sniffmonster | ExpatWoman.com
 

sniffmonster

sniffmonster
33
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Latest post on 04 July 2012 - 12:16
Sorry sniffmonster, I don’t know enough about it. I just wanted to let you know that the new laws coming in will make it more difficult for expats with ties to the UK before you decide to buy a property. Thanks. The devil you know hey? Will look into this also.x
sniffmonster
33
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 04 July 2012 - 12:01
In April 2013, residency rulings from HMRC will categorise expatriates as either A, B, C or D, to determine their UK tax liabilities, with A being a non-resident and D, a fully fledged UK resident. The residency test was due to come into effect this year but has been delayed for 12 months while a consultation takes place. The measures are expected to be included in the Finance Bill 2013 and take effect from April 6 of the same year. •Test A – a ‘Conclusive non-residence test’ – if certain conditions are met, the individual is definitely non-resident •Test B – a ‘Conclusive residence test’ – if certain conditions are met, the individual is definitely resident •Test C – an ‘Other connection test’ – if the results from tests A and B are inconclusive, the matter is determined by a combination of time spent in and a person’s connectedness to the UK. Test C operates a sliding scale whereby the more a person is connected to the UK, the less time they may spend in the UK during the year. The connecting factors include whether the individual has family, employment and accommodation in the UK, how much time has been spent in the UK in the two previous tax years and whether the individual spends more days in the UK than in any other country. As I understand it the new laws will not bode well with anyone that has property back in the UK or for anyone that educates a child in the UK. To be classed as A you need to have broken all ties with the UK. I would seek legal advice on the implications of having a property in the UK. Thanks Twilight. really though? how could I possibly be a UK resident if I only go back 2 weeks a year, if that, and the only property I own there is let out on a full time basis. If that classifies me as a resident then half of the Middle East are UK residents too. grrrrr
sniffmonster
33
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 04 July 2012 - 11:57
Interesting....
sniffmonster
33
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 04 July 2012 - 11:48
A holiday home in Clapham Junction... hmmmm - feel the breeze from the trains swooshing by on your face. Relax on the common. It might just work. :-) Seriously though, thanks, I do remember reading something along those lines also. It has to be let out for no more than 60 consecutive days by different tenants or something. Perhaps short lets would work? I will do some investigating. Thanks again!
sniffmonster
33
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 04 July 2012 - 11:37
Thanks Suze63. That is really interesting. So, hypothetically, if we we were to buy another property when we returned to London that was out main residence do you think we could offset the cost of our main residence against the income we would receive from our flat that would be, by then, mortgage free? I love expatwoman! Everyone is so helpful!! xxx
sniffmonster
33
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 04 July 2012 - 11:28
Thanks Pinks. That is really helpful to know - out of interest, how much do you pay the firm to do your tax return? We have a really geeky spreadsheet that I punch numbers into. Also, what is an offset mortgage? Repayment? ashnaisbitt1986 I like your idea about remortgaging before we return. Need to think about this as an option too. Given that school fees are 12K a year for one we might need a bigger mortgage! haha!
sniffmonster
33
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 04 July 2012 - 11:16
Thanks so much. That was what I was hoping to hear. Can't help but have a little niggly feeling though... ashnaisbitt1986 do you send in the NRL forms or go through a letting agent? Any idea how much we will be taxed once our mortgage is paid off - and how to get around that? We would probably be living in the UK by then too so will be broke! Thanks again!
sniffmonster
33
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 24 January 2012 - 20:12
Hi Delvin and Cheeky. Thanks so much for responses - can you e-mail on asiadothildebrandatgmaildotcom? Can you let me know when you have seen this so that I can remove my e-mail address from the forum! We live in Umm Suquiem and the Springs. Probably would alternate between the two.
sniffmonster
33
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 20 January 2012 - 14:17
Thanks Ladies for your responses. We have all our children enrolled for big school so they would be going into KG1 Sept after 3rd birthdays... it is really just more of a case of wanting them to get out of the house a few mornings a week and do a few fun classes with other babies but not wanting to spend a fortune on nurseries.Most of us work part time or full time, so we can't really do it ourself, but we could take turns hosting a group of babies with nannies and a tutor to supervise. If they can learn great - but I know that it is pretty limited at this age. So... I have looked on a few tutoring websites, but I would imagine that this would be great for mums just looking to earn a buit of extra cash for working a couple hours a day a few times a week. Other thoughts though would be much appreciated.
