Moving House To-Do List
Moving House is classed as one of the most stressful experiences in life. So why would anyone do it? Many of us buy our first home and eventually outgrow it. For whatever the reason for moving, it can still be incredibly stressful. We have moved home many times, and we have found that being organised can make the process much less stressful. We’ve compiled a summary of big and small tasks to remember when moving home.
Starting packing early
If you haven’t moved home for many years, you will have likely forgotten what a big task this is. Packing your home can take weeks, if not months. So start the process as soon as possible, including a good clear out of any items you no longer need. The bigger the clear out you do before you move, the easier the unpacking will be at the other end. Like us, if you hate packing, book a company as soon as you can to pack and move your belongings for you. It comes at a cost, but we factor this into our budget when moving home as an essential fee.
Redirect your mail
When you move home, don’t forget to redirect your mail. Organise this before you move to ensure your mail will be forwarded to the correct address while you notify everyone that you’ve moved. The Post Office offers a mail redirect service at a small cost for six months (or longer) while you get yourself organised.
For any drivers
Make sure to update your drivers’ license with your new address. It’s an offence not to update your drivers’ license, so make sure to tick it off your list once you’ve moved. Your car insurance will need to be updated to your current address as it may be invalid if the provider has your old home address. Any motor vehicles will need to be registered to your new address too.
Utilities
On the day you move out, take meter readings for gas and electricity. This will allow you to settle up your account(s) on the property and ensure the buyer of your home will pay the bill thereafter.
Internet
Many of us can’t live without WiFi, and depending on your phone network signal in the area; WiFi could be vital at your new property. It’s worth contacting your current provider early on to see if they can move your existing account to your new address. This will save time and hassle. If you need to change supplier, it can take a few weeks, so getting this organised early avoids any disappointment.
Multimedia
For many of us moving home will also mean organising your TV licence and Netflix Sky etc. Similar to moving your broadband, call your current media provider to see if they can directly switch it to your new property. Although sometimes forgotten about, make sure to change your TV licence to your new property too.
Council Tax
Notifying your local Council that you’re moving is highly important. Some Council’s allow you to do this online, which can be more time-efficient than handling this over the phone. If can also let them know where you’re moving to and if it’s within the same Council you can inform them of your new address.
Insurance Policies
You’ll undoubtedly need to spend a bit of time sorting out various forms of insurance. The insurance you have on your current home may be suitable for your new property, but remember we need to ensure both building and contents. These are sometimes with the same provider or in the same policy, but if you live in a building that’s shared, you may need to discuss communal buildings insurance with the provider or buildings factor (if applicable).
Your health is your wealth
If you’re moving more than a few streets away from where you currently live, you may need to inform your local GP surgery and Dental Practice in case you fall out with their catchment area. Once you’ve moved, you’ll need to register with new practices.
Vote
Last but by no means least, ensure you register to vote at your new address. This is something that’s often missed during the home moving process but can be incredibly frustrating if an election comes round and you aren’t registered to vote. Don’t miss out and get registered.
We hope you’ve found this article helpful in listing many of the important things to consider when moving house. We are currently in the process of moving ourselves, so it seemed sensible to detail the process for individuals who haven’t moved in some time.
If you’d like to get into property investing but don’t have the time or knowledge, book a call with me using the button below to discuss how I could help you on your journey.
