PomPenny

Hi, our situation is slightly different, but thought our experiences may help you........we are taking out a mortgage on our UK property ( which has no mortgage) to use as deposit for buying a property here. To make sure this was possible, I phoned a few places and was assured there was no problem. So I travelled back to the UK to make this happen quickly, and because much of the paperwork needed was there ( pension, house insurance etc) i had a phone interview which gave offer in principal, and then went to ( HSBC) bank next day for what I thought would be next step, armed with all paperwork they could possibly need, to get things processing asap seeing the Australian house buying system works much faster than the UK. But it turned out I was missing one thing.....! Despite explaining everything when both in Australia and the UK, as soon as I walked in, they asked where my husband was! And I was told that he had to be present in person, not once, but at two separate occasions to sign documents in person. They offered me a strong coffee as condolence but said there was nothing they could do otherwise. I couldn't believe that after all the chats on the phone explaining the situation that the people in the actual bank said it couldn't be done. I did question how I knew who to trust about knowing what the bank offered...........but I had to accept defeat and leave. the next day, I received a letter in the post thanking me for my mortgage application ( by phone), saying they hoped I was happy with the service ...........fools put on a free phone number the letter, ha ha. so I phoned to tell them exactly what I thought of their service. but this time, I got a super guy who was Australian working in the UK, who really knew what the bank did and what could be offered . So it turns out that HSBC have just started a new phone/ online service for people in our situation, and all the documentation can be downloaded onto the system. My husband just needed to go into HSBC in Perth to get his passport and driving licence with UK address on verified and the original copies had to be couriered to the UK. So it has all been done over the phone and documents downloaded to our online application. It needs someone in the UK to let them into the house for valuation purposes , but doesn't have to be you. Pleased to say that our mortgage application is getting processed so a long rant, as it was mindblowingly stressful when I was roughly being told I had travelled back for nothing, but the moral is that some people will prefer to tell you things can't be done if they don't personally know about it, rather than looking at solving the situation or asking others. I can say that HSBC in the UK can help you, and contact me for links if you get told they can't! be aware though that there is absolutely no link between HSBC UK and HSBC Australia. They call themselves an international bank, but it really means they have branches around the World and no more. They don't communicate with each other, and they are completely different businesses. Therefore there is no need, and no advantage, in banking with them here in Oz. Though I have to say that the Oz HSBC has been extremely good, quick and helpful with our Ozzie mortgage, and on a different thread, we too were offered up to 30 year term despite being in our 50's! hope this helps!

Oops!!!! $650/ week:laugh: Bit of a mistake that !!!

Hi everyone, we have a nice place in Hillarys 4x1 with pool too! It will be available from beginning of December as we are breaking our lease to buy our first home ( just up the hill!) our lease term is until the end of February but I am sure the landlord will be happy to continue with the lease. He has been very easy to deal with so far. we had to find somewhere quickly when we moved to Perth, but so glad we chose Hillarys. We have great friends and neighbours, and it is easy to stroll to Hillarys Marina on Friday evenings for Happy hour It is an unfurnished property, and it is also PET FRIENDLY which is great if anyone is moving out with their furry friend. good schools nearby and a lovely park just behind the house, up the hill buses to train stations and CBD go from nearly the bottom of the drive. Good australian and expat neighbours too, what more could anyone want?! Rent is $650/ month. PM me if you would like further info or photos. i have written this with newcomers to Perth in mind, but if you are already in Perth and fancy moving to this neck of the woods, then a long term lease could be available straight away.

Just wondered if there are people out there who are as lucky as me and don't work full time, so enjoy walking their happy pooches in parks and along the coastal paths NOR during the day? Would like to meet others who like dogs ( even if you don't have your own!) and going for decent walks with the odd good coffee stop! We have a rescue dachshund who loves his walks and making new friends. I am also in the process of starting a dog walking business for small and/ or old dogs, so may have an extra companion or two. I am in Hillarys but don't mind travelling a bit.

