Moving house can be a stressful time for all involved, from managing viewings and placing offers on a new place, right through to packing your belongings and picking up your keys. With so much to do and so many things to remember, it can be all too easy to forget those small, seemingly trivial yet very important items on your to do list.
To help you out, here’s our handy checklist of things you must remember to do before you move house:
1. Redirect your mail
You can set up your redirect with Royal Mail before your moving day and it can last for as long as you like. There is a small charge but it’s worth it to stop your personal details and private mail falling into the wrong hands. Visit royalmail.com to find out more.
2. Tell the bank
Inform all of your banks, building societies, insurance providers and other financial services that you deal with, so they can update their records, and to ensure that sensitive mail doesn’t get posted out to the wrong address.
3. Check you’re insured
People often forget to check whether they’re insured on the actual day of their move. It’s possible to set your new contents insurance up in advance of your move, so it’s worth making sure it starts on your moving in date, to protect your possessions against loss or damage during the move and afterwards.
4. Update your driving licence
You’ll need to update the address details on your driving licence, car insurance and your car ownership certificate, so that everything is correct and up-to-date on moving day. It doesn’t cost anything to change the address on your driving licence, but you could be fined if you fail to update your details. Go to www.gov.uk to find out more.
5. Take your meter readings
Remember to take the gas, electricity and water readings at your property and call your suppliers with these before you move, to make you don’t get charged for someone else’s usage. You can usually stay with the same gas and electricity companies when you move, and they can arrange the switch for you when you give them your new address.
6. Electoral roll
Yep, something else to remember to update! And an important one at that. Updating your address on the electoral roll means you can still vote in local and national elections after you move. You can update your details at www.gov.uk
7. TV licencing
And another one! If you plan to watch TV in your new home, you’ll need to notify the TV licencing company about your change of address.
8. Digital TV/Broadband
And for uninterrupted service when you move house, let your TV and Broadband provider know your new address and moving date. You should be able to take your existing package with you when you move at no extra cost.
Phew! Got that? So when you know your moving date is set in stone, free up an afternoon well in advance of the big day, make yourself a brew, print out this checklist and get dialling!
