Styrofoam ‘beads’
Old newspapers
Scissors
Utility knife
Packing string
Rope
Labels
Marker pens
Hand truck and/or dolly
Plenty of boxes
Start packing the items that you will not need over the next few weeks, e.g. extra linen or spare crockery.
Handy tip
Be aware that items you pack yourself are unlikely to be insured for breakage. Therefore, it is a good idea to leave the packing of fragile items, such as glass and china, to the professionals.



Two weeks before the move

Transfer all your bank accounts to new branch locations.
Cancel all deliveries, e.g. newspaper, milk.
Check on the arrangements for the new telephone service and other connections.
Consider storing jewellery and valuables, including certain legal documents, at your bank during the move. Alternatively, set these aside to carry with you on the day of the move.
Ensure your possessions will be fully insured during the move. If not, arrange for extra insurance cover.
Contact the council where you are going to reside to find out about garbage pick-up, local regulations and other information.


One week before the move

Return all library books and rented videos. Also don't forget to collect any dry-cleaning, shoes from the repairer or lay-bys.
If necessary, arrange a babysitter for the day of the move.
Tidy up the garden and outside area.
Arrange for new locks to be installed on the house you are moving into.
Defrost your refrigerator and freezer.
Finalise all packing. Number each box and take notes on their contents. Also, keep items from different rooms in separate boxes.
Keep in mind that heavier items deserve smaller boxes.
Mark any items that should be handled with care.
Pack bags of clothing and toiletries to take with you rather than send with the mover.
Have the carpet steam cleaned.
Also put together a box of items which could be useful for the day of the move. This might include such items as scissors, a utility knife, paper plates and towels, toilet paper, drinks, cups, soap, bandaids, headache tablets, tea towels, rubbish bags and small toys for children.


Moving day

Remove all remaining food from your refrigerator and freezer.
Clean out cupboards, sweep the floors and ensure the house is tidy for its next inhabitant.
Double check rooms, cupboards, drawers, shelves, outdoor areas and the garage to make sure you’ve taken everything.
Turn off all services, including the mains switch and taps.
Lock all windows and doors securely.
Leave the old house keys with the real estate agent for collection by the new inhabitant.
Check to see if all the services are on and appliances are working in your new home.
Check off each box as it comes off the truck.
Register for voting in the new electorate.
Visit your new post office to see whether they are holding any mail for you.

And Part 2

checklist prior to moving to australia part two

If you do not have a bank account in Australia, arrange to open one on arrival. Travellers cheques usually clear in your Aus account on presentation (bring your ID / passports with you), personal cheques may take up to 30 days to clear.


Buy travellers cheques and some AUD (cash) for your first few days – around AUD 2000 should be sufficient.


Make sure you have a valid credit card (and make provision to have the card paid in your home country) this makes booking & paying for accommodation, rental cars etc much easier when you first arrive here


Ensure that you have up to date prescriptions (and sufficient supply to last at least your first month in Australia) for any prescription medicines or treatments. Also, get a copy of all of your medical and dental records and bring that with you to Australia.


Make sure you have insurance cover for medical and personal effects that will cover you until you have your Australian insurance in place


Get your lawyer / solicitor to update your will (get a new one done after you arrive and settle in Australia) and also to act for you if there are any outstanding legal matters in your home country (e.g. sale of home etc)

Something NOT to do before you go!!!!!!!!!
DON"T do what i did and shred every bit of paper we didn't need any more like mortgage statements, mortgage settlement papers and letters from the solicitors dealing with your house sale.
All of these are very important when dealing with house/land purchases here. We managed to sort things out with a phone call to the UK, but things would have been so much easier if we had brought that stuff with us.

Lee and Alison.