sniffmonster
33
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 19 January 2012 - 22:26
hi lulu1982 I have just put a post up about tutoring. If you are looking for some teaching experience while you train or before you train to get a feel for it, then this could be an option. I am tentatively looking into hiring a tutuor for my toddler and group of friend's toddlers -no more than 6. If you could maybe be interested then let me know? Thanks
sniffmonster
33
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 19 January 2012 - 22:09
Hi. I might potentially be looking for a tutor for my daughter and a few friends children starting Sept. They would be around 2.5. Would you be interetsed in this type of thing? Thanks
sniffmonster
33
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 15 January 2012 - 20:40
Hi Jules. I fostered, and then eventually adopted a dog from K9 about three years ago. She was around 6 when we got her and I can honestly say we couldn't have been luckier. I now have a 14 month old daughter. At first I was worried about how my foster dog would react - she is on the timid side, doesn't like men or loud noises etc - but they are inseperable. Having a new born and dog was easy as anything. My dog never chews shoes/socks, never has an accident, happy to sleep while I do mummy things. I imagine a puppy would require LOTS more attention. She is also the gentlest sweetest dog. My daughter's favorite game is to run around the house with a treat for the dog, who chases after her but never pushes her over in excitement or nips her or anything. At times I wish we had a puppy that would play fetch and we could teach tricks too, but then I remember how tired I am by the end of the day. I would say, if you don't have toddlers than get a puppy but if you have toddlers do yourslef a favour and get a dog. K9 were amazing when helping to find our dog. I would never have picked her from a photo so I went 100% on their recommendation. Good luck and I hope you find the perfect dog for you!
sniffmonster
33
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 21 November 2011 - 11:43
Thanks for that. I had called them also but ruled them out because of the location. We also live in Umm Suquiem. Good to know though and I will reconisder. Thank you.
sniffmonster
33
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 21 November 2011 - 11:24
Hi Ladies. Wondering if you could help? I thought the days of beeing so busy we will treat our customers like C#@* were over in Dubai, but obviously not. Gave birth a year ago and would love to start riding again before I get pregnant again. All I was looking for was a nice stable, with well looked after horses where my daughter could go with my husband and pat the ponies while I have a lesson or the occasional hack.Used to ride alot and own horses when I was younger, so don't just want to trot around the desert and would love to start jumping again. I work part time, so weekends of evenings are best. Call EEC all full excpet one class early week day. Also shut on a Friday which is crazy as you would think this would be there busiest day and it would make more sense to close on a Monday or something. But no. Polo club quote me a ludicrous 300 AED an hour and I must commit to 10 weeks of classes every week at the same time at 9:00am in the morning. Oh and I can't even go on the waiting list for group classes. Desert Palm all full also. So..... just wondering if anyone knew of any stables that I might have missed? Perhaps a new stable that is keen to establish itself so is actually offering good customer service and the chance to ride at the weekend. Thanks all. sorry for the rant.
sniffmonster
33
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 28 August 2011 - 18:40
Hi Jules. Have you thought about fostering an older dog to see how you, cat, kids et all, would cope?What about a teenager (around 1 year?) However, obviously if you end up with a puppy you will have to house train and deal with puppy issues. Personally I couldn't cope with babbies and a puppy but maybe you have a lot more stamina and patience. Also, just to get it in there (i know you don't want to hear it) but a mixed breed dog can be just as sweet a family pet :-)
sniffmonster
33
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 16 August 2011 - 11:57
Hi Ladies. Just to say I think this is an amazing initiative and definitely one I would love to support - I dream of the day I will take my desert dog back to the UK for a run in the country. Although to be fair, I think she will hate the cold and I will have to buy her a coat! On another point, their is a bearded sheep dog in DM at the moment. There is a photo of him on Animal Action Abu-Dhabi facebook page. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Animal-Action-Abu-Dhabi/106075079440617 He would be a good contender surely? I would love to take him myself but I have a very young baby and would not feel comfortable taking an unknown dog from the pound. I am very tempted though. Would be great to bring him somewhere where he could actually see some sheep!!!!
