When you undergo a change of address, knowing who to inform when moving house can be overwhelming and if you don’t update certain parties, you won’t just lose mail – you could be fined!
It’s so important to stay on top of your subscriptions, policies and government bodies. Are you looking for a moving house checklist and wondering who to notify? Well, this is our change of address checklist where we will break down everything from the stages of moving your house, to who to inform of your change of address, to what to do on the very special moving day.
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Moving house for whatever reason can be a scary, stressful experience but it doesn’t have to be. If you follow our moving house checklist, you will learn about what to do and who to inform when moving house — helping you to remove the stress of moving. Below is a list of all the things you should take into consideration when moving your home:
When you start to get the ball rolling, decluttering your home is a great first step as it can free up space and possibly make the removal company process cheaper as you have less stuff.
We would recommend donating any old children’s clothes, your clothes, shoes, furniture and decorative items to your local charity shop instead of sending it to the landfill. If you want to make a profit from any old furniture or children’s toys you could also sell them on an online platform like Facebook Marketplace or Gumtree — people are always looking for vintage pieces or family-sized sofas!
If you are in employment, it is a good idea to tell your employer that you are thinking about moving and give them suggested dates for when you are moving. This will ensure that they are aware of your move and if you need time off, they will be able to give it to you. You should also make sure you book off enough time to move in, sooner rather than later.
If you have a child (or multiple) in a state school, you should check the catchment area of their school and ensure that your child can still get to school after your move. If needed you may need to enrol your child to a new school. This should also be done sooner rather than later to save excessive stress later on.
If your child is in a private school, usually you will have to give them a terms notice if they cannot attend due to you moving away.
If you are a tenant, you should give your landlord appropriate notice as soon as you have your moving date confirmed. Normally you should give four weeks’ notice, however, you may need to check your contract as sometimes this can vary. Some landlords may ask that you give them a notice in writing so it’s best practice to do this anyway.
You should confirm your moving earlier than later but if you are selling or buying a house you may need to start off with an estimated date.
You should book the removal company 6 to 8 weeks before your move, this will allow you ample time to pack any of your belongings. If there is a gap between when you have to move out and when you move in, you should look at self-storage — this should be done 2-3 months before the move.
Arguably more stressful than a game of monopoly, packing your belongings can be a hassle for most people. Some removal companies try to make this easier by supplying you with packing boxes to include all of your clothing and kitchen items.
Once you have packed and sealed your belongings, you should label them with the room you want them to be in and a description of the contents – this could be done by creating a checklist and duck-taping this to the box so you can check off as you go.
We should probably note here that, if there are any fragile or high-value items you should use plenty of bubble wrap or packing paper and label the box with a ‘fragile’ sticker. There is nothing worse than moving house and realising your great-grandmother’s ceramic pots have smashed while on the move.
You may notice with all of our home moving guides that we continuously talk about keeping your documents safe, and this is because it is one of, if not the most important part of moving homes. We would recommend having your own container with a built-in lock to store your documents. You may want to have these on your person during the move so you know where it is at all times. These documents may include; birth certificates, passports, contracts of employment, EIC and pension records.
Part of keeping your documents safe is ensuring you have the right contents insurance in case of theft, loss and damage. You should always ensure that your property is covered due to potential hazards like floods, fires and water leaks. If you are buying a new property, you should also get buildings insurance, which will protect the property against any potential hazards and this should be sorted from day one of moving in. Some insurance providers may offer packages that include both contents and building insurance in one.
If you are wondering who to inform when you move house; this list is for you. By following this changing address checklist you will protect yourself against identity theft, and societal issues and just save you from stress in the long run. Some should be done before you move, but some can be done after.
If you are changing your address, you can redirect your post from your old address for either 3 months (£34) or 12 months (£69). Costs may be higher if you send overseas or want to have additional individuals per household.
You should update your details on your banks, insurers and pension provider systems. As well as any lenders for credit cards, loans and insurance policies. This may include life insurance, pet insurance and health insurance.
Having the wrong address on your driving licence is a criminal offence and you have to pay up to a £1000 fine. You should also update the DVLA to change your car ownership certificate (V5c) and your car tax — both of which are owned by the DVLA but you still need to notify them separately.
To note, you should also change your debit card details if this is how you pay your car tax.
The area in which you live and drive can affect your car insurance, so it is vital that you give your insurance provider the proper details.
Knowing who to inform when moving house can seem like a lengthy endeavour if you’re like us and have multiple subscriptions. You should make a list of all the subscriptions you are signed up to; be it gym memberships, newspaper subscriptions or your Netflix account and make sure you change the address on their website. This will ensure that you do not lose access to your accounts.
You only need one TV licence per household but you should make sure that you change the address of the licence via their website.
You should tell your local authority and update your address on the gov.uk website to make sure you are paying the right amount of council tax. You should re-register with the electoral roll so you can vote in local and general elections.
You don’t want to end up paying for the wrong house’s utility bills, so it’s a wise idea to contact your utility company to change your address. This should include your gas, electricity and water bills. We recommend that you do metre readings for all your utilities for both your old and new addresses.
It may also be a good idea to compare gas and electricity prices and consider switching providers as your new property may be cheaper for a different provider.
You will also want to consider updating the details of your broadband, phone and television provider.
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There can be many different parties to inform when moving house, so we’ve broken it down into bite-size chunks to help you out. Please see below as we cover who to contact for finances, taxation, driving, your home and your wellbeing/lifestyle.
Now we have covered who you should contact about moving home, you should think about the first night of actually moving into your new home. Ensuring you have easy access to all the essentials will allow you to feel relaxed and ready for your first night. We would recommend making sure any valuables or essential items are with your person during the move and not in the removal truck.
Some things to consider as your first night essentials may be; toothbrushes, toothpaste, kettle, mugs, tea/coffee, bottle opener, and champagne. Tonight is a night to relax so we would recommend trying out a new local takeaway – you can deal with the kitchen tomorrow! Here is a list of things to think about when you are moving into your new home:
And like always, that’s all folks! Everything you need to know about moving homes & who to inform when moving house. If you would like to know anything else, please don’t hesitate to contact us — we are always happy to help!
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Tom is Digital Content Writer passionate about sustainable property & property trends. Regardless of the subject, he will always write blogs of the best calibre. Read more about Tom here.
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