Primelocation offers advice to returning expats

The desire to live the good life abroad remains strong, with 20% more Brits interested in buying a home in the sun in August compared to July this year. However, as many British expats return to the UK after some time away, Primelocation International warns that if moving abroad permanently is a major step, returning home is not a decision to be taken lightly either.

Ann Wright, International Development Manager of Primelocation International, comments: “Statistics show that there has been a recent increase in the number of British expats moving back to the UK. Some people who followed their dreams have realised that living abroad is not for them and others are choosing to return as a result of the recent economic uncertainty.

According to Ann Wright, the important thing is to think it through. “Deciding to move back home is just as big a decision as deciding to move abroad in the first place and requires just as much planning. The experience is often not as simple as people imagine, so you need to be sure it’s the right thing to do. Things won’t be perfect at first - people and places will often have changed, and there’s a lot of organisation involved – but you’ll soon settle back given time.”

Primelocation International sets out a checklist of advice for expats considering moving back home:

Think before you throw in the towel

Are you acting on impulse?

It may sound obvious, but moving abroad won’t automatically make your life perfect. You may be looking for a slower pace of life, but no matter where you live you may still need to earn a living and perform routine daily tasks and you certainly won’t be able to lie on the beach all day. Are you being realistic about what to expect from your new life?

Have you tried to integrate?

Making a real effort to become a part of the community by enrolling your kids at the local school, joining the local sports clubs or getting involved with local activities will help you feel at home. Most importantly, did you try to learn the language, either by taking a course or simply by talking to your neighbours?

Have you given yourself enough time

It always takes time to settle in to a new home, and this is also true abroad. You’ll regret it if you don’t give your new life a fair go – remember, having a bad week doesn’t mean that moving abroad was a mistake.

Get to the root of the problem

If you really are feeling unhappy, then work out why. If your house or your job is the problem, take steps to put it right. If you think it might be the country, the lifestyle or the culture that is not right, why not take a holiday in the country to remind yourself what originally made you want to move there in the first place? Moving back home may not be the answer.

If you do decide to return

Enlist help!

If you do decide to return, be sure to contact family and friends to enlist their help and sort out somewhere to stay, as it could take a while to rent or buy your own place. Talk to old work colleagues too as they might know of job openings that would suit your skill set.

Lay the foundations

Get all the practical stuff sorted first. It is great to catch up with friends and family, but it is also important to get talking to estate agents about a new house. You should also get your post sorted and get job hunting if you need to find work. The longer you leave these things, the harder it can be.

What are the financial and tax implications?

Think about how moving back home will affect your financial situation. There will be agents’ fees, taxes, shipping costs and other expenses both when you sell your foreign home and buying a new one in the UK. If you have money in the bank abroad, how much do you stand to lose on the exchange rate if you change it into Sterling? You could even have tax liabilities to pay.

The family and other animals

Moving back to the UK can be complicated further by kids and animals. Obviously you will have to find a new school for the children which could take time to arrange, especially in the middle of the school year. And if you have pets, moving back will quite possibly involve several costly trips to the vet and even a period in quarantine to satisfy border officials.