# christchurch - here we come ! practical advice please!



## lindyj (Feb 3, 2009)

we have just got our visas and are moving to Christchurch on 30th january 2010 with no where to live no car and only 2 suitcases! 
its a last minute rush as i am going to be a mature student at canterbury uni!

we are seeking help on how to find rental accommodation - is most unfurnished? and if so where can we get cheap furniture? 
how long for a rental let in uk minimum 6 months? 
i was trying to fix up appointments to look before we arrive but the companies i have contacted are not very helpful ! 

and where to buy a car ? do we need to pass NZ driving test ?

my husband has a work visa - where is best to look for a part time job ??

any advice for us would be greatly appreciated ! i am very stressed now! but excited too !!


----------



## McMurdo Clan (Jun 17, 2009)

lindyj said:


> we have just got our visas and are moving to Christchurch on 30th january 2010 with no where to live no car and only 2 suitcases!
> its a last minute rush as i am going to be a mature student at canterbury uni!
> 
> we are seeking help on how to find rental accommodation - is most unfurnished? and if so where can we get cheap furniture?
> ...



Look on Trademe. We're planning to move to Christchurch too eventually. A lot of the places we found to rent are in fact furnished.

You have 1 year to pass the NZ driving test.


----------



## lindyj (Feb 3, 2009)

*thank you !*




McMurdo Clan said:


> Look on Trademe. We're planning to move to Christchurch too eventually. A lot of the places we found to rent are in fact furnished.
> 
> You have 1 year to pass the NZ driving test.


thank you


----------



## topcat83 (Apr 16, 2009)

McMurdo Clan said:


> Look on Trademe. We're planning to move to Christchurch too eventually. A lot of the places we found to rent are in fact furnished.


Also Real Estate, Houses for Sale, Rentals, Commercial and Businesses for sale at Realestate.co.nz - Realestate.co.nz.
And you may be able to do a deal with an owner of a holiday home on Bookabach - New Zealand holiday homes, baches and rental holiday accommodation



> You have 1 year to pass the NZ driving test.


...and you don't have to pass a test (practical or theory) if you have held a UK drivers licence for 2 years. Just take your UK licence and proof of ID to an AA office, with your cash. You'll need to do a simple eye test - but that's it!


----------



## natmat (Jan 3, 2010)

McMurdo Clan said:


> Look on Trademe. We're planning to move to Christchurch too eventually. A lot of the places we found to rent are in fact furnished.
> 
> You have 1 year to pass the NZ driving test.


... and you'll find an dealer will accept your UK driving license/passport as proof of ID to take a car for a test drive. 

Loads of cars around, plenty of dealers. Import-from-Japan 2nd hand dealers are all over the place. Many cars quite dodgy, others not so. (Virtually) None will come with any service history though. However, shop around and you'll find the model you want in the condition you want. Oh, and always haggle. If they're a full fore-court it's cos they're not selling many 

Good luck.


----------



## lindyj (Feb 3, 2009)

*excellent!*

Hi 

thank you for the tips !! that is great news about the driving licence - and i have just booked a bach for our first week from that link! hopefully we will find something more permanent soon! thanks again!


----------



## topcat83 (Apr 16, 2009)

lindyj said:


> Hi
> 
> thank you for the tips !! that is great news about the driving licence - and i have just booked a bach for our first week from that link! hopefully we will find something more permanent soon! thanks again!


...and the 30th Jan is not far away! South Island will be beautiful in February - although I can't guarantee no rain at all (there's a reason NZ is so green). We're on hols over there in late Feb and can't wait!


----------



## forbiddenprincess (Feb 3, 2012)

Good luck with the move...not long now! If you need any help or have any questions when you get here feel free to give me a shout and I'll help out if I can


----------



## suslik (Jul 20, 2012)

lindyj said:


> where can we get cheap furniture? and where to buy a car ? do we need to pass NZ driving test ? my husband has a work visa - where is best to look for a part time job ??


There's loads of (used) furniture in Salvation Army furniture shop on Poulsen st, Addington. Beds are about $100, tables $30-40, sofas $50. There's cutlery, lamps, radios, books. 

Another (used) furniture store is EcoShop on Blenheim rd. They don't take care of their furniture as well as Salvation Army, so mattresses are often bent, sofas dirty, but if you don't find what you're looking for in Poulsen st, check out EcoShop.

For (used) clothing I recommend Tasman Traders on Montreal st. It's basically a big warehouse full of clothes racks, so there's pretty much anything you can think of, down to pajamas, socks, underwear and curtains/blankets/towels. Clothes are usually $4-10.

All these shops are close to city centre.

Cars come in all shapes and sizes on TradeMe. I drive a 95' Subaru Legacy which cost me $2000.

Part time jobs are also on TradeMe, also check out Seek.co.nz. If your husband is trade skilled (builder? engineer?) then I recommend getting in touch with a recruitment agency, for example Drake or Enterprise or Ryan or whoever, because for building jobs they are actually bringing people over from Ireland and England, so as soon as they see your husband can do trade stuff, he's pretty much hired. If not, then there's plenty of labouring jobs available on building sites, I guess at around $20 an hour.


----------



## chanahluppens (Jan 20, 2013)

*Housing Situation*



> i am going to be a mature student at canterbury uni!
> 
> we are seeking help on how to find rental accommodation - is most unfurnished? and if so where can we get cheap furniture?
> how long for a rental let in uk minimum 6 months?
> i was trying to fix up appointments to look before we arrive but the companies i have contacted are not very helpful !


Hi there-

You might want to seriously consider looking at University housing options if you are coming to Christchurch. There is a serious housing crisis going on right now as we are still trying to recover from the earthquakes...over 10,000 buildings and houses are gone or slated for demolition. HUNDREDS of people are responding to adds on Trade Me and dozens are showing up to view homes-rental prices have gone up signifigantly in the last 6 months-I would see what options the University has, especially since you have no furniture. There are several people who rent rooms out of their homes and this might be a good option for you in the first few weeks as motels and hotels are at a premium as well.


----------