Have you done all this ?
Courtesy of YAFM - BE

===================

Just an update on the list of ‘to do’s’ In the light of our
Experiences

Arrange the ‘house cooling’ goodbye party
Make your wills (travelling is dangerous)
Arrange an Australian address (friend, relative, thread member)
or get one of these to organise a PO Box in Australia (in their name and empty it for you) They are quite hard to get so think early – go on waiting list.
Update your address book including tele nos and email addresses
Cancel your ISP service IN WRITING (I did it in email and phone and they continued to charge me for another 5 months said I did not cancel.) Also advise C/C payment they should stop the standing order. (belt and braces cover)
Get copies of some utilities to use as evidence of good payment for same in Australia (otherwise you may have to pay a large deposit $100 or so) PS Australian utilities go in ONE persons’ name Mr or Mrs they don’t like Mr/Mrs and therefore the person who organises it gets the bills in their name – so utilities should match.
Arrange a Nationwide Credit Card (or possibly Halifax) No annual charges and they do not charge extra for foreign currency purchases.
Arrange Standing Order to pay credit cards while you are travelling and getting organised. (we still use our uk c/c and get a better rate than the money we took over originally.)
Organise all change of address details with everyone in the uk. (Credit Card Co.’s and other financial institutions sometimes will not accept this change and ask you to verify by phone to a 0845 number. This is difficult once you have left uk. (They write to the Australian address and say they cannot accept your instructions!!!!!) This includes Share Certificate holding companies.
Cancel uk telephone
Make arrangements with Credit Card companies and other financial institutions for on line working (they often need this instruction confirmed by phone)
Have Boot sale
If you are taking a container or part load –
Scrub shoes and disinfect – they get through ok.
Ditto garden tools – if necessary paint handles/blades – no problems
You can ignore pessimistic threads re difficulty taking garden things (except lawn mowers) SO LONG AS YOU CLEAN THEM wipe with Jeyes fluid and mark them that this has been done
Same for bicycles and childrens garden toys.
Sort out Christmas decorations, throw away pine cones and etc. Mark the box ‘tinsel, tree ornaments an d fairy lights’ NOT Christmas decs. (can mark NO PINE CONES etc.) No problems then
If you have store cupboard don’t throw away. You can take anything that is not opened. Jams, Pasta, pickles, sugar, sauces coffee tea and etc. (BRING MAYONNAISE – Australian type UGH)
If you use Decaf Coffee you may wish to bring lots of this Not readily available only Nescafe and the price is extortionate – not just one pound more than the same size ordinary coffee.
Stock up with your favourite ‘over the counter’ medication inc. multi vits, cod liver oil and sea sickness pills etc. (very expensive here compared with the Super market’s Own Brands in uk.) Include Nu-skin (not available in australia)
Arrange Post Office redirection to Australian address.
Leave couple of pages of labels addressed to a friend/relative in uk for odd bits that get through then and later for the new owner of your house to use. Then they can sort out and pass on if necessary to you.
Get details of your medical records from Doctors (Max charge 50 sterling – but my doctor gave me a copy of the print out he would take on a home visit for free) and this is sufficient for most people.
Get a couple of months supply of medication to cover you while you get sorted with a GP in Australia.
Cancel Car insurance and get letter of confirmation of your NCD to use in Australia.
Cancel house insurances
Cancel TV Licence and ask for refund
Ensure that you ask all refunds to be paid directly into your uk bank account as they send you cheques to Australia and this is not much use. (or make arrangements for a friend/relative to have a paying in bok and get the refunds sent to them)
Organise Travel insurance for the trip (your annual one may not cover one way travel)
Open an Australian Bank a/c (We found HSBC cheapest and best. Not many branches outside large towns but ALL post Offices are De Facto branches) Get forms from local uk HSBC and then arrange via HSBC Canary Wharf – very helpful people.
Open a/c with currency exchange people (HIFX have easiest and quickest forms but DO NOT ALWAYS give the best rate)
Get your eyes tested if the annual test is due – take copy of result
Go to dentist for same
If you have private health insurance get copy of your contracts as some Australian companies will accept a ‘roll over’ and not make you have a ‘waiting period’.
Organise your plane tickets – CHECK that they will give you migrants’ extra luggage allowance. (or go via USA on USA airlines who give 64 kilos per person in two cases)
Arrange for the movers (if you are taking a container)
Make a list of the items it is worth insuring (only insure breakables etc. most things only cost you unnecessary money)
Download and save anything crucial on your computer (they do not like to travel) Unplug everything yourself (the packer broke pins out of our printer plug when he wrenched it out and we did not know for some time) had to purchase new plug.
If you have the facility burn your photos onto CD’s for safety and take them with you in luggage.
Get your mobile phone unlocked (can be done cheaply on line if necessary) Then purchase a pre paid pack in Australia to keep you going until you decide who to go with for the best cover for your chosen area. ($30 inc. $29 calls for a pre paid sim)
Cancel your mobile telephone contract.
Get copy of last years’ Christmas card list – surprising who you have forgotten to advise of your move.
Update your birthday book and include dates like mothers and fathers day for the uk (they are different here)
Photocopy passport, birth certificate, marriage certificate, driving licence and keep in a separate place.
Advise Inland Revenue of your plans and fill in form for tax rebate.
Advise authorities re family allowance.
Don’t throw away your winter coat (it gets very cold here at night in the few weeks of winter)
Ditto the above for blankets and hot water bottles
If you have an electric towel rail BRING IT we do miss warm towels.
Go to web site for driving licence test questions and answers (the equivalent of the highway code is $38 and difficult to read.
http://day.uws.edu.au/~97070694/car-c.pdf
Take a few practice tests on line
http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/licensing...test/index.html
Bring all your coathangers – not much in the way of drawers in built in’s nor space for them in bedrooms so everything is hung up. I am still buying more coathangers after 7 months.
Get childrens test results and standard details for australian schools.
(I don't have school age children so do not know anything about your requirements - perhaps someone will extend the list of such needs.)
__________________
Colin & Yvonne
They call this retirement!!!!!