simon43

One problem that is cropping up is that financial transactions in the UK all revolve around your credit score, ie how much the credit agency considers you a good 'risk' for lending money to.  The fact that I've been out of the UK for 23 years means that my credit score is non-existant, even more so because I don't do credit (I pay cash and if I don't have cash then I don't buy it!).

"Computer says no!"

I wanted to buy a small car in the UK, so thought of using HP, but no chance, even if I pay 50% down.  The landlords who have considered me (like the property above), were sensible to realise that a returning expat after 23 years will of course have a low/zero credit rating, because they haven't needed credit!

It's a small obstacle for me, but I wonder why it's assumed that everyone borrows money in the UK.  That is not very good financial sense for many who are no good at managing their personal finances (I guess the vast majority of the population).

So on my return I will continue to live as I have done for the past 23 years = pay cash and never borrow 1 penny 🙂

22 hours ago, Woke to Sounds said:

I recommend @simon43 look at Cambodia.

 

Easy peasy visa, no B.S. like Thailand.

 

Lots of Brit pensioners living in Siem Reap and Kampot.

 

Health care is pretty good in Phnom Penh from what I've heard.

 

Cheers buddy

Thanks, but the primary reason for my wish to return to the UK is for health reasons - not immediate health reasons, but those that may (probably will) crop up in the future.  It's not for financial reaons.

To give you an idea of what someone on a reduced state pension can afford to rent in the UK, here is a photo of the property that I have agreed to rent in the West Country.

Well not all of it lol!  I will be renting a furnished 1-bedroom 'flat' in the building on the right.  1 bedroom, 1 living room, 1 study, 1 bathroom, 1 kitchen and parking - the cost to me is about 100 pounds per month.....  Why so cheap?  Because the normal rent of 675 pounds is reduced because I will receive 575 pounds in housing benefit, (because I have no savings).  As a 'poor' single pensioner, all my council tax is paid as well.

I am simply claiming benefits that are available to all UK state pensioners, depending on their circumstances.  It is a perverse fact that if you save all your life, you are then financially-penalised in your retirement. If you don't save, but do pay into the NI system, then the state helps you financially in your retirement 🙂

And @Woke to Sounds, yes indeed, if everything goes t*ts up in the UK, then Cambodia will be my return destination, (albeit organised with morphine lol in case I want a painless way out...)

The sort of PVC sticker with a magnetic backing that can be stuck onto the metal of a car door and easily removed in a few seconds.

Any shop in town that will print this kind of sticker from a supplied jpg file?  Thanks

[quote]

...

Stop the funding now, earn your $60k a year for two years. Then you'll have money and won't need to worry. Simple.

...

[/quote]

Who is worrying?  I'm not!  I do not need the extra income to live a modest retirement 🙂

Just now, 3NUMBAS said:

 

Overview

 

Hastings is experiencing a housing boom, with rising property values and rental prices, but also a growing housing crisis. While the town is attracting attention as a potential property investment hotspot, especially for buy-to-let, it's also facing challenges related to affordability and homelessness. 

 

Rising Property Values and Rents:

• Hastings has seen significant increases in house prices and rental costs over the past decade, with some areas experiencing double-digit percentage growth. 
   
• For example, detached properties saw a 41.7% increase in value over 10 years, while flats/apartments increased by 52.8% according to Rush, Witt & Wilson. 
   
• Rents have also risen sharply, with average rents in Hastings increasing by over 5% in the last year. 
   
• This rise in property values and rents is fueled by increased demand, particularly from those priced out of other areas like Brighton and London according to Abbott & Abbott. 

I'm not a townie person.  I like places like Exmoor and Dartmoor.  I can't imagine that Exmoor is packed full of Syrian immigrants, (or maybe I'm wrong!!)

24 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   TBH, I think that he was exaggerating his earnings 

Teaching jobs in Burma typically pay about $2,500 USD/month (after any local tax).  Teaching science online pays me $29 USD/hour and I have more young students that I want! The demand is very high 🙂  (I used to have a waiting list of prebooked lessons on iTalki of more than 2,000 lessons, stretching out more than 1 year in the future.  Now I wound that down a lot because - well - I'm getting old)

6th July:  I grabbed this image from the Russian Meteor M2-3 weather satellite on their VHF frequency.  This is an LEO (Low Earth Orbit) satellite that orbits the Earth about 450 km.  Since the Earth's gravitational pull is still rather strong at this altitude, LEO birds have to orbit fast around the Earth to generate an equal and opposite Centrifugal force that cancels out the gravity.  In fact, it only takes about 90 minutes for LEO birds to orbit one time around the Earth.

