Moving home checklist
Getting ready to move to a new rental or buying your own home? With so much to remember when moving home, it can be easy to forget something. Our moving house checklist will help make sure you don't.
In this article
Things to do before moving house
Pack everything and label boxes for moving
Learn where things are in your new home
Things to do before moving house
To help you prepare ahead of time, here's a checklist for moving home essentials.
1. Confirm the date of your move
If you’re buying, ask your solicitor and the house sellers to confirm your official moving date. If you're renting, you'll need to tell your landlord the date you’ll be moving out. You could spread your move across a few days. This gives you extra time to set up your new place.
2. Check your holiday availability
Think about possible moving dates and check if you’ll be able to take some days off.
3. When to Book a Removal Company
It's a great idea to contact removal companies around 4-6 weeks ahead of your move. Starting early can really help you get the best deals.
Tell your contents insurance provider when you'll be moving. Ask it what is and isn't insured during the move, as you might need to get additional insurance from it or your removals company.
Check out TrustPilot’s top rated UK removal companies.
4. Declutter before moving house
Moving home is also an excuse for a major declutter. You may be surprised how much you don’t use anymore.
You might be able to make some extra money by selling unwanted items through eBay, Vinted or Shpock. You can always donate unwanted items to a charity shop too.
Who to tell when you move?
A lot of people are going to need to know about your change of address.
Government bodies
- DVLA
You'll need to update your address with the DVLA for both your driving licence and vehicle registration. Don't do this before you move because you might need your driving licence for identification and van hire. Car owners mustn’t forget is updating their vehicle registration certificate also known as a logbook (V5C).
Who to contact:
- Council tax
Both your new and old local authorities need to know about the move, for council tax and electoral services. You mustn’t do this until you’ve moved in, otherwise it could interfere with the current home’s own council tax bill.
Ask your current local authority/council for a final council tax statement – you might even get a refund.
Who to contact:
- TV licence
You'll also need to get your TV licence transferred to your new address. Updating your TV licence is easy and can be done online in minutes.
Who to contact:
- Department of Work & Pensions (DWP)
Who to contact:
- Online retailers
Tip – Don't forget to delete your old address from all online retailers (like Amazon or Asos). There's nothing worse than realising a parcel has gone to your old address.
Consider redirecting mail when moving house
The redirection service from Royal Mail sends your mail to your new address, allowing you the breathing space to update your contacts once the hustle of moving is over. You have the flexibility to set it up for 3, 6, or 12 months starting from your moving date.
Moving home and insurance
Don’t forget to tell your car insurance company about your move. They often set their prices based on where you live.
Cancelling or changing your buildings or contents insurance part way through a policy year could mean you have to pay a fee. But it may be worth it if you find an insurance provider offering a much better rate for your new circumstances.
If you’re buying your new home, once you exchange contracts you take legal responsibility for it.
Pack everything and label boxes for moving
When you’re packing everything up, label all the boxes clearly. Make a list so you know exactly what’s inside each box after the journey.
Be sure to check our packing tips for moving too.
Learn where things are in your new home
It's helpful to ask the sellers, or your new landlord where these things are:
- Stopcock (valve for controlling the mains water supply)
- Instructions for appliances
- Gas and electricity meters
- Thermostat
- Fuse box
If you're selling, make a list of where all the important things are in your home, and leave it for the people moving in.
The final moving house essentials
There's a lot to remember when moving home, so we've created a printable PDF (137KB) version of this checklist to help you stay organised.
Arrange a sitter
Have your children and/or pets stay with a friend or relative on moving day for a major stress reduction.
Doctor and dentist
If you're moving to a new area, register with a local doctor and dentist so they’re available should you need them.
Meter readings
If you haven't already, write down your gas and electricity readings. Set the heating for comfort and get a Gas Safe registered engineer to check your appliances.
Bin day
Check when the local council collects bins and recycling, so you don’t miss it.
Things to do once you’ve moved house
Take meter readings
You don’t want to end up paying for the last owners’ energy usage, so take a meter reading and contact your supplier as soon as you can. If you’re on a water meter, you’ll need to take a reading and send it to the water supplier too.
Make sure smoke and carbon monoxide alarms work properly.
New home supplied by us?
We’ll make things simple. If we already supply energy to your new home, we’ll get your account set up as soon as possible.
Check you’re on the best tariff
It’s worth checking your energy tariff to make sure you’re getting the best deal.
Say hi to the neighbours
Knowing your neighbours comes with its benefits. You could take deliveries for each other or keep an eye on each other’s homes when you’re on holiday.
Get your boiler serviced
If you’re a homeowner, it’s always a good idea to get your new boiler checked by a qualified Gas Safe engineer. We’ve got experts on hand across the UK to check if your new boiler is working properly, needs repairs or needs replacing.
Take control of your heating
Spend less on energy bills and more on those all-important renovations with Hive Active Heating. With Hive, you can optimise your heating to keep things cosy without using more energy than you need to.
Cut energy waste with a Home Health Check
Want to find out how much of the energy you pay for is wasted and how to reduce this? Book a Home Health Check for just £75 and one of our energy experts will give you all the answers you need.