Its time to say Good Bye...... 30 days & counting

[nms.sun3]

I did my IRD at Kiwibank/NZ Post the day I arrived. After a week I rang in to get the number so I could get paid at my job.

thanks jawnbc. I am gonna stay in CBD for a while before i rent a property. First thing am gonna do is to apply for the IRD after we arrive.

[nms.sun3]

Yes... but the NZ police come down hard on the many people who keep putting off and putting off converting properly to a NZ licence, if once they are caught driving AFTER 12 months after their last entry. Don't ever be tempted to think 'she'll be right' and 'I only need to go just round the corner' and 'it's only been a year and three days and I'm off on my trip to (wherever) tomorrow'.

I hear ya. I was just kidding when i said am gonna shuttle around to keep driving using my foreign licence

[nms.sun3]

We are excited and worried at the same time with less than 10 days to go before we land in Wellington.

Updates:

• Extended initial accommodation at service aptmt for 2 weeks as securing a rental property is not going to an easy task.
• Emailed various agents/landlord on trademe but managed to apply for just one property @ Waterloo.We havent lost hope yet on finding a rental property
• One of my acquaintance visited the property during open home and we viewed the property via video call from NZ to Singapore. But there were more than 15 families at the open house
• Still looking for second hand cars via trademe website and any other pointers is most welcome.

[mayur1980]

We are excited and worried at the same time with less than 10 days to go before we land in Wellington.

Updates:

• Extended initial accommodation at service aptmt for 2 weeks as securing a rental property is not going to an easy task.
• Emailed various agents/landlord on trademe but managed to apply for just one property @ Waterloo.We havent lost hope yet on finding a rental property
• One of my acquaintance visited the property during open home and we viewed the property via video call from NZ to Singapore. But there were more than 15 families at the open house
• Still looking for second hand cars via trademe website and any other pointers is most welcome.

For car you can visit Capital City cars in Newtown, they are reasonably priced and you can even look at their website what stock they have.

[spencer2]

Driving automatics is easy peezy! Mine had the hand brake where the clutch is on a manual and I did put it on a couple of times when I bought it whilst driving! Rent isn't normally negotiable and decent houses tend to go quickly. Don't just limit yourself to the Lower Hutt, places like Whitby are very close and easy to get to as well. Schools and Kindys are very relaxed here, it might come as a shock when compared to the UK. You will have a week of running around like a blue a%$#$ fly but it is well worth it, I just hope the weather has improved by the time you arrive as it's pretty foul at the moment! Good luck.
P.S. Go to the chocolate fish cafe, your kid will love it.

[nms.sun3]

Driving automatics is easy peezy! Mine had the hand brake where the clutch is on a manual and I did put it on a couple of times when I bought it whilst driving! Rent isn't normally negotiable and decent houses tend to go quickly. Don't just limit yourself to the Lower Hutt, places like Whitby are very close and easy to get to as well. Schools and Kindys are very relaxed here, it might come as a shock when compared to the UK. You will have a week of running around like a blue a%$#$ fly but it is well worth it, I just hope the weather has improved by the time you arrive as it's pretty foul at the moment! Good luck.
P.S. Go to the chocolate fish cafe, your kid will love it.

Thanks spencer2.

We have almost finalized a nice 3 BR property at Woburn. Agent who is handling the property was a very nice chap who was an immigrant as well ~ 15 yrs ago. He allowed our friend during open home and put in a good word with the landlord. Just that the rental is NZD570 pw with a caveat that landlord prefers 12 months fixed term contract.

[JandM]

Good to hear things are moving ahead for you.

[nms.sun3]

Thanks JandM.

Update:

• Rental agreement signed & scanned copy sent to agent. we have agreed to pay part amount to the agency now and balance will be settled on the day we receive the keys. Agent has been very kind all along to listen to our concerns & agree to this approach.
• Shipping container arrived in Auckland on 29 Jan followed by Customs/MPI clearance on 3 Feb. Luckily MPI cleared the container without inspecting it and it saved us approx 500$.
• Reached out to few kindergarten and one of them responded but we are on waitlist at the moment.
• Furniture(Bed/Mattresses/Lounge etc) needs to be purchased after we land. Carpet floor is gonna be the mattress for first few days.
• And finally car...

[nms.sun3]

I can now call it as +2 days since we have moved to Windy Wellington & trying to settle down.

Update:

• Landed on 12 Feb and went straight to the rental property to meet with our Landlord & Agent. Everything went smooth and the area is an absolute bliss Have more open space at the front & back of the property which my kiddo loves to run around.
• Applied for broadband with Spark and apparently it takes about 7 WD to get the connection.
• Electricity & Gas signed up with Genesis based on the internet research including this forum.
• Got the mobile connection with Spark and it was easy peasy.
• Applied for IRD# at the nearest NZ Post.
• Bought a mattress/base from Big Save furniture and they delivered it within 2 hours.
• Ordered few other items from warehouse online store.
• Last but not least is to get the car which i intend to do this weekend

[r1c1]

Congratulations on arrival and quick rental find. I am in Welly. If you need some help, PM.