Last updated: 23/07/2020 | Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes

Checklist for moving home

Moving house can prove incredibly stressful. Faced with the daunting task of packing and organising travel to your new neighbourhood, it is likely that you will forget to do something essential. This checklist outlines the things you should do in the weeks running up to moving day, hopefully relieving some of your stress.

Bank details

Contact your banks and let them know about your move. This is crucial, as you don’t want strangers to get access to personal information and documents (such as new PIN numbers or credit cards), and you need to ensure that your bank can contact you if they need to. The same goes for insurance companies, building societies and any other financial organisation you are involved with. Your privacy and accessibility should always be a priority!

Mail

Before moving house you should organise the future redirection of any stray mail from your old property to your new home. This will ensure that the new occupants will not have access to your personal information, preventing any risk of identity theft. You can do this via the Royal Mail website and can choose how long you wish to have this service, but 6-12 months is usually enough. You should prepare to pay a small charge.

Home insurance

You should insure your new home in advance so your valuables are protected from the moment you unpack. You can purchase insurance for a property up to 30 days before you move in. If you already have insurance, you must let your insurer know about your change of address so they can adjust your policy accordingly. Again, there may be a fee.

Meter readings

You should save this one until the morning of your moving day. Before you leave, take final readings of your electricity, water and gas meter - it is also worth taking a quick picture. Let your suppliers know these final readings so you do not get charged for the next occupant’s usage.

You should also let your utilities company know about your change of address. You should be able to do this online without much effort. However, you should consider shopping around to see if you can save some extra cash by switching to a new deal when you move. It definitely won’t hurt to have a look at what’s on offer.

Driving

Whenever your address changes, you need to apply for a new driving licence from the DVLA. You can easily do this online, and there is no fee. You will likely be fined if you are caught with outdated details on your licence, so do this as far in advance of your moving day as possible to allow for shipping time.

Your car ownership certificate will also need to be updated - simply send your new details to the DVLA and they will issue you a new one. Concerning your car insurance, you must let the company know you have moved. Otherwise, if you make a claim with outdated details, they can refuse to pay.

Keep in mind that your policy may increase in price if you move into an area they deem to be less safe than your old one. However, you may also get a refund if your new neighbourhood is considered to be safer.

Cancel subscriptions and deliveries

You will need to cancel and settle any outstanding payments with all your local services, such as gardeners or window cleaners. You will also need to cancel any newspaper or magazine subscriptions or, if you wish to continue receiving them, change the address to your new residence. And, when you move in, make sure to double check the delivery address for any one-time purchases, so you don’t have to wait a while for your mail to be redirected.

Voting

To maintain your ability to vote, you will need to update your details on the electoral roll. To do this, you will need to re-register to vote, which you can do online at gov.uk/register-to-vote.

Tv, phone and broadband

You need to notify the TV licencing company about your change in address, and should inform them of your moving date so you are covered from day 1. You should be able to adjust all your personal details online. You must also tell your broadband and landline providers of the change - most will allow you to continue with the same package. But, again, it is worth checking to see if you can get a cheaper package for your new address.

So, in summary, you should redirect your mail, reregister to vote and look to adjust your personal details to include your new address, starting with essential services like your bank, broadband and insurance companies, and ending with various online retailers. And, while completing the checklist, always keep in mind the potential option to switch to a cheaper provider for some services. Moving house is likely to be expensive, so you should jump at any chance to save.