sniffmonster
33
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 16 May 2011 - 21:52
Thanks again :-)
sniffmonster
33
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 16 May 2011 - 21:04
Thanks TallyHo. that helps. Out of interest, do you think that a few years of primary schooling here would do her harm? (as you can imagine she is already on the waiting list for the 'so called' best) or would you go back before she started school in the UK to make sure that she gets into an outstanding primary early on? BTW, not sure why you included all the Cambridge stats -Oxford is really all that maters. (joke) Thanks again for your insights ladies.
sniffmonster
33
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 16 May 2011 - 20:30
I think in the UK state schools are not too bad, especially if you live in a rural/leafy areas. The problem is that in London they can be very rough and if you do not get into the popular oversubscribed ones (e.g Camden High School) then you can be allocated another one e.g Ackland Burleigh. Eek. I imagine the problems with schools here are different to those in London. At least there are no drugs or gangs. Or am I being naive? What happened to you this year LovinDubai?
sniffmonster
33
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 16 May 2011 - 19:35
I have seen that in some cases grammars and selective states have as many as 1000 applicants for 100 places. Boo! Do primaries here prepare children for the 11+?
sniffmonster
33
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 16 May 2011 - 16:53
Sorry for opening up a can of worms!! Thanks Karen and Suze and everyone else. I have come to the realisation that the truth is we will probably have to live in the burbs, something that I could never have imagined as a twenty something but maybe with a family it is not that bad?? My questions is this - for those who know: I have heard that the good state schools have a MASSIVE waiting list. If i went back to London when she was e.g 7,what are my chances of getting into a good school? Also, can you take your 11+ from outside the catchment area? E.g Can I take the 11+ for Henrietta Barnett,Tiffin Girls etc from here and then move to that area if she gets in? And COMPLETELY off topic. Having done a bit of snooping around, I think that Oxford would be amazing. It ticks so many boxes in terms of culture, nice housing stock, good state schools.. Now, does anyone know of multinationals there DH and I could apply to? Giving myself a few years to find that perfect job. ha ha! Also, nothing against private schools, I went to one myself, but just think that even 10 years of tax free income would not be enough to pay for two children to go to private school in London and afford a house that they wouldn't be embarrassed to take friends back to. How sad is that??
sniffmonster
33
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 16 May 2011 - 16:44
To Sniffmonster: Well done for looking into this so early on. I'm no expert on the topic *but* have heard that Barnet has a good reputation (e.g. Hendon, where I once lived, has some good schools - possibly due to the cultural background of its inhabitants). But unfortunately boroughs nearer to central London have lesser standards (e.g. a friend of mine was raising her dd in Islington and ended up putting her in a private school totally against her principles as she wasn't learning anything). Interestingly, the Blairs lived nearby and yet sent their kids halfway across London to a grant-maintained school, so they can't have been v impressed by local schools either. And this is from the PM who chanted 'Education, education, education'. Like you I lived in London as a 20-something and never really had to think of this problem. But I used to wonder why British ppl tended to leave central London once they got into their 30s and started having children. I guess one reason is the low school standards. My sil moved to Bucks when her eldest was a baby as she couldn't face putting him in a Sth East London school. Bucks have the 11+ exam and grammar school system which is excellent (provided your kids can get in). The problem in central London is that although it is a real melting pot of cultures and backgrounds amongst 20-somethings, there tend to be huge disparities amongst families. In Kensington & Chelsea, 80% of kids attend private schools. THis means that the only ones who go to state schools are likely to be those who simply cannot afford v high school fees - e.g. those who live on council estates (there are some tucked away in posh areas). There are v few 'middle class' ppl in these areas as property prices are so high, hence v few educated parents willing to send their kids to state schools. For this reason you need to go further out to find 'good' state schools... leafy, middle class areas with more 'affordable' housing (e.g. less than 1 million for a house lol). Think home counties... Surrey, Kent, Herts etc. If you have a look on findaproperty.co.uk you can look at areas and the related school standards. Good luck!
