Immigrating to the UK

Mortgage application has been accepted so now it's time to spend money on solicitors and all the things. Just shy of R10m of debt coming right up. That's if the surveys don't find anything particularly disastrous. Oh, and apparently the fibre Internet where I'm buying is ****, so I'll probably have to get two providers, one for speed, one with FTTC for reliability.

Thought surveys were done first?

Or do you mean application preliminary accepted.
 
Thought surveys were done first?

Or do you mean application preliminary accepted.
Nah, surveys happen before contract handover. You do the mortgage application and they send out someone to do a valuation. Based on that, they confirm that they'll provide you with money.
Then you instruct your solicitor to do their surveys which checks documentation and such, and you can have a comprehensive survey also done where someone goes out to check the entire property for issues such as problems in the roof, foundation, plumbing, etc. Only once the buyer is happy with that, do you exchange contracts, which is the actual sale process executing.
It feels really different to what you'd do in SA.
 
Nah, surveys happen before contract handover. You do the mortgage application and they send out someone to do a valuation. Based on that, they confirm that they'll provide you with money.
Then you instruct your solicitor to do their surveys which checks documentation and such, and you can have a comprehensive survey also done where someone goes out to check the entire property for issues such as problems in the roof, foundation, plumbing, etc. Only once the buyer is happy with that, do you exchange contracts, which is the actual sale process executing.
It feels really different to what you'd do in SA.
We bought last year, I have already forgotten the timeline and order of events.

**** my age

PS: I remember the surveyor only really cared about any big tree that could affect foundations, and ensuring I didn't have that insulation foam in loft. Other than that, was quick and easy.
 
We bought last year, I have already forgotten the timeline and order of events.

**** my age

PS: I remember the surveyor only really cared about any big tree that could affect foundations, and ensuring I didn't have that insulation foam in loft. Other than that, was quick and easy.
Yeah, they care about the value of the property being in line with what you are paying for it, and big structural issues. The other survey you can pay for looks for in depth stuff beyond what a lender would need to worry about.
 
Yeah, they care about the value of the property being in line with what you are paying for it, and big structural issues. The other survey you can pay for looks for in depth stuff beyond what a lender would need to worry about.

Fortunately, we didn't need the in-depth survey as we lived in the house for 2 years renting from the owner, so we had a good idea what we were buying. When she decided to sell, she gave us first dibs on it which ultimately saved stress and money for everyone involved.

Must say, it feels good to own property again. I absolutely loathed renting, especially after owning a paid off house in SA.
 
One thing I have noticed, and it appears to be happening more to me lately, is that when I comment that I moved to the UK in a group chat there seems to be more people eager to point out how **** the UK is and all its problems.
I don't believe the UK is 100% better than SA. They both have their appeal (if SA fixed its political and economy issues then it would be a better country than the UK simply because I grew up there), but I do not think that anyone who hasn't left SA is a fool.
I get the feeling that these people are so eager to make negative points about any other country because they are trying to convince themselves that SA isnt't that bad.

I've seen people giving cost of living percentages and figures that are far removed what I see personally. I believe I live comfortably but according to the figures these people spit out I should be living in a cardboard box. (I could live even more comfortably if I wasn't paying off the debt I have in SA.)
Be thankful that all the numpties who used to call people who left SA "Chicken Runners" and made out that crime wasn't an issue because heart disease and cancer kill more people, have left the forum.

There is a lot of fact bending, and the putting forth of bad hypotheticals to making staying in SA a "choice". There are plenty of legit reasons for the choice, such as: "I would miss my family too much.", but oh no... it has to be inferior in every way: Weather, housing, schooling, medical, people, work, etc. Pretty sad.

Also, let's not forget that as an Expat, the fact that you're on an SA forum means that you secretly long to return, since as an expat, as soon as you set foot in another country, you should immediately lose all interest in the country you were born and raised, where your family still lives, and of which you are still a citizen of. /s
 
Be thankful that all the numpties who used to call people who left SA "Chicken Runners" and made out that crime wasn't an issue because heart disease and cancer kill more people, have left the forum.

There is a lot of fact bending, and the putting forth of bad hypotheticals to making staying in SA a "choice". There are plenty of legit reasons for the choice, such as: "I would miss my family too much.", but oh no... it has to be inferior in every way: Weather, housing, schooling, medical, people, work, etc. Pretty sad.

Also, let's not forget that as an Expat, the fact that you're on an SA forum means that you secretly long to return, since as an expat, as soon as you set foot in another country, you should immediately lose all interest in the country you were born and raised, where your family still lives, and of which you are still a citizen of. /s

Yeah, love that one: “you don’t live in SA anymore, so why are you still on a South African forum?”
 
