DH wants to Move us all to NZ…

NZers don't really worry about these things, but there is the risk that Rangitoto will go off at some stage. Presumably with plenty of warning. I've experienced two earthquakes in my life, one a good shake, and it wasn't in NZ. These things are not reasons to not move to NZ.

Five years in, here are my takeouts that are things outside my personal situation that would put me off Auckland vs London. From a UK expat POV, not slagging off NZ for the sake of it!

The cost of living is higher. I can't survive without a car. Home and contents insurance is $2500 compared to a similar size/value house in London that was 400GBP. Food is very expensive. Rents, mortgages comparable but everything else is difficult.

Not as many job opportunities and lower wages. There will always be exceptions but this is the norm. There is no nil rate tax band which hits hard now I'm on a low salary.

The education system is not as academic which is a problem if you are planning on returning to the UK with teens who simply could not slot back into GCSEs or A levels. There are options to study the Cambridge curriculum but these are private schools who are massively oversubscribed.

I cannot sign my daughter up with a local GP and at 14 I have to pay for her GP care. I cannot afford insurance and cannot get public health care for a knee problem.

Annual leave sucks. A lot of companies have a mandatory shut down at Christmas. My company closes for 3 weeks and I must take 3 of my 4 weeks then. It makes travel home difficult if you want to go in the UK summer.

Another UK expat problem is that no one with school age kids will visit you (unless they get longer private school holidays). I hadn't really thought about this because of course everyone said they would visit when we left, but when would they come? No point coming in NZ winter when they get their long school holidays and two weeks at Christmas is not enough.

Flight prices have not really improved since covid with decent routes costing around $4000 per flight during school holidays.

There is more rain than London. This was a facetious point until 2023 when Auckland was flooded and 50% of my house was destroyed causing $100k of damage that took over a year to repair.

Winter is grim without Christmas and going out culture.

I obviously have more emotive reasons, but feel these are fair and representative (of London vs Auckland).

Well survival is a good start! And I’m glad to hear that. But onwards and upwards and I’m sure something even more bearable awaits. X

I think I may have read your story or a similar one just after or before I decided to stay in the uk when I was in a similar position . He went anyway ! I am glad to hear you’re doing ok ❤️

Hello!
I have reached a place where I survive, but it's still not great and I have spent the last four years fighting ex over everything - finances, travel, care schedules. He has to win every battle and has continued to be spiteful.
Thanks for asking x

It’s only tourists anyway who go near the volcanoes. It’s not like Vesuvius right near Napoli/ Pompeii.

OP I think a visit would be a good idea. I think a lot of nonsense is being spoken on this thread by people who have never visited/ visited a loooong time ago ( and are embellishing!) or were living on the lower end of the offerings, which, let’s face it, is lifestyle impacting absolutely anywhere.

I have several friends there and they honestly have such beautiful homes and gardens (even with heating! 😀). They are not hugely wealthy but affluent and the lifestyle in that bracket allows people far more than is typical in the uk (two have tennis courts, infinity pools etc) . The difference for my friend who moved there is the private healthcare and private schooling is much more affordable. It sounds as though your DH has a good offer. You can’t expect to go on a shoestring and live like a king, which is what I get the feeling many posters were disappointed by. It really would be pretty basic rental housing stock that didn’t have heating. And as for making their own furniture … well I suppose that is true in the sense that my friend had some extremely stylish nz made furniture that was indistinguishable to me from the expensive Italian imported ( she’s a minimalist!) pieces she had. They don’t have John Lewis (!) but they do actually have their own manufacturers as well as imports and the quality is equal or better. I didn’t see anything like Argos there.

Thd one thing that is true is that it is a long way- but I’m sure some family will want to visit you to help with the back and forth. And it’s 24 hours far away, not weeks.

oh for goodness sakes! What a load of tommy rot!! LOL you guys who are saying such rot about NZ!!! I don't know whether to laugh at the stupidity or be angry at such silly lies! We have earthquakes... the last real violent one was over 5 yrs ago. Won't get out of bed for less then a 5.0 .. otherwise mostly it's just a rock and roll gentle shake or bang like a car crash down the road. As for volcanoes... what the??? We have mainly extinct volcanoes here. The only ones i know that are active are in the centre of north island besides White Island which is in the ocean just off Tauranga. Taupo got a little ash over it some years ago from Ruapehu when it blew it's top but really???? How many volcanoes have I ever seen blow up in NZ? One.. and I'm over 50yrs!! Get a grip you folks. As to your sister being scared = fear mongering brits might be terrified but genuine folk know it's not that common.

A neighbour is in a similar situation and he thought he would rent for just a year and then buy something. Still here renting 5 years later and has their son more often than not.

my understanding from his perspective they came to NZ for the birth. Being a good Parent he wants to remain in his child’s life. But it’s not where the relationship was originally based.

I remember you ❤️ I hope things got a little better for you and the situation improved.

So..... I am the mum who other people have mentioned who moved to NZ at the end of 2019 and when we separated 4 months later found myself stuck here, unable to return to London with my kids.

The principle that most people ('old' me included) don't understand, is that of habitual residency. Quite simply, once you move as a family to a new country, your children become habitual residents of that country and they cannot be removed without the agreement of both parents. Of course, this is worst case scenario, and no one wants to predict this for their relationship, but an international move that you are not certain about will put enormous strain on your marriage.

I have not been on here for a number of years and I'm scared to look at my original post right now because I used it as journalling through lockdown and my darkest days.

What I'd Mumsnet apart from a place where you can get free advice?! Lol.

Clearly, there will be threads there on day to day life that will be relevant to the OP given its actually people living there now, at least from what I saw. There was one from an individual who'd moved there recently from the UK etc.

I arrived in NZ on holiday pregnant during covid and couldn't leave due to lockdown. After 2 years and vaccination complete, we were supposed to go back but ex husband refused and now me and my child are trapped in NZ against our will until he is 16. If I attempt to leave with my child I will be charged with kidnapping. DO NOT MOVE TO NZ WITH KIDS.

True but it was set up for people living in those countries to chat amongst themselves about local issues. Not as a free travel/immigration advisory service for the rest of Mumsnet.

I beg your pardon!! We were all commenting, in a lighthearted way, about the post. YOU are the one who inserted yourself into it, so maybe YOU should move along. You're not as superior as you seem to believe yourself to be.

move Along then.

The original post, which we were all responding to, said "The houses don't have heating". No-one mentioned rentals until you came along.

Indeed, but for nz landlords the rule is there to provide a warm dry home.

tenants can seek a full reimbursement of rent if they take the matter to the tribunal. Which is an attractive sum of money after paying rent for 12 months.

Surely it is not beyond the capability of anyone to go out and buy an actual heater? The shops are full of them - I even have one myself!

Just further to my earlier comments, we have a family member working for an international company and they have placed a hiring embargo on an NZ position. Head management has been told there will be no travel there either from the Australasian base.

i really recommend if possible, you find out the company’s future direction in remaining in NZ.

Failing that, will the relocation package include relocation costs back to UK if the company terminates its NZ base…

There's an entire board on mumsnet dedicated to Oz and NZ. Sorry for stating then obviously but I'd peek there.

This is really interesting given so many posters have spoken about how expensive houses there are. I think there is quite a lot of inaccurate info tbh…

My advice if you do go would be to rent your house out here and then to rent out there. One mistake my sis made
was to sell her house here, she bought out there… house prices here have sky rocketed but the market there is pretty stable, so now she actually can’t afford to come back!

At least the model they've chosen to represent you is lovely looking. 😁🤣