There are not many VHF  LEO weather satellites still operating.  The USA  NOAA-18 bird 'broke' about a month ago (after many years of good service), and their NOAA-15 bird is now experiencing technical problems.  That leaves only NOAA-19, which is still working correctly, at least with its VHF payload.  There are also the 2 Russian LEO birds Meteor M2-3 and 2-4. 

[quote]

...

You will probably find a place you like and can afford - then you can get a cheap place to rent (public housing?)

...

[/quote]

When you are a state pensioner in the UK (as I am), and have savings less than $16,000, (which is me again), the benefit systems pays about $750/month towards your costs to rent a private accommodation.  So even though private rent is (IMHO) expensive, I will be able to rent a nice 1-bed apartment and can use my van to visit some nice places, national parks, coastal walks etc, without having to concern myself with paying for overnight hotel accommodation. Also, converting the small van will be a nice way to spend my spend time.

And.... if everything is terrible in the UK, I can sell the van to get some cash so that I can fly back to spend my days in no-visa-hassle Cambodia, where my frozen UK pension money will be sufficient for my needs.

There's no 100% perfect plan, but I'm trying to cover all eventualities.

3 minutes ago, TroubleandGrumpy said:

Yes it is - but it was not me.  My laptop was 'screwed over' yesterday - posts I sent to one thread were sent to another and many were duplicated several times. 

 

I recall writing a story about how we plan to return to Australia before I am 80, because Thailand is not the place to be when you are in 'the end game' - if you can avoid it. My Thai wife is an Oz citizen so returning is not an issue.  A mate of mine passed here when in early 80s - if he was back home he would have lived another 3-5 years minimum. I saw it with both my parents - the benefits of a 1st world ambulance and hospital system plus free medications and home nursing etc etc etc.  His Thai wife spent a lot of money in his last 2 years here - all for nothing IMO - the ambulances were a joke and the hospitals were at best ordinary (in rural city) - everything cost a fortune here whereas back home they were basically free. I told him for years to go back, and then he was too sick to travel - all too late. 

 

Plan to go back if you can afford to do that - include getting rid of everything here (sell give away etc.) and the costs to pack and fly and where to live when you arrive and then where you want to live (get on public housing waiting list if you need to) - then put that plan into action when a trigger happens.  For the wife and I the trigger is me being over 75 (then it is a year by year assessment), or if either of us are diagnosed with a serious illness, or if we have a bad accident in car etc. and survive. 

Apart from the 'youngsters' who run out of money in Thailand (lack of job, lack of available type of visa etc), I think the most important reason for a foreigner to return back to their home country is for current or potential health reasons in the future.

I've just reached 66 years old and now receive my UK state pension.  If I remain in Thailand, that pension is frozen, (except if I relocate to the PI). Actually, I have no great interest in moving to the PI - if I'm going to make a permanent move, then it would be back to the UK, where my pension is index-linked and I get all of the other benefits that UK state pensioners without a pot to pee into also receive 🙂

My medical issues are managable right now, but that might not be the case in the future..

The only (unique to me) issue is that I might pop back to teach in Myanmar for 1 more year before I return to the UK.  This is because I can save up some money (Myanmar teaching salary +my current online teaching income+UK state pension = about $4,500 USD/month), because I intend to buy a small panel van when I return to the UK.  Why?  Because 4-wheel transport would be useful, and I can convert the panel van into an overnight sleeper for occasional sleeps if I travel to visit other parts of the UK (I have the funds but absolutely refuse to pay the high rates to stay in some <deleted>ty hotel for a night - I'd rather sleep in my cosy van!!)

5 minutes ago, NoshowJones said:

Are there not laws to prevent OAP's being evicted from their homes?

I think not at the moment.  One should always plan (as much as possible) for the unexpected....

I asked ChatGPT about this.  The answer is very interesting and informative:

ChatGPT said:

Can she do the same with a King Cobra??

10 hours ago, blaze master said:

 

Huge difference between smoking and edibles or drops. The buzz is not the same at all. 

What does it matter?  I thought cannabis was for medical reasons to alleviate some illness etc.  

