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25 Things To Do When Moving House

Things To Do When Moving House

Moving home is one of the world’s most daunting tasks, with the burden of packing, unpacking and planning to make the transition go smoothly. Unfortunately, most people have to do this a few times in their lives, some more than others. Have you ever thought your job could be a whole lot easier if you have a list of things to do when moving house? Well, you’re in the right place if that’s what you’re looking for. This guide will cover everything you need to know when moving and even add some amazing tips to help you on a moving day.

25 Things To Do When Moving House

This is a very comprehensive guide, so we’ll start with everything you need to do before leaving your current home and then guide you on the relocation journey.

1. Make A Comprehensive Moving House Checklist

Moving Boxes In A New Home

Before anything, prepare a detailed checklist of tasks you need to carry out and include deadlines to make sure everything goes according to schedule. This comprehensive house checklist will cover the entire process from packing up from your current house to settling down into your new home.

2. Agree On A Date

To put everything in motion, you must agree on a moving date. Check your schedule because, ideally, you’d want to do this on a day when you’re off from work. The weekend works perfectly for most people, as kids won’t have to go to school. If you’re moving to another rented apartment, you must agree on the moving date beforehand with the agent and landlord. For those buying, make sure you’ve been cleared to move in.

3. Hand In Your Notice

It goes without saying that you need to hand in your notice of intent to leave your current house. This only applies if you’re renting. Your tenancy agreement should indicate how long your notice is. In most cases, it’s one month but it may be more or less. You may have a contract with a break clause if you’ve been living in your current home for less than a year.

4. Research Removal Company Or Hire Moving Truck

You’ve also got to think about transportation when moving and in this regard, you have two options: you can either hire a removals company or rent a moving truck or van. Both options have their perks. With a removal firm, you’ll get people to handle most of the work but it does come at a higher cost.

There are different levels of assistance, from the extensive to the basic removals package and your budget will determine how much support you’ll get from the removal company. If you want more flexibility and want to be in control of your move, renting a van is the better option. You can look for spacious van options or get a trailer and tow with a van.

Here are some van-racking ideas to make sure items are properly arranged when transporting them.

5. Declutter

Once all documents are signed and you’ve taken care of transportation, it’s time to declutter. Decluttering makes your job easier, making sure you only carry things you need to your new house. Donate or sell those items that are still in good condition, so you’ll have fewer things to pack and unpack. You can also transport items to the recycling centre if you no longer need them.

6. Consider Kids & Pets

If you have little kids or pets, you’d want to make sure they’re covered on the day of the move. You’ll need to take care of new school placements or at least inform the current school that you’re moving house. The same applies to pets; think about vet appointments. It’s also best to arrange for childcare or pet-sitting during moving day to reduce stress and ensure their safety.

7. Seek Cost Savings On Gas & Electricity

Just before you move is the best time to compare gas and electricity providers in search of the best prices. Don’t stick with the previous owners’ energy supplier if you think you can get a better price. Even a small monthly savings will make a huge difference in your expenses long term. There are apps and websites that help find the cheapest tariff for your new property based on the usage of your current home.

8. Insure Your New Home

This one is for people buying a new home. You’ll likely need buildings insurance as a condition of your mortgage contract. Besides, if you’re also renting, it’s still a good idea to protect your possessions against loss or damage. Once you know the move-in date for your new home, you can get insurance up to 30 days in advance.

9. Redirect Your Mails

Next, redirect your mail with Royal Mail and other delivery companies to your new address. A lot of people forget this one. It’s why you find mail for previous residents being delivered to your house. Doing so protects your personal information from identity theft while also helping to make sure you don’t miss any important mail.

10. Inform Financial Institutions

Financial institutions also need to be aware that you’re moving. Inform your bank, building societies, insurance providers, and others so they can update their records. Your bank needs your new address, so they can reach out to you in the event of an emergency. Plus, it’s a way of making sure your important financial documents don’t fall into the wrong hands.