sniffmonster
33
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 15 May 2011 - 21:50
that is what my dad thought too, but I thought that for selective state schools (grammars and others eg Henrietta Barnett) that they still use it?
sniffmonster
33
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 08 May 2011 - 21:11
I just passed my driving test recently with EDI (Emirates Driving institute). I chose the option when you can pick the timings of your classes as they have better teachers (my lady was called Candy, really sweet.) I had LOTS of lessons in London and failed on numerous occasions. The standards here are much lower I am afraid to say, so if you haven't had lessons in the UK then you may not be the best driver in the world having just learnt here. That said, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be having put it off for two years! God luck.
sniffmonster
33
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 21 April 2011 - 09:37
really? Didn't know that it was illegal. Why? Dubai legalities baffle!! I have been looking at portacabins as an option too.
sniffmonster
33
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 21 April 2011 - 06:56
Thanks for the suggestion. We had considered this, if our current nanny knew the other lady or if they were family. We just can't justify putting two strangers together and effectively giving them no privacy whatsoever. The room is really small and I dread to think how stuffy it would get in the summer, even with the AC on...
sniffmonster
33
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 17 April 2011 - 21:07
We are paying 240k! (ouch) and it was our first year so we didn't know much better. We don't have many expats around us though...alot of home owners living in their homes. A few have come down in other meadows to 220K but our landlord won't even do that. The cost and thought of moving again is stressing me out. I feel like we just got settled. A few of the end houses in Springs would work but they are far and few between. We also need 4 bedrooms and an area downstairs for toys. We looked at a ZULAL in Lakes last night but it was a Middle and there is no way we could have fit into it. (not just furniture but swing set in the backyard, bikes, toys for the kids- we don't have THAT many but 3 kids of different ages causes us to keep alot of items for the baby). What a nightmare! I really sympathise with you, we were in the same position recently but we found somewhere after seeing nearly every villa in Dubai!!! We live in a compound in Umm Suquiem (opposite small choithrams) with a nice pool, 5 beds with a lovely family room off the kitchen. Oonly compromise was hardly any provate outdoor space, but atleast DEWA is cheap! We negotiated 215K AED in 2 cheques.I know that one of our neighbours are moving out in June if you are interested? Not too far from the Greens. Otheriwise, check around other villas in this area.There are some bargains out there if you persist. Be strong! :-)
sniffmonster
33
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 15 April 2011 - 22:22
Hi. I REALLY struggled with breastfeeding,and the madela twin was a God send to me. I unfortunately had to stop when my bub was 4 months (long story) and have been thinking of selling mine.. I paid 600 AED, so would love 300AED or therabouts. If you are looking for one second hand then let me know, otherwise I might keep for number two..
sniffmonster
33
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 30 March 2011 - 22:24
also,not sure that he will want to pay that much. We want to buy outright as don't want the cost of a bank loan. If anyone is selling a reliable 4x4 or even saloon for 20,00AED please let me know. Am having serious second thoughts about a discovery.
sniffmonster
33
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 30 March 2011 - 22:11
Thanks ladies. boo on the disco side -but great news cat-trax about your Pajero. That could work brilliantly (if I can convince DH to let go of the land rover dream!) How can I get in touch. Never entirely sure how to post e-mails on here....
sniffmonster
33
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 30 March 2011 - 20:01
oooooh. Shame. I had suspected as much - they are soo cool. Any sellers out there? I never seem to find any for less than 40,000AED. Thanks for the post.
sniffmonster
33
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 18 March 2011 - 21:50
I really want to get one for my LO also but am worried about strangulation. Can the beads break off and then be swallowed? Is having something around their neck not a big risk?
sniffmonster
33
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 07 January 2011 - 10:31
sniffmonster, can you email me your contact number? My email is [email protected] I know someone who has a villa that size in the area you're looking for. Has a small pool and nice landscaping too. It's a direct rental - no agents. I just don't want to put the owner's phone number up on the forum. Thx Thank Laura you have mail!! Suzse63 don't worry - we have seen a couple of great villas in that area for our budget but we lost them as our move in date is not till Fed. I just don;t feel comfortable waiting until 2 weeks before.. Thank you all for your comments. I will definitely call agents reccomended and let you know if I see any good four beds.. x
 
 
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