As illustrated by the statistics quoted in a recent Independent newspaper article about the number of Britons being ‘forced’ home to the UK from Europe by the low purchasing power of the weakened pound, if you move abroad and expatriate you should never burn your bridges as you take flight – because you never know when you might be forced to come back!
It’s so tempting to plan your move with a thought in the back of your mind that one day soon you’ll be able to tell your boss where to stick his lousy job, you’ll be able to tell your colleagues what you really think of them and you’ll never have to exchange pleasantries on the snobby school run or with your nosey neighbours again. For some people, the only thing keeping them going is the knowledge that they’re planning a move abroad and won’t have to put up with their current life for much longer…
But please be warned and take note, do not burn your bridges and fly out of Blighty in a blaze of glory and controversy, because one day you might just have to come home again. This applies to all areas of your life – so don’t think about running away from debt, hiding abroad from personal difficulties, or attempting to escape a misdemeanour by expatriating…and don’t throw away friendships and family relationships on a whim because you may find you’ve cut your nose off to spite your own face.
Through a friend, I know of a couple who purposefully racked up credit card debts of over fifteen thousand pounds in the UK whilst they were living in a rental property and waiting for their required residency visas to come through from their chosen nation. This couple had absolutely no intention of ever repaying the debt and indeed did a moonlight flit and left behind a pile of unpaid bills on the doormat. Apparently the self-same couple have failed to realise the lifestyle they thought they’d automatically find overseas and are coming ‘home.’ I wonder how they’ll feel when they apply for some form of credit and are refused, before they are visited by bailiffs working to recover the debt they left behind?
I personally know another woman who went so far out of her way to tell people what she ‘really’ thought of them, and rub their nose in the fact that she and her husband had sold their business and were relocating on a nice tidy sum to the sunshine. She suffered a nervous breakdown when she was forced to return to Britain because of money troubles abroad…
These are not particularly extreme stories in the greater scheme of things, and they are certainly not isolated cases either. What they are however, are great illustrations of why you really need to be careful about how you say your fond farewells in the UK, and how you conduct yourself as an expatriate when you’re living abroad.
If you kick sand in the faces of your family, friends, colleagues and associates when you leave, you will not find any friendly or welcoming faces upon your return. Likewise, if you don’t tie up financial matters when you expatriate, you may have overwhelming worries crippling you if you ever want or need to come back. You can inform the Inland Revenue of your departure through the completion of their P85 form and get tax matters in hand before you go. What’s more, if you are in debt when you come to leave, work with your creditors and find a way to pay them back. If you remain fully ‘visible’ and contactable even though you’re overseas, companies will be more forgiving and more willing to consider any attempts you make to improve your financial standing.
If you have people in your life you will be glad to see the back of, quietly celebrate the fact you needn’t necessarily see them again once you’re out of earshot and sight. There’s nothing wrong with feeling relieved that you’ve escaped the social hand grenade in your friendship circle, or you’re free from the evil clutches of your over bearing and demanding boss – but do your celebrating in private – just in case!
And on the money side of things, just know that in this day and age of electronic everything and cross border communication between financial institutions and revenue services, it’s far better to face financial fears and sort them out so that you can enjoy your new life abroad and never worry about coming back and having to face the music!
