10 Things To Do When Moving House

Moving home if not managed properly can be a stressful experience. Any steps you can take to reduce that stress will undoubtedly make your move a much pleasanter experience. Along with the physical movement of your belongings, there are lots of other things to take into account. So, to help ensure your move goes smoothly we’ve created the essential mover’s checklist for you. Follow these tips and hopefully, you’ll have a trouble and stress-free move. 

Confirm a Date

Until you have a confirmed date, it is very difficult to arrange anything, so this is your number one priority. If you are buying a property you will usually have to do this in one day, however, if you’re moving rentals then there is often some leeway. 

Get Removals Quotes

Unless you are planning on moving your belongings yourself or roping in family and friends you’d want to get several quotes from professionals, whether your relocating locally with removals in London, looking for removals in Bournemouth or after removals in Preston, most removal firms will carry out a free survey before giving you a price. Always be clear on your budget and what you will get included in the price. Whether you’re using a removal company in Wigan or Worksop, a great company will have lots of online reviews and offer competitive pricing.

A good way to reduce the cost is to do your own packing. If you go down this route make sure you use proper boxes and ensure they are all labelled clearly. If possible it is advisable to do a list of contents on the side of the box as it will make them much easier to identify on arrival at your new house. You can always consider whether you might need self storage. There are companies out there that can operate as both removals and storage should you need them.

Get Your Mail Re-Directed

Before moving make sure you have all your mail re-directed to your new address. There is a small charge for this, however, it is well worth it to protect yourself against the possibility of identity theft. You can arrange mail re-directs in advance of moving day and leave them in place for any length of time, however, 6 months is usually long enough. 

Notify Your Bank and Credit Card Issuers

This may seem obvious but it’s something lots of people forget about. You must notify banks, building societies and Insurance companies. All these organisations will need to update their records to ensure they can contact you in an emergency. 

It is also a way of ensuring sensitive information doesn’t fall into the wrong hands as both cards and PIN numbers are sent out by post, so they must be sent to the correct address. 

Update Your Driving Licence

It is important to update your driving licence so that it shows the correct address. This can be done online at the GOV.UK website or by post. There is no charge to update you’re licence but failing to do so could leave you open to the possibility of being fined. As a result, updating your licence should be high up on your list. 

Change the Details on Your Car Registration Document

Failing to inform the DVLA you have moved could result in you being fined up to £1000. You are required to update the vehicles VSC or logbook if you are the registered keeper. This applies to temporary moves as well as permanent ones. As with a licence, there is no charge to update your details and it can be done online or by post. 

Notify Your Car Insurance Company of Any Move

Location plays an important part in the cost of a car insurance premium. So, you must tell your insurance company about any change of address. Failure to do this could lead to any claim being rejected due to the company having incorrect information. 

Take Final Meter Readings

Before leaving your old home make sure you take water, gas and electricity meter readings. If possible it is advisable to take a photo as added proof as this will carry a timestamp. Send these to your utility supplier to ensure you don’t end up being billed for someone else’s usage. Most utility companies have a change of address forms on their websites. If you are keen to do so you can usually stay with your current supplier when you move. However, it may be worth shopping around to see if you can save money. 

Check Your New Home is Insured

Did you know you can insure your new property up to 30 days before you move in? So, to ensure the building and contents are covered from the moment you arrive by transferring your home and contents insurance. If you are transferring an existing policy make sure it covers everything you need at your new property, and make sure it is effective from the day you pick up the keys. 

Change Your Details on the Electoral Roll 

This is important to ensure you can still vote in local and national elections. You need to be correctly registered especially in cases where you are moving to a different area. 

While the list is not exhaustive, the things listed above will certainly help you remove much of the stress-related issues that arrive when moving home.