7 hours ago, Bannoi said:

Sorry I don't have any room. If I hear of anything I'll let you know by PM

Lol, I was joking!!  I'm waiting on replies from several properties for rent on the rightmove website

2 hours ago, Photoguy21 said:

How in the name of whatever you want would a Chinese national look anything like a Mexican national? This takes stupidity to new levels

Easy!  He was wearing a big sombrero...

24 minutes ago, Bannoi said:

Best of luck if I can help in any way PM me.

Where do you live in the south-west?  Got a spare room? 🙂  (or know someone with a house to rent)?

39 minutes ago, Bannoi said:

Could you not try it for a few months maybe get a winter let in the South West Somerset, Dorset, Devon, Cornwall.

 

There are a lot of holiday apartments and houses that may give you a decent price for a few months out of season, that would give you a chance to see if you really want to move back it would also let you look for something more permanent and register with a doctor, start building a credit score get on the electoral register get your pension up to date even get pension credit if applicable.

 

Maybe even go to the local council when the lease is up and tell them you are about to be made homeless I may be wrong but I think they have to find accommodation for anyone about to be made homeless if you were lucky you could possibly get a council property which would  alleviate your concern about the UK rental market.

 

I live on the sw coast now and like do a bit of sea fishing I can't remember the last time a bought fish in a shop and there are plenty of very cheap flights to Europe Spain, Portugal, Malta, Canary Islands, Morocco, Balearic  Islands, Greece, Cyprus, Turkey etc. from local airports Bristol, Exeter, Bournemouth if you fancy a trip for a few days or weeks some are as little as £30 return.

 

If its any help I'm pushing 80 and moving back was one of my better ideas I don't regret it.

 

 

 

Thanks for your comments!  Actually, I did return to the UK (Blackpool) 2.5 years ago in the winter for a few months.  I stayed in a cheap hotel.  Despite the 'horror stories' on You Tube about Blackpool, I found it quite reasonable, nice beach, healthy walking, healthy food at the same price as Thailand 🙂  So I'm fairly confident that were I to return permanently to the UK, all would be fine.

I'm already registered with a GP and on the ER in Blackpool, and with a basic UK bank account, but I prefer to live permanently in the south-west where my family comes from.

I already receive a UK pension, and legally will also receive about 550 pounds/month as Pension Credit.  Financially, I don't need this to be able to afford to rent a property, so I'm not being restricted by financial reasons - it's more to do with the lack of rental suitable properties for a retired single person.

To sort this out, I do need to return to the UK and to bite the bullet and stay in an expensive Airbnb and rent an expensive car for transport while I find a suitable property to rent.  But once rented, and with the pension credit as well, things will get much easier 🙂

Were I to move back to live in the UK, and were I to find it totally unsuitable, a move back to south-east Asia would be relatively easy, since I know the ins and outs of living here.  If I were unable to afford a Thai visa, then there is always Cambodia or Laos.  Realistically, no destination is perfect and I must accept compromise.

The UK rental market is relatively unregulated and there is always a risk that rental prices in the UK might rise so much that I'm forced out....

^^^

Thanks for your thoughtful comments!

Right now, I live at Khanom Beach in south Thailand, and the healthy salty air is excellent for my lungs.  So my present location is good, the house rent is cheap and so on.

But as a single person, I have no support net, and so I am considering the worst case 'what if?" scenario, if my physical or mental health gets worst, or if the means to legally stay in Thailand (long term visa etc), becomes more difficult.

Of course, such a scenario might never happen, and I'm worrying about nothing.

As far as moving back to the UK is concerned, there are good points in respect of costs and discounts for retirees.  But one factor which might hinder my return is rented accommodation.  No, not the rental price, but the availability of accommodation.  My investigations over the past few weeks indicates a great shortage of suitable accommodation, with 'basic' properties being rented at crazy rental rates.  I can afford this, but I know that I would not be getting value for money.  I had forgotten how 'boring' most UK properties actually are in their design, with bland exteriors and no individuality.  It seems that for every property that is advertised for rent, there are literally dozens of people queuing to rent it!  no wonder landlords are converting garden sheds into rented accommodation...

I'm at the end of the queue for renting these properties because I have no credit score.  This is because the credit agencies only keep records for 6 years....  I would have to return to the UK, rent an Airbnb, rent a car to visit properties, and then try to persuade the landlord to rent to me.  Difficult but not impossible of course.

1 hour ago, Pouatchee said:

 

i have read many of your posts flaunting how much money you make teaching online. how is it you cant save up the money needed to abide by the law?

Because I spend most of it on my educational charity in Myanmar (I've mentioned this before).