11. Update Your Driving Licence

Relocation Van On Moving Day

You also need to get your car affairs in order by updating your driving licence so it shows the correct address. You can either update your licence through the GOV.UK website or apply for an updated licence via post. It costs nothing to include your new address if you’re moving house but you could be fined if you fail to update your details.

12. Update Vehicle Registration Certificate

One thing to add to your moving house checklist is updating your vehicle registration certificate, also known as a log book (V5C). You must update your car’s log book after moving if you’re the registered keeper. Failure to inform the DVLA that you’ve moved could cause you to incur a fine of up to £1,000. You can update your details using the online form and after that, it takes about four weeks for the DVLA to send your new registration documents.

13. Inform Your Car Insurer

Your car insurance company should also know you’re moving house, as most companies base their policy pricing on your location. If you don’t notify your insurer, they could refuse to pay whenever you make a claim. Bear in mind that the insurance company might charge you more if they believe your new area is riskier. However, you may be due a refund if you’re moving to a safer environment.

Before hiring a van to move stuff, check out van driving qualifications for different vehicle dimensions.

14. Update Your Details On The Electoral Roll

You’ll also need to update the electoral roll with details of your new address so you can vote there after moving. Aside from getting the opportunity to vote, registering on the electoral roll can also help boost your credit score. You can easily register for voting by visiting the GOV.UK website. Keep in mind that all members of your household must register individually.

15. Apply For Parking Permit

If you’re moving to a residents-only parking area, you’d also want to sort out your parking permit before moving. This will help you avoid parking troubles on moving day and when you start living in your new home. You can contact your local authority to apply for a parking permit, and if it’s a private residential parking scheme, just apply directly through them.

16. Set Up WiFi For New Home

Service from your mobile phone provider won’t be sufficient. The last thing you want is to be without the internet after moving to your new home. That’s why you should set it up before moving house. Schedule the installation of broadband and WiFi at your new home. Similar to gas and electricity, you have a chance to change your provider and opt for better service.

17. Move Your TV Licence

The TV licensing agency also needs to know about the change of address if you plan to watch television in your new home. All you have to do is give them your new address and let them know the day you plan to move and they’ll make sure you’re covered.

18. Prepare Your Old Home For New Owners

It would also be nice for the new owner of your old home if you made things easier for them. Put the house in order before leaving. To be further helpful, consider leaving instructions on how to operate the boiler and alarm, the location of the meters and the fuse box. You could also label all keys or leave them in their various locks.

19. Clean Your New Property

Cleaning your new home should also be somewhere on your moving house checklist. Before moving, you’d want to make sure your new place is welcoming and fresh. If you buy it from someone else, the cupboard will likely be grubby, as well as other areas of the house. You can hire a cleaning company for the job if you’re not up for it.

20. Keep Valuables Close

It’s easy for things to get lost when you start packing, so remember to keep your valuables close. Also, put any important documents and paperwork you may need on a moving day in a separate folder, away from the chaos of packing. Some of the important documents worth setting aside include tax paperwork, birth certificates, marriage certificates, passports and driving licences.

If you plan to move by yourself, check out a detailed van towing capacity guide to see how much each van can move.

21. Record Meter Readings For Your Utility Companies

Stacked Moving Boxes

Right before leaving on moving day, record your utility meter readings, including water, gas and electricity details. Taking final meter readings helps ensure that you’re not overbilled by your utility providers after moving. The utility suppliers will need the meter readings to process the closing of your utility accounts and ensure a smooth transition for both you and the incoming residents. There are even legal obligations to provide accurate meter readings when moving out in some jurisdictions.

22. Check Your Council Tax Band

Many homes in the UK are in the wrong tax band and you’d want to make sure you’re not on that list. If you’re moving to one of such homes, you can get your band lowered so you don’t have to pay more than you should. Start by checking whether your neighbours in identical or similar properties are in lower bands. Then you can use the web to value your home and estimate the appropriate council tax band.