I leave again on Monday, so won't be at Zumba. I will walk ( and talk!) by myself possibly, but no worries, I am good with that! May take Basil with me too as it will be a nice weather day I think. Have fun at Zumba . Was in a shop today and one of the music tracks came on........very tempting to break into dance

Anyone fancy walking this Thursday? I am not going to Zumba because I am back to the Uk again briefly next week, so not point trying to get co-ordinated for one session! The weather is meant to be nice I think. I will be outside Dome at Mullaloo at 0930 and will wait around for a few minutes seeing no one is ever on time . Would be good to catch up and have a nice chat

Hi everyone, the Tea (coffee) morning starts at 11am at Sorrento life saving club this Thursday 4th June .All welcome. Entry $10. There will be lots of cakes and someone is making samosas too. Good raffle prizes as well. Should be fun. All raising funds for Cancer research. if any one is interested in Zumba classes too, they are at Duncraig on a Monday evening and Sorrento on Tuesday and Thursday at 0930 am, but you do need to text beforehand to see if there is a place because they are getting quite busy, especially the Thursday class. It's a lot of fun, even though my arms and legs refuse to co-ordinate in any way! If you are interested, PM me and I will forward the number. hope to see you on Thursday. I am making cream scones..................

Hi everyone, sorry but Basil ( the dachshund) and I may not be along for quite a few weeks now as I have started Zumba on a Tuesday and Thursday am . It is such a good workout, and with the winter months approaching, I thought I would be ( very!) warm inside. It is held at Sorrento life saving club, so if you do decide to walk a little further you will be able to see in! Next Thursday they are also being part of the Big coffee morning for cancer research, with loads of cakes and brilliant raffle prizes, if anyone fancies coming along? Always happy to meet up for a coffee and/or walk on another day, just text or pm me.

I joined the Facebook unofficial group, but sadly I am not a "Facebook" person, and what I really like is meeting up and chatting, not posting messages. I got to my target weight, and kept it for sometime, and like you, JasonM, I could see that it was a lifestyle change and very easy to follow, so thought. Would be able to keep to it for life. But when life throws us a wobbly, food is a comfort and in my case, it's Cadburys chocolate. I have also struggled to find equivalent products for some of my favourites now I am in Oz, so cannot keep to the formula that I am comfortable with for maintaining my weigh. I do cook most things from scratch, but it is surprising how many things have added oil and sugar over here such as jars of chopped chilli, garlic etc. Amazing well done for losing 6 stone in 6 months and good luck with being a consultant. I am sure it will be both extremely rewarding , and challenging, when you see the same faces every weeks for months/ years whose weight barely shifts, because they want to lose weight but rely on attending the group to provide the miracle rather than following the plan ! i don't want to try to set up a led group, that's up to SW to instigate, but still would like to get together for moral support if there were any other poms out there wanting to do the same.

hi, going to start this thread again! is there any one already out in Perth, NOR, who is doing Slimming World and fancies meeting up for moral support? I have done Slimming World before coming out to Oz, and as the weight is creeping up and my daughter's graduation is approaching, I am having another crack at it! I find it is a good diet for me, but at times of stress ( and there has been loads since moving over here, mainly due to problems in the UK) I do like a bit of chocolate . Getting together for weighs ins ( or not) and sharing of recipes , not biscuits, would be good, as I always found that going to group spurred me on, hearing how others were succeeding. I am going to dust down my magazines and books! slimming World doesn't have any plans to come to Australia, but is taking on the US I believe. If this is of interest to anyone, just pm me or post on here. I am at Hillarys.

In the UK at the moment, but will be back again shortly, so we'll be able to make it to the Moon and Sixpence on May 9th. See you then ! I'm sure there are others like us who intend to go but haven't posted any reply yet.

Congratulations on the job! I am hoping to come for the first time tomorrow, as we have just moved to Perth from Melbourne. I shall be at the Dome at Mullaloo at 9.30am hoping to spot you, and if I can't find you will wander off and explore. If anyone sees a blonde, 50 something, obviously lost English woman, come and rescue me please

Hi, my husband and I have just moved across to Perth from Melbourne. We are in the " older category", in our early 50s! Just about to move into Hillarys, so it would be great to meet up with a few more people our age ( and older/ younger). We enjoy walking, drinking BBQs, having a good laugh, the usual stuff, and husband enjoys diving. Do you still meet up at the Moon and Sixpence? If so, when is anyone going to be there? having a good time enjoying being "pretend young things" now that children are in final years at University in the UK and we are both together on the same continent!