Where's Best to Live in NZ and what do we need to know: PART TWO!!!

[AngryBeaver]

Wow,have just gone to post and it wouldn't except it! So have had to start a new thread. Hope everyone finds it ok.I feel a bit like we've all been out for the night and somehow got seperated and no one has their mobile!!
Anyway,this was the question I've had to cut and paste from the old thread:...

Sorry,have had a quick look but can't see...has anyone used emirates?
I think the sky couch thing looks good,but we'd have to buy a couple and that would be pricey.
Dh reckons Emirates are fine,but I don't think he's anticipating how different it's going to be travelling that disatnce with 3 exhausted infants.
He has limited travel experience as it is and the longest he has been on a plane with them is 3 hours. He keeps saying it will be fine,they'll sleep for loads of it...somehow I'm thinking this will not happen!!

He has Work to Residence, Talent (Accredited Employer) and I have Work, Parner of a Worker, children are Student, Dependent of Worker. I think it was approx 10 days in the end, we hadn't filled the 1146 in fully/properly (mainly because I didn't understand it!) but they were very quick to come back and tell us what was needed, we got it sorted, returned it one day and were approved the next. I do get the impression that when it is an accredited employer it is pretty quick.

Were accredited employer -dh reckons there is a lady in his company in London who is on commission to turn this stuff around - she told us 14 days from her receiving all our forms. Who is moving you? And where are you off to?

Doh - sorry forgot you're Auckland possible North Shore.

It wouldn't surprise me re having someone turning the applications around quickly, it should be quick as they know you have a job, are healthy and no criminal record. Also employers normally want people out there as quick as they can make it!

Yes we are Auckland but havent finally decided where yet but it will probably be east of the city or more likely north shore, very much depends on schools and where/what we can rent. I have been looking at some of the websites for primaries however really do need to see and experience it all in the flesh, IYKWIM. We are going to just miss the start of the school year anyway so we won't make a decision until we arrive, we are looking at rentals all the time though to see what is around. We havent yet chosen our movers but are leaning towards Crown, just need to see if we can beat them down as they are a fair bit more than the others.

I ordered 'where to live in Auckland' which is useful - 50 dollars and came in a week. Very useful schooling info and general detail on areas in terms of population density and rental prices. North shore looks very safe schoolwise. Are you planning on working there?

Hi, been reading these posts for ages but not got round to posting, hope you don't mind if I join in! I seem to be odd one out as we're off to south island, arriving 5th Jan. We had to ring immigration quite a few times as I'm pregnant with our 3rd child so were trying to work out which visa to go on (skilled migrant resident in end), and came across excellent website via one of emigration forums. Basically if you ring different no it still gets you through to immigration but at local call rate instead. Actually works and saved a fortune (apparently it's been recommended by radio 2 etc but I'd never heard of it before!). No is 01245454448 if it's of any use to anyone - I have no idea why it works, but £1 min is just ridiculous! I am currently feeling very stressed due to packing, goodbyes, Christmas, pregnancy etc etc etc - hoping it's all worth it! Just kind of want to get on plane and know it's all done.

Welcome juniper - thanks so much for tge number. It will work cos all 0800 type numbers have a 'landline' number behind them as a normal rate (which don't yet advertised as usually the 0845s etc are free.) I'll be using tHat one going forward. Immigration literally just emailed (up feeding ds4 again) to say visitor for the preschoolers and student for the 5 year old and I think I'll go with that.

Where are you going juniper in the South?

Good luck with your third

Thanks lollystix, pregnancy seems to be going very quickly as so busy with move! Glad to be of help with no, hope you manage to sort your visas ok.

We're off to christchurch - maybe we'll see you there sometime Justabout! Glad to hear it gets easier - struggling to see an end to chaos at mo!

3 babies is alot of fun (and noise and mess). How old are they?

Yes welcome to Juniper - just think how lovely it will be when you are in NZ with your new baby and family - very exciting!

Great to hear you have sorted the visa types out Lolly, I hope they deal with it quickly for you.

Can I just ask who everyone else is using or has used for removals. I expect everyone knows this but it is much cheaper to insure with an independent insurer rather than with the removal company. I have had a quote of 1.25% from Letton Percival.

Lastly, sorry lots of questions, what did you have to show for your mortgage app Justabout - was it the same stuff as over here? Is there anything special needed for rental/buying when you are new to the country do you know?

I have a little girl who's 3 and a boy who's 20 months. The baby is due 5th April. So lots of fun! Looking forward to being settled out there with all of us.

We're using Crown removals. They were a bit higher than our lowest quote (from pss) but managed to haggle them down a bit and they include maf fees which pss don't. Pickfords knew my hubby's new company were paying & quoted us £2000 more than crown
His company are doing insurance.

What are maf fees?

MAF is the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, I think the fees may be related to when you ship stuff over they sometimes have to inspect it to ensure you are bringing no soil/plants/bugs etc into NZ that could cause problems for the enviroment here.

(I'm assuming this is what the MAf fees are, I've never shipped a big load of stuff over so someone correct me if I'm wrong!)

yes, we had to pay MAF to clear our container. A guy turned up on a Saturday morning, spent all of 5 mins looking in 2 boxes then took the fee (from memory a few hundred dollars 9 years ago.)

Bio security here is high profile however DH recently did a MAF course - a few hours and is now certified to clear shipping containers of goods for the company he works for, which now makes me a bit about the whole MAF thing. No police checks on DH etc and it seems a bit dodgy to have an employee from the company receiving the goods to check them and give them clearance??!!??

Thanks justabout that is really useful. I think we will rent and once our stuff arrives I expect we will have the paperwork we need but perhaps need to think that through a bit more and maybe contact a broker. I have read a few times about agents seeing newbies as easy targets - will be wary!

Lolly, MAF have all sorts of restrictions etc on what can and can't be brought in, you will get details from your removal form however bascially all shoes, camping equipment, garden tools, bikes (basically anything that has been outside) need to be scrubbed clean. You can't bring any untreated wood i.e. not worth bringing wooden garden furniture if not treated/painted. Wicker chairs/basketware is another thing they don't like. Crown include their fees in their quote. They inspect and fumigate if necessary and charge you, but not sure how much however Sibble said it's hundreds of dollars. So after Christmas it's rubber gloves and jeyes fluid for me!

So I've organised crown to quote in the NY re moving us. Who else should I look at? Pickfords?

Lolly - I got Crown and Pickfords. I'd used P/fords when we moved to and fro from Canada so i knew they were good.

Crown seemed to have a better idea of the MAF regs, and how to avoid mould in the container; theybjust seemed a bit more switched on.

E.g. p/fords use a special plastic wrapping that is melt-proof for going across the equator, but the guy from Crown pointed out that your wrapping needs to be totally breathable as there will be residual moisture in all soft furnishings.

P/fords said no feather duvets or cushions or any typre of wicker. Crown said that feathers used in soft furnishings, purchased from a reputable company will have ggone through a treatment process to get rid of any bugs. Crown also said that treated wicker is fine.

I

Thanks Highlander - I have 3 huge wicker toy baskets I would want to part with. Mould is something I'm trying to escape from (big issue in the mousecave I live in) so not looking to generate more of it.

I've just got home to find my police check back - I only posted for it on Monday so I'm slightly staggered by their efficiency.

Sorry- wouldn't not would re the baskets.

We used anglo-pacific to move us. Removal guys were great and they do specialise in moving people to this region. My only comment is that they did break something when packing (the guy who broke the item rang head office there and then) and the company wouldn't pay as we did not have the broken item on arrival in NZ. As you would we threw it away and didn't bring a box of broken glass shards to the other side of the world!