Last minute panics

[LoopyLoopsCorgiPoops]

It's next week for us... what I have I forgotten on my list? What about a list for when we get there? Still at work here until Friday, then a week sorting out the house, 2 days in Dubai, a week there (KL) then start work. I'm so exhausted and it's only going to get worse.

Any advice to calm me down and to guide me though would be very much appreciated. :) Thanks

Presumably housing and schools have been sorted and packers booked?
What I always did before leaving for a new country was
locate our birth certs and passports
find out marriage certificate and translation(s)
Get lots of passport photographs of all the family taken
Have a look at some guide books for the place we were moving to.
Breathe love, just breathe.

• Mail redirection?? (do at Post office- do not rely on tenants forwarding stuff on a timely basis)

Get some Bach Flower Remedies Calm Drops from Boots. In the last few days and the first days after we arrived, they were a life saver for me. About a week in, I realised I could get in the car and not feel paniced about the next challenge but they helped massively in the run up!

Thank you everyone. :)

Not done mail redirection, good point.

We've sent the shipping, no packers unfortunately - next week will be hell.

Do you think extra notarised copies of certificates are necessary?

Bach also make lovely rescue remedy sleep capsules that are great for adults and kids alike which can help to settle you all once you arrive. We swear by them.

Take copies of whatever documentation you can with you enroute. It is so much easier to have quick access to it. Make sure you have any important docs in your carry on.

In realisty it was so much easier than I had though actually doing it. But it is the planning and panicing that wipe you out. Best of luck :)

Breathe LoopyLoops!

No idea of all your personal circs so will just go through my list.

My house ( i was letting)

Triplicate sets of keys for tenant, letting agent, one family member, me, DH
Flowers and wine for new tenant
List of local plumber, sparky etc
Lists re appliances WHERE THE STOPCOCK IS window cleaner, gardener, scrap metaller etc
NOTIFY COUNCIL TO STOP COUNCIL TAX (empty property or handover)
ARRANGEMENT OF WATER ELECTRIC AND GAS METERS IN PERSON
or telling the supplier if not water metered
PHONE
TV licensing
Cancellation of House,health, mortgage protection Insurance policies WHEN NO LONGER VALID IF NOT UK RESIDENT
Check house/home policy is valid as Landlord/ex pat

Government
Letter of cessation request for child allowance/child tax credit
Notified pensions
*Sent back my NHS cards and EHIC (but health insured in new country)

• deregistered at dentist and doctor ( SCREEN DUMP OF VACCINATIONS RECORDS FOR SCHOOL ENTRY if no health book) *tax forms for letting agent re house

Important for us to send all back as we did not want to be treated as 'ordinarily resident in the uk'

Children

Presents for teachers, childminders, shindig for friends
Autograph book/camera for wellwishers to sign/memories
School records i/a
Deregistration at clinics/request to access records if req
New childcare/nursery/school arrangements if not being done in situ
Vaccinations required for new country

Banks

Closure of Isas, tessas etc - anything where needed to be UK resident
KEPT ONE CURRENT BANK ACCOUNT OPEN FOR EACH OF US best advice ever given...able to use for trips back to UK, for transferring of funds, as an emergency bank card for where we are now etc

The only thing I did not do was to notify Swansea/send my driving licence back to DVLA as I needed it here and to apply for a new licence they needed my old one here which would have screwed meover had the DVLA had it.

Paperwork/hand luggage

Folder with plastic wallets making up the folder:
birth, marriage certifs original and copies
paper part of driving licences
letting agency scheme contract
any cessation literature from utilities
Travel insurance docs
E tickets/plane tickets/boarding
Passports
Mini dictionary
Currency/travellers cheques incl change for trolleys, toilets etc

Council
To collect excess rubbish/furniture not going or donation to school, oxfam etc or skip run or ebay/freecycle

Police/next door neighbour if get on
Warning of empty property (if empty) insurance if > 30 days

POST OFFICE redirect mail for the longest period: 12 months -tis worth the money esp for clearing the utility bills etc

If you know your new address in advance you can give this to the utilities, bank, council tax dept etc but a redirection protects you.

As for when you are there:

address registration locally or at consulate if req
English speaking doctor and dentist
health insurance
tax number
any benefits - non EU = no reciprocal tax, child allowance etc If paying UK tax you will need to revise some of the above advice and speak to HRMC and non-residents helpline in Newcastle etc Direct Gov will have all details
Phone line/Computer connection - ex pat website for rec for cheap rates, skype etc
Local info re laws, schools, etc
House rental, utilities etc best deals, legalities, walkthrough, deposits, photographic or filmed evidence of state before moving in

Think that's it!
Good luck with it all xxxxxxx

Should say Arrangement of READING of meters etc I preferred in person to over the phone or by PC and I took photos just as I left but I am paranoid. Yout letting agent if you are letting will also take care of this. If you were renting yourselves I would definitely ask for a meter readig in person for you to have a signed carbon copy if possible.

ignore typos- am typing fast

Mark You are the Admin King/Queen. I salute you

Keep your driving licence as you will need it to drive abroad and hire cars any where in the world ! Plus if you don't have a uk residence address your licence becomes void. You sound very organised !:)

Get the kids to pack one box of toys that they put into a box and colour in so that it is instantly recognisable. Have these boxes and another box with a kettle and some tea bags/coffee and some biscuits put into removal van last so that they are first out.

Being able to have a cup of tea on arrival calmed me down.

If you are going to be abroad a while, keep uk bank account and credit card and use it occasionally. We had terrible trouble when we returned because we had no credit rating. Getting a mortgage was a nightmare.

have you bought a house in the UK now ML? I thought you were going back to Germany?

I am sure Loopy that you have done everything pretty much. Good luck in Dubai

Thanks. :) It's KL, just stopping in Dubai for a couple of days.

Mark's list is brilliant, thank you. :)

yes, Zzzen. Massive change of plans. We are based in UK and DH is flying over from Munich to see us. Not really ideal, but the best we can do at the moment.

Hope things work out the way you want ML, must be hard for you.

Good luck in KL loopy. Sounds like a great place