Congratulations, you’ve found your dream home and it’s time to start moving! But, with so many things to arrange, where do you start?
Below, we outline some of the most important tasks you need to complete when it comes to moving home. Follow this list to ensure you cover everything.
Book removals
Before you start packing up all your things to move into your new home, you’ll need to find and book a reputable removals company.
Unless you live in a small house or flat and don’t have many belongings, it’s always worth hiring a professional removals company to help with the move. Although you might think shifting all your stuff on your own might not sound too tricky, removal workers will ensure all your fragile items are properly protected and that they carry large items in a safe way.
Ideally, you should aim to book a removals company 4-6 weeks before your target move date. This is just a guide though – it is possible to arrange your move much further in advance or at the last minute if needed.
Pack up
The earlier you start packing for your home move, the better. You should aim to start packing all your non-essentials a couple of weeks before moving day, as well as disposing of any items you don’t want to take with you.
For all your smaller items, you may need to order proper moving boxes, along with strong tape and bubble wrap or newspaper if your removals company isn’t doing the packing for you.
Label each box with its contents – it makes unpacking a much easier process and also helps to ensure the correct boxes are placed in the appropriate rooms.
Change your address
When you are moving home, there is a long list of companies and services that you need to change your address with. Some of the essential services you need to update with your new details include:
- Your doctor and dentist
- Your bank or building society
- Your insurance providers
- Your utility providers (water, gas, electricity)
- Your driving licence (DVLA)
- HMRC
- Your local council
Check out this change of address checklist to see who else you need to notify of your home move.
Redirect your mail
As well as updating your address, it’s always a good idea to take precautions and redirect your mail too.
You can ease the process of changing your address with all your companies and providers by using Royal Mail’s redirection service. This takes up to five working days to come into effect and redirects all your mail to your new address.
You can use this service for 3, 6 or 12 months after moving into your new home to avoid your post ending up in the wrong hands. It also gives you extra time to notify any companies you may have forgotten initially.
Take meter readings
Moving day can be very hectic, but it’s still important that you don’t forget to take your final meter readings. You’ll thank us later when it’s time to get all your new gas/electricity bills in order.
Once you’ve taken your final meter readings, inform your supplier and keep the readings for your own records to compare against your final bill. If you don’t contact your suppliers before you move, you could end up being billed for someone else’s usage.
You should also let the new tenants know who the supplier is – you can always leave a note if you don’t know who the new tenants will be.
If you want to, you can usually choose to remain with the same gas and electricity companies when you move. They can arrange the switch for you when you give them your new address.
However, if you’re not tied into a fixed deal, it’s a good idea to check if you could save by switching to a different energy provider.
Say goodbye
You’ve reached the last 24 hours of living at your old address. So, it’s time for a final check and walk around the property to ensure you haven’t missed anything.
Ready for the new tenants, you will need to clean the property from top to bottom and get rid of any trash.
Make sure you also remember to leave all your sets of keys for the new tenants, as has been arranged. Remember to leave keys to any outbuildings or interior doors if necessary.
Finally, say goodbye!
Check your new property
You’ve finally made it to your new home, along with all your belongings. When you arrive at the property, you will likely want to start settling in straight away. But, it’s important to check your new property over before unpacking all your stuff.
Once you’re sure everything is as it should be, you should make sure that everything in your inventory is accounted for before your removals company leaves.
Now you can sit back, relax and enjoy a cup of tea in your new home – well, as soon as you’ve found the kettle.
