thankyou stavinsky and eving star for your very quick reply both coments are useful, have to say its led to more questions.
We will not have an nei no until next year when we move, so does that present problems for enrolling the children at school. Will we have to wait to enrol, them the following year, in which case they will miss out a year of education?.

I think you are right about the renting, taking the mortgage with us which we are able to do and paying it while we rent gets round a few problems of work history as we are not yet sure what my husband will do regards work. It may be a few months in spain and a few in the uk which will mean obtaining a mortgage anywhere will be difficult. From your advice about electrician work it looks like it would have to be driving.

As for being sick as a pig over the yacht trip, just think of us poor folks with our brollys, shaking off the winters S.A.D will be happy with the coffee and some sunshine. still only 15 more days then i get a brief spell of it for a week, not going to want to come home though!!!