23. Update New Address For Deliveries

This step could come before or after moving. Update your address for regular deliveries like meals, magazine subscriptions and online shopping from websites like Amazon and eBay. Some services allow you to add multiple addresses or set reminders, so if you ever shop using a different address, it helps avoid mix-ups.

24. Move Out

Before officially moving out, do a thorough walkthrough so you don’t leave anything behind. Look through storage areas like closets, drawers and cupboards and return all keys to the landlord or hand them over to the new occupants.

25. Deal With Old Resident’s Posts In Your New House

Not everyone can be detailed enough in planning every aspect of their move and you may notice that the old residents have forgotten to redirect their mail. When you receive mail for previous occupants, write ‘Return to Sender’ on the envelope and drop it back in a mailbox. This notifies the sender to update their records and find the new address of the owner.

If you’re a Scottish resident, see our list of the best places to live in Scotland.

Moving Day Tips

Even with proper planning and a moving house checklist, expect any house move to be chaotic. Here are some tips to make your day a bit easier.

  • Start early: Start your day early so you have plenty of time to handle the entire move. This is important whether you’re moving things by yourself or hiring a removal company.
  • Pack an essentials box: Prepare a box with essentials. These are items you’d need on the first night since you likely won’t have unpacked completely. They need to be separate from the non-essential items.
  • Label boxes clearly: Label each box with its contents and the room it belongs to so you know where to place each item when unloading. You can use coloured labels to make it easy to identify each box.
  • Do a final walkthrough: Check all rooms, closets, cabinets and outdoor areas to be sure you’ve not left anything behind.

SDVH’s Luton vans with spacious interiors are perfect for house moves. We also offer 7.5-tonne trucks for hire if your moving demands exceed the capacity of our small vans.

First Night Essential Checklist

Labelled Boxes For Moving

Here’s a list of items to keep handy on moving day:

  • For you: Bedding, toiletries (toothpaste, toothbrush, shampoo, conditioner), hand soap, towel for each family member, pyjamas for the whole family, work clothes and a first aid kit.
  • Pets: Food, water, bowls, bedding or crate, leash, toys and litter box.
  • Documents: Tax paperwork, birth certificates, marriage certificates, passports, driving licence and house rental or ownership documents.
  • Other practical items: Basic cleaning supplies/rubber gloves, bin liners, screwdriver, hammer, pliers, scissors, torch/light bulbs, phone charger, extension cable, pen and paper, paper towels/wet wipes.

Frequently Asked Questions

You need your identification documents, keys and a tenancy agreement or purchase contract on moving day. Identification documents and purchase or rental contracts provide proof of residency in the new house, while the keys give you access. You may also want to pack some moving tools and cleaning supplies in case you need to clean something before unpacking.

You should start planning your move one to two months in advance, ideally. This will give you enough time to declutter, organise and sort through your belongings. You can donate or sell what you don’t need and pack the others. You’ll also have time for other items on your moving house checklist, such as transferring utilities and updating your address details with your bank.

It will cost between £100 and £1,500 to move home. The exact cost depends on various factors like the distance of the new home from your current place, the size of your home and vehicle rental costs. You’re likely to spend more money if you’re hiring house movers, so it’s best to stick to renting a moving van if you’re on a budget. Also, keep in mind that very long-distance moves can even exceed the upper limit of this budget.

Yes, you should wrap furniture when moving. For starters, doing this protects your furniture from scratches, dents and other damages that may happen while moving. You also get to keep your furniture clean and free from dust and dirt. Finally, wrapping flat-pack furniture and others makes it easier to organise and load onto the moving truck.

You should rent a moving van if you’re looking for an affordable option for moving and you enjoy the flexibility of having control over your schedule. Hiring a removals company is the better option if you prioritise convenience and need people to handle the heavy lifting and packing. Both options are great and it all depends on how much control you want on moving day. 

Conclusion

With this moving house checklist, you now know all the things to do when moving house. From important decisions such as whether to hire a truck or a removals company to the most basic details, such as deciding what to pack, you now know everything that’s required to make moving day go smoothly.

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