Mortgage application has been accepted so now it's time to spend money on solicitors and all the things. Just shy of R10m of debt coming right up. That's if the surveys don't find anything particularly disastrous. Oh, and apparently the fibre Internet where I'm buying is ****, so I'll probably have to get two providers, one for speed, one with FTTC for reliability.
Starlink not an option?


Saw this special yesterday; https://www.currys.co.uk/products/s...+Deals+Ltd&sv1=affiliate&sv_campaign_id=47868
 
Be thankful that all the numpties who used to call people who left SA "Chicken Runners" and made out that crime wasn't an issue because heart disease and cancer kill more people, have left the forum.

There is a lot of fact bending, and the putting forth of bad hypotheticals to making staying in SA a "choice". There are plenty of legit reasons for the choice, such as: "I would miss my family too much.", but oh no... it has to be inferior in every way: Weather, housing, schooling, medical, people, work, etc. Pretty sad.

Also, let's not forget that as an Expat, the fact that you're on an SA forum means that you secretly long to return, since as an expat, as soon as you set foot in another country, you should immediately lose all interest in the country you were born and raised, where your family still lives, and of which you are still a citizen of. /s

The joke is that I had to move to another country before I could come back to SA and have a good vacation. I took family out to dinner, I bought Christmas presents for everyone, I proposed. I had more disposable income for a holiday than I have ever had in my entire life. And I got to have a vacation where no one from work bothered me.

On my last point... anyone notice how in the UK they preach work life balance. I don't have any one's mobile numbers because you don't ever need to contact them outside of office hours.
 
anyone notice how in the UK they preach work life balance.

Yep, something I noticed as well. At my company you also get your full allotment for the year in Aug. So I was able to take 2 weeks off while only working there for 2 months. Felt strange at the time hehe.
 
On my last point... anyone notice how in the UK they preach work life balance. I don't have any one's mobile numbers because you don't ever need to contact them outside of office hours.

Yeah, it's wonderful. In SA Whatsapp was the bane of my existence and I was never left alone if gone for more than 2 days.
 
Mortgage application has been accepted so now it's time to spend money on solicitors and all the things. Just shy of R10m of debt coming right up. That's if the surveys don't find anything particularly disastrous. Oh, and apparently the fibre Internet where I'm buying is ****, so I'll probably have to get two providers, one for speed, one with FTTC for reliability.

What % deposit do you have to put down?
 
Mortgage application has been accepted so now it's time to spend money on solicitors and all the things. Just shy of R10m of debt coming right up. That's if the surveys don't find anything particularly disastrous. Oh, and apparently the fibre Internet where I'm buying is ****, so I'll probably have to get two providers, one for speed, one with FTTC for reliability.
**** thats a huge salary
 
Mortgage application has been accepted so now it's time to spend money on solicitors and all the things. Just shy of R10m of debt coming right up. That's if the surveys don't find anything particularly disastrous. Oh, and apparently the fibre Internet where I'm buying is ****, so I'll probably have to get two providers, one for speed, one with FTTC for reliability.
House or apartment?
 
On my last point... anyone notice how in the UK they preach work life balance. I don't have any one's mobile numbers because you don't ever need to contact them outside of office hours.

This is true for me as well, never been contacted outside working hours for work.
 
On my last point... anyone notice how in the UK they preach work life balance. I don't have any one's mobile numbers because you don't ever need to contact them outside of office hours.
Hit miss for me.

Previous employer, you down tools like EFF. Once the clock hits 17:30 you close your laptop and go home. There is no such thing as overtime. Employees didnt even bother with handovers when they go on leave. "Where is Suzie, we have a project deadline" - "Oh, didnt you know she is in Spain for 2 weeks"

Current employer 12h days are standard. I suspect its got something to do with the fact that they have a 90% immigrant workforce, and visa's are tied to jobs (completely my opinion on my observation). Hard work is rewarded with more work and without saying it, they use the tied visa as a negotiation tool.
 
Hit miss for me.

Previous employer, you down tools like EFF. Once the clock hits 17:30 you close your laptop and go home. There is no such thing as overtime. Employees didnt even bother with handovers when they go on leave. "Where is Suzie, we have a project deadline" - "Oh, didnt you know she is in Spain for 2 weeks"

Current employer 12h days are standard. I suspect its got something to do with the fact that they have a 90% immigrant workforce, and visa's are tied to jobs (completely my opinion on my observation). Hard work is rewarded with more work and without saying it, they use the tied visa as a negotiation tool.
Honestly that sucks.
At my current job we do handovers, there is good communication within the teams that work together. We all start at 9 and end at 17:30, unless something keeps you late but generally that's your choice.
 
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